Admission to post graduate coursein Communication and journalism, Ujire, Karnataka

Prof Hampesh K S has sent 

admission notice to the post graduate course to Department of Communication and journalism, SDM College, Ujire, D.K. Karnataka

For Details Contact

Prof. Bhaskar Hegde

Chairman

Department of Mass Communication & Journalism

SDM College, Ujire

Ph: 9448911926

www.sdmcujire.in

The 5th International Conference on Language and Communication

Prof Sanjay Ranade forwarded the following:

Innovative Inquiries and Emerging Paradigms in Language, Media and Communication

The 5th International Conference on Language and Communication

December 12-13, 2013

National Institute of Development Administration

Bangkok, Thailand

http://iclc.nida.ac.th

Keynote Speakers:

Professor Martin Conboy - Professor of Journalism History, Department of Journalism, Sheffield University, UK

Associate Professor Serafin M. Coronel Molina - Associate Professor of Language Education, Department of Literacy, Culture and Language Education, Indiana University, USA

The 5th Annual International Conference on Language and Communication at the National Institute of Development Administration, Thailand, invites scholars from around the world to attend our upcoming conference on December 12-13, 2013. We are interested in drawing papers from diverse fields in linguistics, media, and communication studies. Please submit abstracts of 250 words before 18 Oct 2013to the online submission system at iclc.nida.ac.th.

We will also be putting together peer-reviewed proceedings of the conference, with final manuscripts accepted until 31 Jan, 2014.

Queries should be submitted to inquiry.iclc@nida.ac.th.

Important Dates

Abstract Submissions Deadline:18 Oct 2013

Last date of Acceptance Notification: 4 Nov 2013

Registration Deadline for Presenters: 15 Nov 2013

Early Bird Registration Deadline:15 Nov 2013

Conference Dates: 12-13 Dec 2013

Final Manuscript Submission for Proceedings: 31 Jan 2014

Topics

Applied Linguistics & Language Education

Business & Corporate Communication

Cross-Cultural/Intercultural Communication

Computer Assisted Language Learning

Conversation & Discourse Analysis

Cinema & Film Studies

Critical Linguistics

Critical Pedagogy & Literacy

English for Specific Purposes

Gender & Queer Studies

Historical Linguistics

Information and Communication Technology

Journalism Studies

Language Contact

Language Development

Linguistic Anthropology

Literacy Studies

Multilingualism

Modern & World Languages

New Media Studies

Pragmatics

Pop Culture & Cultural Studies

Second Language Acquisition

Sociolinguistics

Translation & Interpretation Studies 

-- 

Dr.P.J.Mathew Martin,
Course Coordinator PGDMDC & ESA (Mass Media),
RCI registered Indian Sign Language Interpreter,
Outreach & Extension Service Department,
AYJNIHH, (Department of Disability Affairs,
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment,  Govt. of India)
Bandra West, Reclamation, Mumbai-50,India.
Mob:09869993833
www.ayjnihh.nic.in

A Killer’s Notebook, a Reporter’s Rights

By THEODORE J. BOUTROUS Jr.

Published: April 9, 2013

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/opinion/in-the-jana-winter-case-a-debate-over-protecting-news-sources.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130410&_r=0#h[]

SHOULD a journalist be punished for revealing a murderer’s secrets?

Jana Winter, a reporter at Fox News, covered the shooting rampage that killed 12 people and injured 58 others at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., on July 20, 2012. Five days after the attack, she reported that James E. Holmes, who has been charged with committing the massacre, had sent a notebook to a psychiatrist before the attack.

