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Monday, November 29, 2010

practicals

PRACTICAL FOR HSS JOURNALISM
As per Directorate of Higher Secondary Education Examination wing's orders, the following are the latest components for practical evaluation in Journalism.
Total scores:40. Practical Evaluation is conducted on the end of the course in the second year only.
Prduction: Print/Radio/Television/Newmedia ( Evaluation of the final products) 30mts, 10scores.
Scrap book: Final product evaluation 30mts, 5scores
Ad making: Evaluatoe suggests a specific topic to produce an ad. 30mts,5scores
Editing: Evaluate editing skills,grammar,structure,punctuation etc /Layouts-preparation of dummy 30mts, 5scores
Translation:  from English to Malayalam.30mts,5scores
Photography: still/video.30mts,5scores
Compering/news reading: evaluate the quality of the script, presentation style,skills etc. The presentation should be recorded.30mts,5scores

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

teacher tips/Newspaper Ombudsman

 Reader’s Editor/ Reader’s Representative/ Reader’s Advocate/Public Editor
NEWSPAPER OMBUDSMAN
Ratheesh Kaliyadan
Readers constitute the strength and weakness of a media organization. The term readers may be shifted to listeners and viewers while we talk about radio and television. Basically the audience is the major components of media discourses. All media managers may boast that we stand and work for our audience. Most clever media giants argue that we give what our consumers need. This advocacy is raised in almost all discussions regarding the ethical concerns. Who does decide the taste of the reader?
On ethical concern and consumer complaints a proper management system is needed. The system should deal feedbacks from public. The concept of a reader’s editor or newspaper ombudsman originated on this background.

An Ombudsman is some one who deals complaints from the public and finds proper solutions to them. It was in Sweden the first ombudsman was appointed in 1809. The appointment intended to handle citizen’s complaints regarding the government.
Etimologically, the term ombudsman originates from Scandinavian language. It means representative. Pronounced as “om-BUDS-man”.
News paper Ombudsman
News papers appoint ombudsman to deal reader’s/listener’s/viewer’s feedbacks. As all mass media consumers know, mass communication offers least possibility to feedbacks. Comparing to any other types of communication, feedback mechanism in mass communication is minimized. So any feedback from the consumers is very important as far as media are oncerned.the newspaper ombudsman receives complaints, investigate on the issues regarding the fairness, ethical concerns and balance in reporting. The ombudsman in newspaper organization is also known as Reader’s Editor, Reader’s Representative, Reader’s Advocate, and Public Editor.
News paper ombudsman is not an age old concept. Japan is the fore runners in appoint a newspaper ombudsman. Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo newspaper established a committee in 1922 to deal reader’s redresses. Another widely circulated newspaper in Tokyo, The Yomiuri Shimbun organized a staff committee in 1938. Later it transformed to ombudsman activities. The first news paper ombudsman appointed in US in June 1967 in Louisville, Kentucky to make consensus over reader’s complaints of The Courier Journal and The Louisville Times. The Canada came in to the appointment by 1972 in The Toronto Star.
In India, at administrative level, the term ombudsman is known as Lokpal or lokayukta. Times of India is the pioneering news paper organization which appointed a newspaper ombudsman in India. But the appointment did not express satisfactory results. The Hindu appointed its Reader’s Editor in 2006 by the influencing acts of Ian Mayes of the guardian’s reader’s editor.
Organization of Newspaper Ombudsmen
Organization of Newspaper Ombudsmen formed in 1980. “ONO is a nonprofit corporation with an international membership of active and associate members. It maintains contact with news ombudsmen worldwide, and organizes annual conferences, held in a member's city, for discussion of news practices and a wide range of issues connected with ombudsman work.”
Purposes of ONO
• To help the journalism profession achieve and maintain high ethical standards in news reporting, thereby enhancing its own credibility among the people it serves.

• To establish and refine standards for the job of news ombudsman or reader representative.

• To help in the wider establishment of the position of news ombudsman on newspapers and elsewhere in the media.

• To provide a forum for exchanging experiences, information and ideas among its members.

• To develop contacts with publishers, editors, press councils and other professional organizations provide speakers for special interest groups and respond to media inquiries.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

principles of mass communication

Principles of Mass Communication
HERE IS AN UNAVOIDABLE COMPANION TO MEDIAMATES
NANDI PRAKASH
Is it possible to born a journalist in a class room? This was an age old question where practicing journalists made staunch protest against journalism schooling. Now it is a reality. Most journalists who work for various media were nourished from media schooling and from class rooms. Majority of them are graduates or post graduates in journalism from universities and colleges. In a changed environment nobody asks such a ‘foolish’ question today.


