Dept of Mass Communication hosts special lecture

Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a special lecture on September 18, 2024 at the university campus.

The resource person was Mr. Joydeep Das Gupta, an acclaimed trainer from the GNI India Training Network. The topic was ‘Fact Checking in Science Journalism and Climate Change.’

The special lecture was aimed at the third semester postgraduate students, who opted for Science Journalism as a special paper. Mr. Das Gupta discussed the best practices for fact checking in science communication. He also shared vivid information on misinformation and disinformation about climate change.

He also delighted students on data authenticity and credible journalism. The lecture ended with an interactive session. Students found the session highly enriching.

Dr. Reshmi Naskar

Dept of Mass Communication hosts guest lecture

Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) conducted a guest lecture on ‘The Psychology behind Film Narrative Structure’ for its students on September 17, 2024 at the university campus.

The resource person was Mr. Somdev Chatterjee, an academician and filmmaker associated with the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata.

Mr. Chatterjee introduced the students to the common elements of a story and justified his argument with plethora of instances. He delineated on the concepts of a protagonist in a story, dilemma in a plotline, ideology of expectation and reality in a film, and provided the students with a psychological perspective of films. Using the quote of Muriel Rukeyser, he explained how the universe is made up of stories and not of atoms.

He elaborated on the various building blocks of a story- sudden reversal of fortune, casual chains connecting events, risks, crises and desires. He also shared examples to explain the various nuances of psychology of storytelling.

The highlights of his lecture were his discussion on the ‘The Door Study’, David Hoffman’s ‘Interface Theory of Perception’ and seductiveness of narratives.

Students of Semester 3 of both undergraduate and postgraduate sections, Dr. Susmita Halder, Dean of Arts and Social Sciences, and other faculty members from the department attended the programme. The programme ended with an interactive session with the students.

Dr. Nitesh Tripathi

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Dept of Mass Communication hosts lecture series

Department of Mass Communication organised special lecture series from September 9 to 12, 2024 at the university campus for its students. The resource person was Prof. Mrinal Chatterjee, Regional Director, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Eastern India campus.

Prof. Chatterjee took sessions with every semester of the department. He discussed best and quick procedure for writing features, uses of Artificial Intelligence and its uses in writing news stories.

In one of his lecture series, he discussed evolution of comic arts from scrolls to memes, partition films based on various literature and cited various examples.

He also shared ideas of perception management and discussed the role of media. Students found the lecture series highly relevant. The entire programme was coordinated by Prof. Harish Kumar, Head of the department.

Dr. Somak Sen

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Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) in association with St. Xavier’s University Kolkata Alumni Association, celebrated World Photography Day on August 19, 2024 at the university campus.

The department also organised a photography workshop and exhibition cum competition on the same day. The events aimed to cultivate the skills of budding photographers, provide them with hands-on experience, and offer a platform to showcase their creative talents. Students of different departments of SXUK and other colleges and universities participated in the event.

The workshop was conducted by Mr. Anindo Basu, an expert from Canon. The workshop covered a wide range of topics, including basics of photography, composition, lighting, framing, and more advanced techniques. The workshop also emphasised the importance of storytelling through images, encouraging participants to think beyond technicalities and focus on the message behind their photographs.

The interactive nature of the workshop allowed students to engage directly with the expert, asking questions and receiving personalized feedback. Practical sessions were also organized where participants could apply the techniques learned and receive guidance on improving their shots.

The photography exhibition cum competition took place in the Hall of Fame of the Arrupe building. The exhibition featured a diverse range of photographs, showcasing the themes of monsoon life, cityscape, and street life at night. At the closing ceremony, the winners of the competition received certificates and mementos.

Asok Dasgupta
Studio Coordinator
Dept of Mass Communication

Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) hosted the info-cultural meet on August 29, 2024 at the Father Albert Huart Hall in the university campus.

The event took place to foster a spirit of camaraderie among new and old students of the department who also showcased their diverse cultural talents.

Dr. Susmita Halder, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Studies delivered the inaugural speech. Swastika Moulik, a student of BA, semester 5 of the department, performed the role of anchor. She emphasised the importance of cultural events in creating a vibrant and cohesive academic community.

