Objectives of the Centre
Amity School of Communication (ASCO) at Lucknow Campus has been mandated to establish a Centre of Excellence focusing on media studies in 2016 and initiate media-related studies through this Centre. The idea is to set up the Centre for Media Studies (CMS) as a prime academic location for the development of critical understanding about media and its rendezvous with society vis-à-vis the industry in India.
It is envisaged that the Centre will involve students of Masters’ & Bachelor’s Programmes being run by ASCO so that they get a hands-on experience of collecting and documenting field data, clicking photographs, making documentaries, designing PR and advertising campaigns, etc.
This will ensure a dual role of the Centre of not only providing first- hand data on various issues but also providing training to students enrolled in the programme. Under this, the CMS has proposed a whole gamut of activities to begin with like Research Projects; Consultancies; Workshops; Documentaries and then add more activities as per the needs of the industry. Most of our activities / Short Term Projects are sponsored wherein sponsoring body supports us while we act as ‘Knowledge Partner’ and come out with our Reports/ Findings. Expenditure for CMS is taken care through a pool provided by AULC and also by the sponsoring agency. As we have moved on with our academic and research activities following are the notable activities undertaken in recent years.
Outcome
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A Research Study on menstrual hygiene in collaboration with WATER AIDS (UK Trust)
Amity School of Communication initiated a research project with UP Office of Water Aid (A UK Based Trust). a field study on Safe Hygiene with regards to menstrual cycle among adolescent girls in and around Lucknow covering Slums and Semi-Urban Centers as identified by Water-Aid. Prof (Dr) S M Johri(Director, ASCO) & Dr Areena Z Mirza (Assistant Professor) were part of this short-term research project. A team of 15 students from Bachelors’ and Masters’ programmes participated in the field study. Majority of them were girls keeping in view the requirement and the feasibility of the study.
The Water Aids and its partnering NGO Vigyan Foundation acted as ‘Knowledge Partner’ in arranging the field visits & organizing discussions with the community. The project was completed within the specified time and a document was prepared and shared with Water Aids.
For more details, click here
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Field Study on Open defecation free villages- in collaboration with John Hopkins University
Center for Communication & Change-India, headquartered at New Delhi and an affiliate of John Hopkins University sponsored a field study on the issue of ODF (Open defecation free) villages in Western Uttar Pradesh inviting ASCO Senior Faculty Dr Areena Z Mirza as Consultant. The project involved two Bachelors’ students Ms Amisha Tiwari and Ms Naisha Thakur to be part of this task. The faculty and the selected students conducted week-long study in Hapur District of Uttar Pradesh from October 25 to October 30, 2017 and they successfully completed the task.
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Project on Road Safety
Prof (Dr) Sanjay Mohan Johri (Director, ASCO) was offered role of Media Consultant with Johns Hopkins University which in partnership with WHO on Road Safety in October 2017
The consultancy involved his role in sensitizing Media . For this, he organized a two day Media Sensitization workshop for selected Journalists and then the Round Table for Editors in Lucknow. UP is the first state in India where WHO has taken up this unique project and Dr Sanjay Mohan Johriwas the first Media Consultant and offered a consultancy of Rs. 1.50 Lakh . The consultancy was on 70:30 as per AUUP rules.
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Documentary Project for Spark India
School for Potential Advancement and Restoration of Confidence or SPARC India, as it is more popularly called, offered ASCO a project of doing three documentary films with SPARC India in the month of March 2018 . ASCO took it as a CSR initiative under its Centre of Excellence (CMS) and completed the project in 10 days as per the deadline given by Spark India since it had to bid for a national project from government. The films were made for a social film contest by YES India Foundation under the banner, “Yes! I am the change!”. Two out of the three documentaries made by TEAM ASCO were shortlisted for a national bid by YES India Foundation.
The project was executed by faculty Team led by Mr Mohit Sharma & Ms Alisha Syedain (both Assistant Professors, ASCO) along with ASCO Video Editor Mr Rajan Mishra; Cameramen and 6 Students of Bachelors’ at ASCO.
