by Special Correspondent (OdishaLIVE) :
Media should play both an independent and responsive role towards society and perform its assigned role as a watchdog of democracy. That was the key takeaway of the two-day national conclave held in the precincts of KIIT, Bhubaneswar on May 3rd and 4th.
Cutting across academicians, professional and practitioners, every one spoke about journalism’s new challenges and how it can safeguard its position as the fourth pillar of democracy. Organized by the Institute of Media Studies and OdishaLive,the conclave was attended by at least fifty scholars who deliberated on various themes and sub-themes.
Addressing the gathering on the concluding day Sashiprava Bindhani, Odisha State Information Commissioner, talked about the connotations of news reporting and opined about how terms such as ‘alleged’ have been misleading. She said the coming of the RTI Act has widened the scope of media.
Sampad Mohapatra veteran journalist and editor, Nitidin said how it is difficult to identify oneself today as a media man .He said objectivity in a media organization is just unattainable and the fault lines in news organizations are there for everyone to see. Founder of TEAM Admark Nishikant Mishra also addressed the gathering.
The Conclave took off to a glittering start at the gorgeous KIIT Convention Center, on 3rd May to coincide with World Press Freedom day and witnessed media practitioners, academia, policy makers, bureaucrats, communication professionals, researchers and students brainstorming the role of media with particular reference to the social media, media’s changing contours and the accountability or rather the lack of it.
Prof. B P Sanjay, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad; Sevanti Ninan, Editor, The Hoot; Santosh Bhartiya, noted Journalist and former MP; Prof. DVR Murthy, Chairman, JMC Department, Andhra University; Dr. Ravindran Gopalan, Head, JMC Department, Madras University; Dr. Sisir Basu, Head, JMC Department, Banaras Hindu University; Dr. Sunil Kanta Behera, Professor Eminence, Department of Mass Communication, Tezpur Central University; Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee, Director, IIMC Dhenkanal; Ramendra Kumar, Chief of Communications, Rourkela Steel Plant; RN Dash, Secretary, KIIT & KISS spoke on the theory as well as practical aspects of the media as it has come off .
Release of the Abstract, the conclave Souvenir was the other highlights of the two-day long event. OdishaLIVE’s news and current affairs portal www.odisha.live was also launched on the occasion.
The inaugural, the valedictory and the technical sessions were live-streamed for the global audience.
Prof. Upendra Padhi, Conclave Convenor and Director, Institute of Media Studies (IMS), Nilambar Rath, Conclave Co-convenor and Founder Editor & CEO, OdishaLIVE along with Dr. Gayatri Patnaik, Senior Faculty, IMS managed the event.
Apart from the inaugural, valedictory and technical sessions there were three plenary sessions, which accommodated the noted journalists, media and communication professionals with national and international repute.
Eminent personalities of media and communications like Sandeep Mishra, Editor-In-Chief, News World Odisha; Dr. Deepak Samantarai, Director, National Academy for Broadcasting and Multimedia (Prasar Bharti); Kapilash Bhuyan, Noted Filmmaker; Sandeep Sahoo, Noted Journalist; K Ravi, Bureau-chief, The Statesman; Dillip Satpathy, Resident Editor, Business Standard and Hara Prasanna Das, Chairman, MAK; Sisir Sahoo, Founder, YES We-Can; Anil Bhatt, Corporate Communication Specialist, YES WE-Can; Bhaskar Parichha, Consulting Editor, OdishaLIVE attended different sessions at the conclave.