A panel discussion on the bandwagon effects of social media took place. It was hosted by Debdyuti Sarkar, a student of BA semester 5. The event witnessed spontaneous participation of students from all semesters of the department. Events like musical acts, dance performances and one minute to fame also took place.

The event witnessed the participation of all students of undergraduate section of the department and its faculty members. Dr. Harish Kumar, Head of the Department of Mass Communication, coordinated the event.

Dr. Harish Kumar

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Department of Mass Communication of the St. Xavier's University, Kolkata (SXUK) conducted a guest lecture on Sports Journalism and its different avenues on August 8, 2024 at the university campus.

The resource person was Mr. Amitabha Das Sharma, an eminent journalist and Senior Assistant Editor at The Hindu, a noted English daily.

Mr. Das Sharma introduced the students to the concept of sports journalism and explained the roles of a sports reporter. He also discussed different media available for sports journalism e.g. print, digital platforms, websites, blogs, and e-papers.

Mr. Das Sharma spoke about the structure and role of sport department in a print media organisation and helped students understand the industrial scenario.

He said, "I have spent 26 years in The Hindu and I am learning every day." He further elaborated, "At the earlier days, there was a separate section of proofreading. Nowadays, reporters write stories and complete the proofreading from their end.”

He also gave light on various international news agencies like Press Trust of India, Reuters, Associated Press, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, and Agence France-Presse and their role in promoting sports journalism. He shared a lot of future opportunities in sports journalism.

An interactive session also took place at the end. Dr. Somak Sen coordinated the entire event.

Anushka Chatterjee
MA Sem 3, Dept of Mass Communication

Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) in collaboration with the St. Xavier’s University Kolkata Alumni Association (SXUKAA) organised a one-day seminar on May 7, 2024 in the university campus.

The theme was Storytelling in Digital Era. Eminent media professionals were invited to share their insights on the afore-mentioned topic.

Veteran media professional and academician Dr. Snehasis Sur delighted on the uses of digital technology and its various importance in every sphere of media production.

Mr. Jimmy Tangree, an eminent RJ and head of 91.9 FM spoke on the different uses of digital technology while framing radio talk shows and discussions. He narrated how digital technology has enabled to present story in an interesting way.

Mr. Amitabha Das Sharma, Deputy Editor of The Hindu, Kolkata edition discussed how digital processes enable smooth functioning of media nowadays and how digital technology has become inevitable in media production.

Mr. Anjan Chakraborty, a journalist turned tech-entrepreneur and currently the CEO of Estory shared various techniques for writing stories using digital technology in a few minutes and publish the same, etc.

All the faculty members and students of the department attended the seminar. Dr. Harish Kumar and Dr. Manali Bhattacharya coordinated the entire event.

Dr. Somak Sen

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As a part of the knowledge exchange programme and educational tour, postgraduate students of the Department of Mass Communication of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), Arunachal Pradesh visited the St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) campus on April 29, 2024.

The purpose of the visit was to provide students with practical insights into media and communication processes, particularly focusing on studio operations and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). They were accompanied by Dr. Arvind Kumar, a faculty member of RGU.

Dr. Harish Kumar, Head of Department of Mass Communication, SXUK coordinated the entire event. Mr. Asok Dasgupta, Studio Coordinator and Mr. Bendict Gomes, Technical Assistant of the Department of Mass Communication elaborated on the intricate processes involved in studio operations.

Other faculty members explained the workflow of producing media content, from conceptualization to execution, highlighting the role of technology and teamwork in creating impactful productions.

Two groups of SXUK students discussed role of social media in forming public opinion and on ‘Gender and Media’. An interactive session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also held between the students of the two universities.

This session aimed to bridge the gap between media studies and emerging technologies. Students of both universities witnessed different collaborative activities and learned the integration of technology in media production.

Dr. Harish Kumar

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Department of Mass Communication conducted a workshop on Digital Marketing on January 25, 2024 in the university campus.

The resource person was Mr. Angshuman Sett, a Google AdWords certified expert. He put special emphasis on social media like Facebook, Instagram, hashtags and their uses in digital marketing.