But we have a lot of reservations regarding the teaching learning process and imparting class room learning experiences. Practical oriented and leading courses get more attraction. To support learners who entered eagerly in this class rooms need sound materials. Lack of quality materials on theoretical aspects of journalism is one of the major barriers in journalism classes.
‘Principles of Mass Communication’ by Ratheesh Kaliyadan is an authentic book on mass communication. The fourth and revised edition of the book expresses unique values. Most of the mass communication areas like Print, Radio, Television, Online journalism and allied areas like photography, Advertisement and Public Relations get a space in this book. As the cover proclaims it is a pointer to the theoretical mediatrics.
We have a lot of books. They cover mainly one of the elements of the media studies. Principles of Mass Communication become an exception. It covers almost all aspects of media studies without loosing the spirit. Moreover, the book introduces novel idea in types of communication and in online journalism.
First time in the history of communication discourses, a new type of communication is interpreted. It is available in this book. The type is interpersonal machno communication. It is a contribution of ‘Principles of Mass Communication’ to the communication studies.
While defining the Octave shaped news structure of online journalism, this book point out a new version. The shape is formed by joining eight inverted pyramids. It represents eight kinds of tools which symbolize the real Multimedia approach in presentation.
Due to various reasons, Principles of Mass Communication is an unavoidable companion to media mates: academicians, students, practitioners and trainees.
Lay you comments: mediafolkmarc@gmail.com Contact Nandi Prakash: :+919947570598

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

NATIONAL PRESS DAY

NATIONAL PRESS DAY PLEDGE
IN COLD STORAGE
Ratheesh Kaliyadan

India observes national press day on November 16 to mark the commencement of Press Council of India. First Press Commission in India in 1956 recommended the establishment of a Press Council to monitor media activities. The commission found that the council will be the best way of maintaining professional ethics in jouirnalism.The council is recommended as a statutory body.The council started its operations on November 16,1966. The day is considering as the symbol of free,fair and responsible press in India.


Considering the commission's recommendation,Press Council of India was established as a "statutory,quasi judicial body which acts as a watchdog of the press. It adjudicates the complaints against and by the press for violation of ethics and for violation of the freedom of the press respectively".What is the status of India ethical press today?
During observing national press day this year, almost news papers published an advertisement of the press council. The ad is a pledge which indicates a loss in the gravity of maintaining ethics. The pledge proclaims that  "on this National Press Day Our Newspaper  reiterates its commitment to free,fair and ethical journalism". The background framed by discourses on Paid News and actions/warnings against certain newspapers on the ground of violating press ethics for publishing such a pledge.

Recent Actions by press
Press Council which met at New Delhi on February 22, 2010 under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Mr. Justice G.N. Ray censured Rana Pratap and Lok Sewa of Ludhiana, Punjab; warned Andhra Bhoomi and Vaartha, Hyderabad and Roznama Rashtriya Sahara, Noida; and cautioned Times of India and Metro Now, New Delhi for violating the norms of journalistic Editors, Rana Pratap and Lok Sewa of Ludhiana in a complaint filed by Shri Surinder Pal conduct and misusing the press freedom. The Press Council adjudicated 27 complaints against the press and 13 complaints by the press against the authorities. Censuring the & Others, Advocates of Ludhiana for publication of unauthorized advertisements and raising bogus bills by the respondent newspapers, the Council observed that the respondents had in past also been brought before the Council with similar charges of publication of unauthorized advertisements by lifting them from another magazine and demanding payment for such advertisements, and had failed to defend the same. The Council found that the acts of the respondents were not only against the journalistic conduct but also illegal. Furthermore, both the periodicals were not in conformity with Section 11 and Section 9(d) of the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867



On Paid News
The Press Council of India in its meeting held on July 30, 2010 under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Mr. Justice G.R. Ray has placed in the public domain its Report on the issue of ‘Paid News’. Concerned over the serious dimensions acquired by the phenomenon of payment for news in the media in the General Elections 2009, the Council not only took cognizance of the matter suo motu but also considered representations from various eminent persons. The analysis of its Sub-Committee was studied by the Drafting Committee to prepare the final Report of the Council that was adopted on 30th July, 2010.The Report defines Paid News as “Any news or analysis appearing in any media (Print & Electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration”.
The Report records that “Sections of the media in India have willynilly become participants and players in such practices that contribute to the growing use of money power in politics which undermines democratic processes and norms – while hypocritically pretending to occupy a high moral ground. This has not merely undermined democracy in India but also tarnished the country’s reputation.

Pledge in cold storage!
News paper managers are so intelligent to publish the pledge in  an unnoticing way as considering as a govt. advertisement in the midst of conjusted media matters and revenue generating ads or not by translating in vernacular languages. well done think tanks,well done!

These are because of loosing the spirit of the theme of the pledge advertisement.The very action and mindset of media managers indicate the pathetic situation of indian ethical journalism. No mainstreme media in Kerala provided a space to the day's observations. No op-ed pages dedicated to discuss the importance of the day and the theme focused.Actually the national press day is an important platform to discuss the ongoing status of ethical press and to correct mistakes. Once again our media proclaims that we are behind profit and moneyism.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Goods in a ship, a song from Lakshadweep

Odam is the traditional vehicle of islanders. This ship is used for voyages from island to the main land and  reverse. People travel in odams and bring goods in odams. Here is a small song related to the goods and the traditional ship.

KOLU,a psot by Lakshadweep girl

Kolu means wind. Wind is a helping force and destructing force for islanders. Almost all cultural discources of islands,wind and ship becomes one of the central stages. The reason is always they are dependent to the main land to collect daily using households and food components. Travel from island to the main land and reverse was and is their major break through. All bitter and better experiences regarding voyages reflect in their traditional cultural feasts.

Traditional song of Lakshadweep

Laksha dweep is group of islands.The traditions of these islands are different ones at the same time a lot of similarities also have. Baswically islands share Islamic cult. Based upon the living atmosphere and conditions,varieties of art forms are available in various islands. The cultural discourses include traditional stories, folk tales,songs art forms. Here is a sample of a folk song.            This song elaborates their experience of voyage using odam (traditional ship).