Being a primate has been one great experience for me. It has opened a whole set of opportunities for me. Mainly, a free access to bananas. One of the most important tasks we, the PRMAIT Committee, did this semester was conducting the Media Summit - 'Agnitio' in the premises of our very own SIBM-B. Not only did we learn the way you get to reach to the likes of Kumbles, Kiran Bedis and their other nationally important cousins, but we also learnt the art of persuasion.
And yes we made mistakes here and there. But the end product was worth it. And the admiration we got - well, even better. I can't comment about any other place, because we all do MBA once, usually. But here at SIBM-B, one thing that shines out is the lack of locks. And still we have the keys for the whatif reasons of lock (made of strong metals) coming from some South East Asian country: it shouldn't make sense; but
something that should, are the learnings. Probably, it applies to Sweden, Barcelona, Southall, and all these different places too; but, if you want to learn here in SIBM-B, I assure you, there's plenty an options to do so.
I am speaking a lot of things at the same time, but the important parts you must retain: I have been beaten with electronic rods for what I write; I know people who have ripped off hair from their heads; thrown away stones at glass ceilings; kissed people sitting next to them irrespective of their sexes; and it's all because of what I write.
By the way, the post was about our media summit. Agnitio was awesome.
The event comprised of two panel discussions on the topics – “Media: The Fourth Pillar of Democracy?” and “Social Media vs. Traditional Media: Shall the Twain Meet?” Both the panels were moderated by Mr Krishna B. Mariyanka (VP, National Executive & Director, Governing Council – Public Relations Council of India).
In the first panel (Media: The Fourth Pillar of Democracy), Mr. D.B. Chandre Gowda (Lok Sabha MP, Bangalore North), citing his personal experiences, commented on the evolution of media over the years since independence. He said that the role of
media, with the introduction of new technologies, has not only diversified but has increased considerably. He also stressed that not only media but the other three pillars of democracy should also be honest in what they are supposed to do. Mr Yeshvanth Kumar (Owner, Apex Media) commented that sadly media today has become eighty percent business and twenty percent journalism. He suggested that the common man should now take the charge and question the credibility of media. He said that media’s responsibility in current global environment is doubly important as it is the window to the outside world; and, it plays a very important role in building the faith in the system.
Mr K. Giriprakash (Chief of Bureau, The Hindu Business Line), answering an audience question, opposed the concept of having a media watchdog. He said that the job of media is to be a
watchdog itself; and it’s time that people stop being cynical about what is printed. Ms Praveena Sharma (Assistant Editor, DNA Money) cited her past experiences where the entire media fraternity was held responsible for one news agency’s wrong reports.
The second panel discussed on the topic - Social Media vs. Traditional Media: Shall the Twain Meet? Mr Kiruba Shankar (CEO, Business Blogging Pvt Ltd), a well known name in the internet space, said that though social media is a great platform for communicating an individual opinion, professional journalism will remain irreplaceable; that traditional media and social media can coexist. Mr Vigyan Verma (AVP & Client Services Director, JWT), agreeing to Mr Shankar’s views, stated that although traditional media would never get replaced by the social media, there can be a convergence of the traditional media with new-age technology. Mr Aditya Anand (Editor, Mid-Day) recognized the fear that exists in the media houses, but rejected the claim that traditional media can ever lose its shine. Mr K.R. Sreenivas (Editor, Bangalore Mirror) reiterated the panel’s view that social media can never be as credible as traditional media because trusts are formed over a period of time and also social media like blogs, Facebook updates etc
are not moderated by a single reliable source. He suggested the students to regularly read The Economist to understand the art of writing. Ms Dhanya Rajendran (Bureau Chief, South India, Times Now) appreciated the fact that social media has provided a platform for everyone to voice their opinions but this must be done within the boundaries. According to her, in India, in spite of all its vices, traditional media has not been rejected, and that social media taking over traditional media is still a long way off.
As I said, Agnitio was awesome!
By Jitesh Sharma, 10-12
