Media Must Work for Social
Transformation: Mahbubul Hoque
Khanapara, Ri Bhoi, January 24, 2018: With an
endeavour to make the University of Science and
Technology Meghalaya (USTM) a people’s university, the
University’s Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque said that media
plays a crucial role in educational awareness and
dissemination of knowledge among the people of the North
East while USTM is always ready to support journalists
who are interested in research and study based
reporting. Sri Hoque was addressing a conference with
editors and senior journalists of both print and
electronic media houses from across the north-eastern
states held recently at the University campus.
Mr Hoque said that journalists have the capacity to work
for social transformation through different ways apart
from conventional reportage. The journalists can involve
themselves in conducting survey based research on
implementation of various government projects in the
ground. Moreover, media has a central responsibility in
bringing awareness among the people regarding the
various flagship initiatives undertaken by the
government, he added.
USTM has recently announced several media fellowships
for journalists of the region. At the same time, the
University is also thinking about free education to the
aspirant children of journalists. Appreciating USTM’s
role in education and research initiatives, the veterans
of media houses agreed that the efforts of the
University for development of education among the poor
section of the society by way of providing various
scholarships and also free education to 35 per cent
students of the total enrolment in the University is
really laudable. They greeted the Chancellor of USTM for
his educational entrepreneurship through relentless
endeavour towards development of education among the
people.
During a brainstorming session, the editors of the print
and electronic media from the North East suggested
different topics for both the major fellowship programme
leading to PhD and the minor fellowships. The topics
suggested for the major fellowship include floods and
erosion, lack of livelihood options in the North East,
healthcare needs for senior citizens, use of alternative
media, sufferings of women in conflict zones, crises
before the media industry, human resources drain from
the North East, gender sensitiveness, environment and
wildlife issues etc. For the short term fellowships, it
was proposed that issues relating to promotion of
positive news by media, customs and food habits of North
East, development of tourism, entrepreneurship and skill
development, community resistance to conflicts, and
effects of globalisation on small communities could be
considered.
After deliberations with the media fraternity in the
Round Table, a resolution was taken that an
Academia-Media Committee will be formed as a follow up
to the discussion in order to finalise the topics and
other details of the fellowships to be awarded by USTM
to journalists from the North East. It was also decided
that the fellowships will be formally launched by USTM
in July 2018. For any further details regarding the
fellowships, the interested journalists were requested
by USTM to contact the public relations department of
the university.
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