In the early '80s, there were very few colleges offering post-graduate in media courses, which clearly did not matter during that time. There was only one television channel and it did not offer much by way of news or even entertainment. There was no internet, and no mobile phones either. The opening up of the economy, and everything that liberalization brought with it, was still many years away. With fewer distractions and longer attention spans, it was a more civilized time. There seemed to be more time to learn on the job and for colleagues to teach the ropes at work. However, it is not the case today.

With more than a hundred television news channels, a few thousand newspapers and magazines are engaged in a race for both audiences and advertisers, the competition has become so fierce that new recruits at the entry level no longer have any breathing space. They are still expected to have the right attitude and to learn many things on the job. However, no one has the time to hold their hand as they attempt to navigate through the treacherous currents of the media ocean.

What do students expect from a media course today? 

What does the industry expect of a media institute?

Today, the media industry expects a fresher to deliver like a professional from day one. So, the syllabus and curriculum is required to have a balance theory and practical projects. Students need to have their own work output in terms of publishing newspaper, or their own television news bulletins having montage, graphics, piece-to-camera and many more. The colleges should have excellent industry tie-ups and arrange for internships with the best media outlets in the country, which will give the students a feel of the real world and give them an opportunity to apply everything they have been taught.

Most undergrad students are also expected to find their own media internships, which only compound their problems. When journalism schools came in for severe criticism, Justice Markandey Katju, the Chairman of the Press Council of India set up a committee to determine minimum qualifications to become a journalist. What caused surprise, though, was that this move immediately drew fire from many senior journalists. This was a surprise because 20 years ago, or even further back, it was perhaps enough to be literate and have an interest in reading and writing to become a journalist. However, as discussed above, that is not the case today. 

Veteran journalist and journalism teacher V. Gangadhar in an article in The Hindu insisted that journalism schools must improve. Gangadhar gave example of Mumbai University, which, he said, granted affiliation to dozens upon dozens of B.M.M. and B.M.S. departments without caring to examine whether they had any kind of infrastructure such as library facilities, classrooms, and qualified teachers. "After a couple of years, the university, in its wisdom, abolished entrance tests," he wrote, "and decided that applicants to these courses should be admitted on the strength of their 10+2 marks, completely ignoring the fact that the cramming habits of, and inflated marks awarded by junior colleges are not enough to judge the different needs of a journalism course."

The answer lies in the lucid assertion by Howard Finberg, an American journalist with more than 40 years' experience who now works with The Poynter Institute, a world-class journalism school. Finberg wrote in an article on Poynter.org, "Without a robust future for journalism education, it is harder to see a robust future for journalism. And that's bad for democracy and for citizens who depend on fair and accurate information."

Ramesh Prabhu