He also explained the role of backend tools, building the personality of a brand and its positioning in market. Students learned about digital marketing process from demography, ad management tools, different analytics and metric styles, segmentation of the audiences, etc.

The entire session was interactive and students found it highly enriching.

Dr. Harish Kumar

Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier's University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a fact-checking workshop for its students on March 7, 2024 in the university campus.

The resource person was Mr. Joydeep Das Gupta, a trainer with the Google News Initiative India Training Network and the BBC Young Reporter India Programme.

Mr. Das Gupta, an expert in combating misinformation and disinformation, shared his insights and enlightened the students in the two-hour-long session. He discussed differences between misinformation and disinformation like hoax, satire, parody, imposters, etc.; its perils, and ways to combat the looming threat.

He emphasised the term 'infodemic,' coined in 2003 by David Rothkopf. The term rose to prominence in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic after being used by the World Health Organization (WHO). It refers to the abundance of information, including false or misleading information, in digital and physical environments during a disease outbreak, as seen during the global pandemic.

He also discussed uses of efficient tools like Google Lens, Fireshot, Invid and Yandex for verifying content online. Students learned about fake memes, misquoted news headlines of opinion leaders, viral videos, fact-checking of live political speeches, etc. An interactive session took place at the end. Students found the workshop highly enriching.

Dr. Reshmi Naskar

Xinephile, the film society of St. Xavier's University, Kolkata (SXUK) celebrated the centenary year of Shri Mrinal Sen, the legendary Indian filmmaker on February 27, 2024 in the university campus.

The society conducted the screening of one of Sen’s famous films, ‘Bhuvan Shome’ at the Father Albert Huart Hall amid the presence of faculty members and students of the university.

Shekhar Das, a National award winning filmmaker was the Guest of Honour in this programme.

The event was inaugurated by Dr. Achyut Chetan, Dean, Faculty of Arts & Social Studies, SXUK, followed by felicitation of Mr. Das by Dr. Reshmi Naskar, Professor-in-Charge, Xinephile.

Mr. Das delivered an insightful lecture on the contribution of Mrinal Sen to Indian Cinema. A montage of the films made and directed by Mrinal Sen was screened before ‘Bhuvan Some’ was played. The event witnessed the spontaneous participation of around 350 students and faculty members of SXUK.

The film captivated the audience with its storytelling prowess and visual brilliance. A post-screening discussion was held where Mr. Das shared his valuable input, listened to the queries of audience and responded. The entire event was coordinated by Dr. Reshmi Naskar and her team members.

Dr. Reshmi Naskar

In an effort to offer practical exposure to the intricacies of radio broadcasting, Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier's University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised an industrial visit for its postgraduate students to the Red FM office on February 23-24, 2024.

The aim of the visit was to acknowledge the students about the organisational set-up of FM office and its ways of functioning. The visit took place under the guidance of Dr. Manali Bhattacharya, a senior faculty member and the Coordinator of PG programme

During the visit, the students were immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the Red FM office, where they were given a guided tour of the internal operation of the radio station. They also interacted with various departmental heads, gained insights into the multifaceted operations of a radio station, including programming, production, marketing strategies, etc.

Highlighting the interactive nature of the visit, renowned Radio Jockeys Neil, Abhishek, and others engaged with the students, addressed their queries and shared industry insights. Maitree, an employee of Red FM and an alumnus of SXUK facilitated students in the entire event.

The visit also helped students understand the process of launching campaigns, creating advertisements, adding voice-overs, and composing music within a radio environment. It also enhanced their understanding of the pivotal role played by radio in communication and entertainment.

Reflecting on the experience, a student said, "It was truly enlightening to witness the behind-the-scenes operations of a renowned radio station like Red FM. The visit has broadened our perspective on the significance of radio broadcasting in today's media landscape."

Dr. Manali Bhattacharya

Xposure, the photography society of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) in collaboration with the St. Xavier’s University Kolkata Alumni Association (SXUKAA) organised ‘Xenith'24 - A Symphony of Frames’, an inter-college photography exhibition on February 22-23, 2024 in the university campus.

