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Here are some snapshots of the interesting array of opinions
expressed during the discussions and some responses to the
questions raised at the end of the session.
iSOMES director Nalin Kohli donned the twin role of a speaker
and moderator. Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advance
Learning president and CEO Robert Turner spoke extensively
about the Canadian media education scenario and his institution
in particular.
To illustrate his point, Turner presented an animated film
conceived and executed by the students of the institute. While
stressing on the importance of collaborating various media
on an international level, he spoke about the possible contribution
which institutions (like the one he represented) could make.
Turner spoke about the need to draw a common international
syllabus for media studies. He also expressed the need to
garner international talent from India and other emerging
economies. In the course of the lecture, he showed his willingness
to collaborate with the Indian institutes to chalk out a study
course.
Turner's pitch was supported by statistics and charts which
showed that there were a large number of students studying
in the Canadian Institutes. These students receive job offers
from prestigious media companies and take home a handsome
pay packet, he added.
The second speaker of the day, Cybermedia group CEO Pradeep
Gupta, began by speaking about the institute he represented,
the School of Convergence.
During the course of his lecture, Gupta spoke about the new
media that is fast emerging and the shift of media focus from
vertical to horizontal. To illustrate the new age media he
discussed the current cricket World Cup match scores,especially
the India versus Australia match and drew some kind of a parallel.
To illustrate his point Gupta said: " Content essentially
is the match but while I received it via SMS; some one else
might have heard it on radio while somebody must have seen
it on the television".
Convergence media was the focal point of Gupta's speech.
Coincidentally, the educational institute that he represented
was also based on the same theme. "Over the years we may have
created a damn good technicians but if they do not know the
business aspect of the media it is just a sheer waste of talent,"
Gupta added.
Gupta also spoke about the future evolution of India as an
important media centre and a major animation hub. And after
a four minute movie presentation created by the students of
the institute that showcased their talent, Gupta set the stage
for the next speaker.
The third speaker was National School of Drama director and
well-known film personality Anupam Kher. "With a slew of satellite
channels and subsequent plethora of shows, media professionals
are churned out at an unbelievable speed. Anybody can get
up and say that I am an actor, similarly any body with pot
loads of money can claim to be a professional and you cannot
stop them," stated Kher while describing the sorry state of
the industry.
After a short but emotional narration of his days of struggle,
Kher spoke about the need for trained professionals. To emphasise
on the importance of training he said: "I did not falter after
innumerable humiliations and insufferable poverty because
I had the arrogance of education".
Another issue that Kher dwelt into was the mushrooming of
media institutes. He emphasised that the genuine institutes
need not be paranoid as only the good one have the capability
to survive.
The last speaker of the day Nalin Kohli rushed through his
entire presentation about the institute, a subsidiary of BAG
films iSOMES. Highlighting the importance of training he said:
"Unlike a decade ago, the media scene especially that
of television, has become exceedingly cut-throat. and it seems
sheer waste of both money and manpower."
During the Q&A session that followed several members of the
audience refused to buy the claim that enough has been done.
They opined that the bigwigs of the media need to stop passing
the buck and put their arms together to give back what they
got.
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