Details of the films are as follows:
Jyoti Kiran:
The award winning film by Yes India Foundation made by Team ASCO for SPARC India showcases the initiative of Jyoti Kiran School in grooming children of differently-abled community and focusing on their all rounded development.
Nayi Dishayen:
The film made by Team ASCO depicts the effort of SPARC India Skill development Center in creating employment opportunities for youth with physical impairment. It emphasizes on training programmes and shaping career options for the community.
Ek Pahel:
The award-winning film by Yes India Foundation made by Team ASCO for SPARC India revolves around the community emulsion initiative of the organization for assisting differently abled community through a convergent approach
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National TB Control Campaign
ASCO was entrusted with a 10 Minute documentary to shoot in Ambedkar Nagar District ( 160 Kms from Lucknow) to assess the impact of National TB Control Programme being run by Mamta Health Institute. Mamta is a national level NGO which works both with the Government of India and International agencies . We were also entrusted with Photo Documentation of the Project. Five member team comprising of Mr Trilochan S. Kalra (Senior Faculty) and Mr Kashif Hasan (Research Scholar); Cameraman Mr Anil Sharma and two Students executed the task. The team was provided with a Consultancy along with their Travel and stay arrangements by Mamta.
Projects / Studies Undertaken in 2020
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A Special Project was undertaken on Maha Kumbh 2019 at Prayagraj (Allahabad) wherein we made a short Documentary and created content in the form a Booklet by covering different stories.
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An MOU with Water Aids (UK Based Trust) and Amity School of Communication with former being the Knowledge Partner was signed for undertaking studies of academic interests.
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I-Next (Jagran Group) offered Short Term Research Project & is in final stage of submission.
Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, the pattern of consumption of news through newspapers has changed. Dainik Jagran, one of the biggest and most trusted print media houses in India, entrusted ASCO to carry out detailed project studies, for its e-paper I-Next, on:
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Feasibility of digital paywalls for I-Next
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Innovative ideas for Food and Personal Care categories in print medium
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Pattern of newspaper consumption of youth
Save the Children and Amity School of Communication organized a Photo-Excursion by 10 Students Photographer – Digital Photo Exhibition on November 25, 2020. Students learnt the art of photography and used the camera to capture the lives of children in street situation.
About Expressions
Expressions, a monthly ASCO publication has been launched with a view to give an opportunity to students of Journalism & Mass Communication to go beyond the classrooms teaching and to utilize their writing skills by doing task based field assignments.
About Repertoire
The Repertoire is a quarterly data-based graphical analysis of issues in the field of Mass Communication, which will allow the reader to understand, analyse and interpret latest fact/development compiled from various authenticated sources.
The report is compiled by the Centre for Media Studies team under the guidance of Prof (Dr) Sanjay Mohan Johri (Director) and Dr Kashif Hasan (Faculty Co-ordinator, CMS) with selected students of Amity School of Communication, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus. The PDF copy is attached for uploading on the microsite.
About Third Eye
Third Eye as the title depicts is a quarterly presentation of our work through lens & camera to encourage Photography and Videography and highlight common and relevant issues of the society. Till now, three digital issues have been published.
Activities /Events Undertaken in 2021
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Amity School of Communication Lucknow organized 1st Annual National Students Conference on Mediated Communication: A Beginning of New Era in March 2021. The conference aimed at graduate and postgraduate students of Journalism and Mass communication and other allied fields.
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UNICEF – ASCO joined hands for an Academic Collaboration on organizing various activities including Webinars and Panel discussion during partnership to instill the next generation of journalists with Empathy & Commitment towards highlighting Children’s Issues.
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CMS published an E-Book titled “Impact of COVID-19 on Journalism and Mass Communication Industry” perhaps first by any institution on the impact of pandemic in April 2021. The book is available on Kindle. Editor: Prof (Dr) Sanjay M Johri & Ms Sangeeta Pandey.
New Project
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PHIA and Amity School of Communication Lucknow will collaborate for Commit to Change Film Festival that will be organized in January 2022 (tentatively).
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ASCOCAST – A project of Podcasting is in the final stage and will be launched soon.