The two-day event was sponsored by the WRS Graphics and powered by Reach. Xenith'24 aimed to provide a platform for photography enthusiasts from SXUK and different colleges and universities across the state to showcase their talent and creativity under the theme ‘Contrast, Minimalism, and Connection’.

The first day commenced with an inaugural ceremony presided over by Prof. Ashis Mitra, Registrar of SXUK. The creative works of the students were viewed by faculty members of SXUK and they shared their valuable suggestions. The second day of the event witnessed participation of students from various colleges and universities in the exhibition.

Photos and artworks by students were judged by Mr. Arup Roy, Lumix Mentor and Wildlife Photographer; Mr. Somnath Roy, Nikon Creator and Fashion Photographer; Mr. Satyaki Ghosh, Fashion & People Photographer and Prof. Asok Dasgupta, a faculty member of SXUK. An interactive session took place between the judges and participants at the end. The winners were awarded with certificates and prizes.

Dr. Nitesh Tripathi

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In an effort to keep its students aware of practical works in television industry, the Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier's University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a television studio visit for its undergraduate and postgraduate final semester students on February 12 and 15, 2024.

The aim was to bridge the gap between classroom theories and the practical intricacies of audio-visual production.

Students visited the New Theatres Film Studio (NT-1) along with Dr. Sithara Puli Venkatesh and Prof. Debasish Sen, faculty members of the department.

Students learned how in a tightly packed schedule, shooting was carried out for the daily soaps that are currently running on prominent Bengali television channels.

They also met the cast and crew of different Bengali television productions and had conversations with directors, assistant directors, art directors, camera men and sound recordists.

Students also realised the practical outcomes of pre-production, production and post-production stages involved in television programming. They also gained first-hand experience in acting, direction, celebrity management, time management, creativity and other nuances of script to screen journey in the television industry.

Dr. Sithara Puli Venkatesh

Stepping into the vibrant hub of Radio New Town, the undergraduate and postgraduate students of Department of Mass Communication, St. Xaviers University, Kolkata (SXUK) found themselves amidst the pulsating rhythm of radio waves on November 20-21, 2023 with their mission to record two pieces capturing the essence of Newtown, an evolving ‘smart city’.

Nerves gave way to excitement as they entered the recording studio. Microphones donned, the students transformed into articulate storytellers, weaving narratives about Newtown’s inclusive spirit, its ever-growing infrastructure, and its promise as a liveable utopia. They spoke of its green spaces, its diverse communities, and its dynamic ecosystem, alluding to the city’s ‘work in progress’ charm. Interspersed with these insights were nuggets about their beloved SXUK, its rigorous academic environment, and the nurturing embrace of the Mass Communication department. They painted a picture of a student life teeming with intellectual pursuits and creative endeavours, perfectly complementing the dynamic spirit of New Town.

After the recording, the Station Manager who is also the senior Radio Jockey, Mrs. Ruthline Saha, gave our students a guided tour through the radio station that unveiled the magic behind the microphone. From the bustling newsroom to the serene editing suites, they witnessed the meticulous process of crafting compelling radio narratives.

Leaving Radio New Town, the students carried with them not just the thrill of their recorded voices, but also a deeper understanding of the power of radio and the transformative potential of storytelling. They had not only captured the essence of New Town, but also showcased the vibrancy of SXUK’s Mass Communication department, proving that even within the confines of a budding city, stories of inclusivity, progress, and academic excellence can find their voice.

Dr. Sithara Puli Venkatesh

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Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) hosted X-Phoria 3.0, an info-cultural meet on September 13 and 14, 2023 in the campus. Both the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the department participated in the event.

The postgraduate students of the department organised events under the theme of ‘Roll, Camera, Action’. A panel discussion took place where participants discussed and shared their views on ‘Social Media and Privacy'. They focused on the rising issues that contradict one’s freedom of maintaining privacy in the age of online media.

The undergraduate students organised sitcoms. They organised a competition namely ‘One minute to fame’. Ten students of first semester of undergraduate section showcased their talents in different events like dance, recitation, etc. A quiz contest was also held on popular sitcoms.

