Matters India reporter
Guwahati — The Indian chapter of World Catholic Communications body Signis India held its national assembly and study days on the theme: Media – Current Trends & Emerging Challenges. Some 140 delegates participated in the deliberations held at Don Bosco Institute, Guwahati from 21 to 23 February 2018.
The highlights of the assembly included National Herald New Delhi journalist Ms. Charu Soni who spoke on – Media Landscape in India Today: Truth, Secularism versus Political Patronage and Silencing Dissent.
The second speaker Salesian Archbishop emeritus Thomas Menamparampil of Guwhati presented Media: Social & Political Responsibility and Quest for Truth. In a 21-point discourse, the prelate highlighted the challenges before communicators today and urged them to build up a ‘thought bank’ of sobriety and co-belongingness.
In the panel discussion moderated by Daugter of St Paul Sr Joeyanna D’Souza, HoD of Mass Communication at Salesian College Darjeeling Fr C.M. Paul spoke on Social Media followed by editor of The Northeast Today news portal Ms. Iban Mawrie speak on Fake News. While Reserach scholar from IIT Silchar Ms. Neha Gupta spoke about Internet trolling and the dark web. Mr. Michael Peria from Hyderabad talked about Cyber Crimes.
Sessions on second day had former Cabinet Minister and Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka Dr. J. Alexander IAS reviewed the current media scenario in India and asked “Has political ideologies and vested interests hijacked media space?”
Dr Alexander categorized people into four groups namely the proponents of change, the opponents of change, the ostriches of change, and prophets of change. He went on to further explain that those who change after change, survive; those who change with change, succeed; and those who cause change, lead.
The second speaker of the day was Smt. Reshma NC Shah who underlined the four distinct points of Commercialization, Political Allegiance, Public Service and Right to Information in Media today in our country.
While speaking on Challenges to Christian Communicators in India today, former Director of CBCI Office of Social Communications Dr. Fr. George Plathottam SDB, brought about an introspection on the three aspects of the challenge of Social Communication. After looking at Communication from a theological perspective, Dr Plathottam dealt with the pastoral dynamics and called on members to become “truly Christian communication leaders.”
As tangibe sign of the deliberations, Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati released Trainers’ Manual entitled ‘Social Media Education for Media Education Trainers’ prepared by Signis team under the leadership of Dr Magimai Pragasam.