On July 25, Ms. Winter quoted two unnamed law enforcement sources as saying that Mr. Holmes had “mailed a notebook ‘full of details about how he was going to kill people’ to a University of Colorado psychiatrist before the attack.” According to her reporting, the notebook contained “drawings of what he was going to do,” including sketches of “gun-wielding stick figures blowing away other stick figures.” Holmes’s lawyers are now trying to compel Ms. Winter to disclose her sources, who spoke to her on a confidential basis and possibly violated a court-imposed order that was intended to restrict public access to materials in the case so as to ensure a fair trial. The defense lawyers say the information is relevant because it speaks to the credibility of law enforcement officers who, under oath, have denied leaking the information. Lawyers for Ms. Winter and Fox News have moved to quash the subpoena, asserting that under the First Amendment and Colorado’s “shield law,” which protects reporters, she is not required to disclose her sources. On Monday, the judge in the Holmes case, Carlos A. Samour Jr., put off a decision on the motion, saying he needed to first decide whether the notebook was even relevant to the criminal proceeding.But the case is clear-cut.If Ms. Winter were compelled to reveal her sources — or found in contempt of court andfined or jailed for refusing to do so — it would have a chilling effect on journalists and their ability to gather information in the public interest. This should be an open-and-shut case, but it comes at a time when the Obama administration, despite its commitment to transparency, has pursued a record number of criminal prosecutions against whistle-blowers for leaking information to the press, even if the disclosures were done out of an honest desire to serve the public interest. (Disclosure: I have represented Fox News and its parent, News Corporation, in the past, but have no involvement in this case.)Colorado, like 39 other states and the District of Columbia, has a “shield law” specifically designed to protect journalists from having to disclose their sources. In Colorado, before requiring a reporter to testify about confidential sources, a court must be convinced that the information is “directly relevant to a substantial issue in the proceedings.” In this case, the identity of Ms. Winter’s sources has no bearing on whether Mr. Holmes is guilty or innocent in the movie-theater massacre. It seems like nothing more than a sideshow, a tactic by the defense lawyers to intimidate the leakers and divert attention from the criminal trial.Over the last 40 years, courts around the nation have repeatedly recognized the strong First Amendment interest in protecting confidential news sources. One federal appellate court ruled that jeopardizing a journalist’s ability to protect the confidentiality of sources would “seriously erode the essential role played by the press in the dissemination of information and matters of interest and concern to the public.”There is no question that Ms. Winter’s article was of public interest and concern: By reporting on the mental health of an alleged mass murderer and his apparent statements to a psychiatrist, she shed light on the dilemma mental health professionals often face in balancing confidentiality obligations and public safety concerns. (In this case, the notebook did not ever reach the psychiatrist to whom it was sent; its existence was only uncovered after the attack.)Mr. Holmes’s lawyers argue that his notebook cannot be used as evidence against him because it is protected by Colorado’s psychotherapist-patient privilege, which prohibits the disclosure of “knowledge gained” from patients without their consent. (While Colorado law recognizes that a psychotherapist may have a duty to disclose a “threat of imminent physical violence against a specific person or persons,” it is not clear whether that duty would have applied in this case.)This form of privilege is recognized nationally and the implications go well beyond Aurora; these issues are also central to the ongoing national debate over gun control since the elementary school shootings last December in Newtown, Conn.If a litigant’s mere desire to punish a confidential source were enough to force a reporter to disclose the source’s identity, then journalism would be seriously jeopardized and laws protecting it would be gutted.This seems to already be happening to Ms. Winter. “Because my sources have been intimidated by the specter of the Holmes subpoena,” she wrote in an affidavit, “reports have gone unwritten and I have been thwarted in my news-gathering.”The case of Ms. Winter, a young reporter, has not gotten as much attention as battles over confidential sources that involve national security matters, but, given the increasing prominence of mass shootings in America and the complicated role that mental illness has played in many of these cases, her case is a pivotal one for journalists and for any American who cares about freedom of the press.

Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. is a partner at the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, focusing on appellate and constitutional law

Former US press secretary Mike McCurry on how to be a good communicator

By Tom Fox, Wednesday, April 3, 1:23 AM

In this highly charged political era, characterized by instant communication and frequent miscommunication, the need for federal leaders to be clear and credible is extremely important for effective governance. Michael McCurry, President Clinton’s former press secretary and a veteran of more than 30 years in Washington, spoke with Tom Fox about how to hone your communication skills. Fox is a guest writer for On Leadership and vice president for leadership and innovation at the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service. He also heads up its Center for Government Leadership.

How important is good communication to effective leadership?

Communications is now central to the functioning of the American presidency, and at the presidential level, there’s no replacing the power of the bully pulpit. Communications is also increasingly vital for the performance and success of people in all walks of life — corporate executives, high-school principals or the mayor of your town. If they cannot communicate effectively, they’re not going to be effective in their role.

What are the keys for becoming a skillful communicator?

I have a presentation I call “The 5 Cs.” The first is credibility. You have to be authentic and come across as a straight-shooter providing factual information, because if you come across as a spin-doctor, you’ll lose your audience. The second is candor. People need to be willing to address shortcomings, which becomes critical when addressing something that’s gone wrong in a crisis environment.

The third is clarity: How can you crystallize the message that you’re conveying so that it is as vivid and understandable as possible? This is especially important in government because so much is driven by a vocabulary that’s leaded down with acronyms and language that’s not user-friendly. The fourth is compassion. Understand the person on the other side of the issue and why they think the way they do. The fifth is commitment, which is not easy. There are some people who are naturally gifted as communicators like President Clinton and some who have to learn how to do it more effectively, requiring a commitment of time and resources.