Students of third and fifth semesters mesmerized the audience through their dance and musical performances. A short video was shown on life in SXUK which the students entertain. Students found the two-day event highly enthralling. Dr. Harish Kumar, Head of Department delivered the vote of thanks on the concluding day.

Dr. Somak Sen

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Students of Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) directed and produced a reality show at the Fr. Gaston Roberge Studio, located in the university campus on September 22, 2023.

The fifth semester students of undergraduate programme in Mass Communication solely made the two episodes of the ‘Acting Ka Punch Nama’. It is a reality show to find the best acting talent from the students of SXUK through auditions. Twenty contestants from different departments of SXUK participated in the audition. Judges finally selected ten contestants for the final round.

Students were assigned roles of production personnel and were asked to prepare script and content for the show. They exhibited professionalism following ethical guidelines. They also received hands-on training on shooting a reality show by performing roles of director, anchor, marketing and PR professionals and technicians.

Promo videos were shot and exhibited earlier in the university for registration of contestants. Students found the session highly enriching.

Dr. Sithara Puli Venkatesh

In an effort to make its students aware of nature and challenges in sports journalism, the Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) hosted a special lecture for its postgraduate students by an eminent journalist on September 15, 2023 in the university campus.

Mr. Amitabha Das Sharma, presently serving as the Senior Assistant Editor with The Hindu, Bureau Office, Kolkata was the guest speaker. The topic was ‘Nature and Challenges in Sports Journalism’.

Mr. Sharma in his delightful lecture shared a lot of information on how sports department in print media and audiovisual media organisations functions; how the reporters build up contact with sports personalities, coaches, sponsors; how do they manage to get information in advance about the preparation of the team, game-plans, etc.

He said, “You have to build up your contact deliberately. You must have unending energy to move around to get more relevant information.” He also asked students to remain careful of maintaining objectivity while reporting.

“You may be fan of a particular football or cricket team. But you cannot show your fandom through your reporting. It must be unbiased and informative,” he added.

Mr. Sharma also advised students to learn uses of camera professionally as media houses presently prefer to recruit those who possess multitasking qualities. “Engage yourself in learning all new technological innovations so that you can apply them in your professional career,” he added.

He also praised SXUK for starting sports journalism as a specialization course in its postgraduate programme in Mass Communication. “Very few universities offer sports journalism in India though it is one of the important areas in journalism. I believe SXUK will be able to train its students professionally,” he added.

The special lecture session witnessed the presence of postgraduate students of Department of Mass Communication, a few students from the postgraduate section of Department of English and from final semester undergraduate section of Department of Mass Communication.

The programme concluded with an interactive session. All the faculty members of the department were present.

Somak Sen

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In a bid to sharpen communication skills of the students, Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) hosted its first edition of X-Forum, an interdepartmental debate competition on August 29, 2023 at the university campus.

The theme of the debate was ‘Social media is making us anti-social’. Five teams comprised of two students in each team from different departments participated in the event.

Aryayan Bhowmik and Gokul Nair from the Department of English, speaking for and against the motion respectively emerged as the best team. Gokul Nair bagged the title of Best Speaker.

Debaters for the motion argued that social media reduces human relationship to tabs and clicks on screens. It sometimes leaves our mental stability disturbed. A large section of users posts only positive sides of life or happy-go-lucky issues which many a times create unnecessary social comparison. They also mentioned how social media wastes valuable time, hinders social interactions, and affects physical development.

Debaters against the motion argued that social media is an integral tool to connect us beyond boundaries. It helps people learn many new things. It helps to expand business; opens new avenues of earning to the youth. It is a source of news to media houses also, they said.

Dr. Srenwantee Bhattacharjee and Dr. Ashok Kumar Mohapatra, faculty members from Department of Social Work and English respectively were the judges. Dr. Achyut Chetan, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Studies and other faculty members attended the session.

Dr. Manali Bhattacharya

Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) conducted a guest lecture session by an eminent professional to groom its postgraduate students on August 25, 2023. Students from the Department of English also attended the session.

Mr. Siddhartha Roy, Chief Executive Officer, Response India was the speaker. He discussed how to shape the future of an organisation through creating a meaningful brand and developing strong faith among consumers for its eternal existence.

