The BBC World Service Trust is to continue providing journalism training services at the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) in Chennai, India.
Following the completion of the previous contract in April, a three-year extension has been agreed.
Funded by BBC Worldwide, it continues a productive, long-term relationship between the BBC and the college.
“The college is well respected, and the course run by the BBC World Service Trust helps to forge links and partnerships with the media sector in India,” says Project Manager Eleanor Morris.
The course helps to forge links and partnerships with the media sector in India
Eleanor Morris, Project Manager
Twice a year, a BBC trainer runs an eight-week course as part of ACJ’s one-year post-graduate training for television journalists. Half of the students undertake the course in the second term, and the other half in the third term. Those who complete it successfully receive a BBC certificate in television journalism.
The course focuses on the BBC values of accuracy, objectivity and independence. It delivers classes in basic skills, including news editing, reporting, presenting and producing, as well as camera operation and picture editing. Participants are also taught studio operations such as floor producing and sound and video mixing.
“The BBC course has been by far the most useful journalism training experience I have had to date,” says former student Arunava De. “This is because it taught hands on the idea of objective reporting for broadcast and how to write for the media.
“The classes were also a good platform for students to discuss various potential stories and ideas which, I believe, gave me a fair idea of the newsworthiness of stories. It was easier therefore for me to identify ‘good’ stories later when I joined a business news channel.”
Before completing the BBC course, each student produces a special report up to 10 minutes long. Subjects covered have included illegal kidney donation, street children and snake catching.
Arunava De produced a special report on the feasibility of biodegradable plastics. “The BBC has helped me to become a better journalist,” he says. “It has taught me to judge good news reporting from bad, focus on simple language, straight script, proper visuals and human examples, which all go a long way to tell a good story.”
It has taught me to judge good news reporting from bad, focus on simple language, straight script, proper visuals and human examples, which all go a long way to tell a good story
Arunava De, former student at ACJ
ACJ says of its post-graduate course: “The growing demand for trained staff from news organisations must be met with a crop of educated young people, not only with the necessary professional skills but also with the broad knowledge, integrity and social commitment that will make them outstanding journalists. The Asian College of Journalism is dedicated to the task of producing such journalists.”
During 2009, ACJ is moving to a new campus in Chennai’s IT corridor, Taramani. The complex will include the Madanjeet Singh Resource Centre for Journalism Studies. The centre will undertake research as well as monitoring the news media in India.