Mr. Ray said that brands are not developed in one day and it requires a long perseveration of a company to build up belief among its consumers. He further explained why students of communication studies should understand vision, mission, and goal of a brand and its purpose.

He advised students to work hard in their professional life to meet the objectives of the organisation. He shared examples of famous brands like Gillette, Dove, etc. and history of their growth. An interactive session took place at the end. Students found the session highly enriching.

Dr. Manali Bhattacharya

As a tribute to Mrinal Sen, an eminent film director and screen writer, the Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a documentary screening on May 18, 2023 in the university campus.

Premendra Majumdar, Vice-President of Federation of Film Societies of India and General Secretary of the International Film Critiques was the Guest of Honour.

While delivering the inaugural speech, Rev. Father John Felix Raj, S.J., Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of SXUK said, “Mrinal Sen was very close to Father Gaston Roberge, a pioneer in film appreciation movement in India. Sen often visited Chitrabani, the media research centre of St. Xavier’s College which was set up by Father Roberge.”

He further added that Mrinal Sen used to have long discussion with Father Roberge on socio-political issues and its reflections in Indian cinemas.

Mr. Majumdar, a recipient of several national and international awards said about huge contribution of Mrinal Sen in Indian films. He addressed Sen as a ‘social reformer’ too. He further expressed his hopes to get collaboration of the students of SXUK in activities of film federation.

Starting with a small documentary on life sketch of Mrinal Sen, the department showed six short films on different socio-cultural topics. All these films were made by the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the department right from scripting, direction and shooting. The subjects range from hand pulled rickshaws of Kolkata and its future, life of sex workers and challenges faced by them to come back to mainstream of life, life of textile workers to many other socio-cultural issues.

Dr. Reshmi Naskar was the convener of the programme. Deans of all schools, faculty members and students attended the show.

Somak Sen

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Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata organized a guest lecture on Media Management and Entrepreneurship on November 16, 2022 by eminent industry professional. Mr. Satyaky Chowdhury, Vice President, Aaj Tak group.

Mr. Chowdhury discussed the technical uses of various equipment in industry and unlimited career opportunities in media industry in India and abroad. He narrated stories of Radio Jockeys who started from a low profile at the beginning and later rose to top positions through hard work and perseverance. He further analysed multiple angles of a news story and different presentation styles as per varied editorial policies practiced by national and international media organisations.

While interacting with students, Mr. Chowdhury responded several career oriented queries of the students and assured them of a bright future ahead if they would meet the standards of the industry. He also stressed on doing post-graduation in Mass Communication citing huge competition in industry.

Mr. Chowdhury was brought to the studio of Department of Mass Communication where he found the technical equipment of industry standard and praised a lot. He advised students to practice maximum with equipment so that they would meet the industry requirements in near future.

Dr. Somak Sen.

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In a bid to acknowledge its students with the functions and procedures of media industry, the Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a one day visit to the office of The Times of India (TOI), a reputed English daily on November 12, 2022.

A total of fifteen students along with two teachers of the department namely Dr. Reshmi Naskar and Dr. Nitesh Tripathi visited the daily’s Kolkata office to learn how the media industry runs its programmes and manage other tasks.

Mr. Sunanda Sarkar, Resident Editor, TOI guided the students regarding the news processing on daily basis to printing and circulation of newspapers. He also delighted the students on media ethics and analysed why and how it becomes necessary to suppress certain facts to avert unrest in the society. He further discussed on career prospects in print journalism.

Dr. Nitesh Tripathi

In a bid to acknowledge students on growth and nature of Science Journalism in Indian media scenario, the Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organized a special session on November 9, 2022 for its postgraduate students.

Named as ‘Science Journalism and its dynamics’, it was conducted by Dr. Manas Pratim Das, a Programme Producer of All India Radio, Kolkata office. Dr. Das spoke on various avenues of Science Journalism and gave references to several reputed science journals like ‘Scientific American’, ‘Dream47’ and publications by Vigyan Prasar.

He discussed the scientific heritage of the country narrating how Jamsethji Tata had established the Indian Institute of Science as advised by Swami Vivekananda. He also narrated about interesting tangent of science in movies namely ‘Erin Brokovich’ (2000) and ‘Interstellar’ (2014), especially on its portrayal of black holes.

Dr. Das had also mentioned the popularity of science journalism in the cyber space with sites like popsci.com and vigyanprasargov.in. Students found the session highly informative and engaging.

Dr. Reshmi Naskar

To make the students aware on sustainable development and efforts made by international bodies to save the Mother Earth, the Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a guest lecture for its postgraduate students on November 3, 2022. The topic was ‘Environmental Journalism: The need of the hour’.

Jayanta Basu, renowned environmental journalist and columnist was the resource person. He narrated how climate change across the world has become a global threat and resulted into burning of Amazon, carbon sink, etc.

He also referred to the deterioration of East Kolkata wetlands as a local threat. Citing examples from his own drafted reports published in different dailies, he discussed various issues held responsible for global climate change and recommendations of COP26 and COP27 to avert the same. Students found the session highly enriching.

Dr. Reshmi Naskar

To keep students aware on fake news and its prevention, Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organized a fact-checking workshop on November 2, 2022 for its postgraduate students.

Mr. Joydeep Das Gupta, Editor, News Sense and a certified trainer from Google News Initiative, India Training Network was the resource person. Citing the need of Internet and its varied uses in modern world, Mr. Das Gupta helped students learn to distinguish between misinformation and disinformation.

He referred to a few examples of clickbait news and narrated about various web based tools of fact-checking which can be accessed easily and help us to check the validity of information. He discussed how an individual can do a reverse image search of a photo and get to know the authenticity of clickbait news.

He suggested to use apps like Google Image Search, TinEye, and Baidu for this. Similarly, a reverse video search can be done to check the authenticity of video like InVid and Frame by Frame. He further emphasised the importance of these apps to combat menace of fake news as a responsible citizen. Students found the hour-long session highly informative.

Dr. Reshmi Naskar

As a part of its academic curriculum, the Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) conducted a documentary film-making workshop on October 31, 2022 for its postgraduate students. The resource person was Supriyo Sen, an eminent filmmaker.

The programme consisted of two sessions. The first session started with the screening of ‘Wagah’, a documentary directed by Mr. Sen. He also narrated his experiences while shooting documentaries. He guided the students about finding a solid plot and characters suited with the main theme. He also shared fun and emotional anecdotes like how he got closer to a kid while shooting 'Wagah.' In the second session, an interaction took place between Mr. Sen and students.

Dr. Manali Bhattacharya

In order to inculcate the habit of news reading and analysis of current affairs among the students, the Department of Mass Communication organised a quiz competition tilted ‘Media Quest 1.0’ on October 20, 2022 in the Fr. Albert Huart Hall, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK).

Participants in the quiz contest were selected through a primary test held earlier by the concerned department. The final quiz consisted of ten rounds and had two teams competing against each other. Topics like brand, television, film, advertisement, literature, newspaper and magazine, awards and honours, personalities, music, folk and culture were included in the contest.

Erika Roy and Sanica Chakrabarty, two postgraduate students of the aforesaid department were declared winners.

Dr. Nitesh Tripathi

To boost the spirit of rational discourse among its students, the Department of Mass Communication of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) conducted Xavmeet, an interdepartmental panel discussion on October 12, 2022 in offline mode. The topic was 'Is Technology Saving the World or Killing it?’

There were nine panellists in the discussion namely Farheen Halder and Sania Haider from the Department of Mass Communication, Ali Aftab (Commerce), Muskan Bagani (Commerce - Morning), Jishan Islam (Economics), Aishiki Banerjee (English), Adrija Sen (B.M.S.), Zainal Abdin (M.Com), and Aqsa Mallick (B.A., LL.B). The programme was moderated by Maliha Siddiqui, a third semester student of Department of Mass Communication.

Five of the participants hailed technology as the saviour while four others regarded it as harmful if not used within control. They cited irrational behaviour of a few in treating and using artificial intelligence excessively for personal and selfish purposes.

The speakers collectively came to a concluding decision on positive uses of technology to combat existing issues and threats like pollution, resource depletion, terrorism and communication barriers, etc.

Dr. Somak Sen.