What are some of the biggest mistakes federal leaders make when communicating to their employees and to the American public?

Typically, they are using vocabulary, acronyms or abbreviations that are unique to the process of government and not accessible to the average citizen, and sometimes not even accessible to their own workforce. Also, sometimes policies are in a grey area and not always clear. I ran into this a lot in the White House. When there’s lack of clarity in policies, there’s a lot of hedging in the answers and that can confuse various audiences that need to hear the message.

How can federal leaders communicate more effectively?

The most important thing federal workers can do, particularly those in decision-making roles, is engage their public affairs professionals. Every federal agency has a wonderful array of people who are skilled at communications. These people are skilled at taking complicated reports and ideas and boiling them down to something more presentable. If this resource is not accessible, bring in qualified professionals that do media training or speech coaching. Even Bill Clinton had to practice something like the State of the Union address many times to make sure that it went over well.

How can federal managers motivate their staff during a crisis?

Federal workers work for an agency that has a mission and a purpose, so they shouldn’t take criticism personally. It’s important to remember the job that you’ve been hired to do and to keep doing good work even in the midst of a crisis. You can’t let everything shut down and lose your focus on the work that has to keep going on behalf of the American people.

On a personal level, you can’t let yourself be weighed down by the burden of whatever responsibility you’re carrying. I found that one of the more effective things was to keep a sense of humor. There’s a bulletproof vest in the press secretary’s office, and each press secretary leaves a note for their successor in the pocket of that vest. Mine was, “This thing will be a lot less useful than a good joke and a sense of humor.”

What advice do you have for leaders in the midst of so much negativity toward government?

Avoid demonizing those on the other side of the debate. I think what is so poisonous in our system right now is the sense that you have to obliterate your adversary in the public realm of communications. Stop and say, “If I knew this person and I was sitting and talking with them, would I talk to them this way?” It seems like the anonymity — and charge and counter charge — has led people to say things that they wouldn’t say in polite company. People who have been around a long time ought to take on some leadership, mentor people and say, “Let’s try to find ways to be a little more amicable and take more responsibility for the vocabulary that we use.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/former-press-secretary-mike-mccurry-on-how-to-be-a-good-communicator/2013/04/02/bdbe4b5c-9bca-11e2-9a79-eb5280c81c63_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines

  

Readers prefer edited news, research sponsored by ACES finds

Senior journalist and media teacher Joseph Pinto forwarded the following to me: nto

March 17, 2011

(Source: http://www.copydesk.org/211/aces-sponsored-research-study-says-yes/)

For years, copy editors have been preaching that editing matters in stories posted on websites as much as it does in those published in print. But the rush to be first online has often meant that stories get posted without going through the copy desk.

Questions about how readers view the quality of articles were answered Thursday when Fred Vultee of Wayne State University presented the results of  a research project at the American Copy Editors Society’s 15th national conference in Phoenix. ACES approached him about conducting such research several months ago and collaborated with him throughout the course of the project. Here’s a look at his research:

THE FINDINGS

• Readers, especially those who follow the news closely, prefer professionally edited articles.
• Readers who read more news tend to be more critical than people who read less.
• Readers who spend more than an hour a day on news are more likely to think an article is badly organized than readers who spend less than one hour.
• Dedicated readers expect a higher level of quality than casual readers, particularly in terms of grammar and professionalism.
• Readers notice grammar errors and find them troubling and distracting.
• Readers see errors of consistency — a name spelled two different ways or p.m. versus pm, for example.
• Most readers are less concerned about errors of style and story structure than they are about professionalism and grammar. “They really don’t care if you abbreviate ‘road,’ Vultee said. “They don’t care if you start a paragraph with a number.”
• Readers notice writing that  is garbled and confusing, and when words are misspelled or misused.
• Readers can tell edited from unedited stories in significant ways.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is important because it uses reader perceptions of quality to measure the effects of editing on real articles produced for a Web-first environment. Readers care about what copy editors do, and copy editors can tell managers that their jobs are therefore critical to their organizations.

THE STUDY’S METHOD

From January until mid-March, Vultee conducted research using 66 readers.

The pool was 58 percent women and 42 percent men. It had an average age of 22.77 and was 47 percent white,  24 percent black, 12 percent south Asian and 8 percent Latino.

Fifty-six percent said they spent less than an hour a day getting the news. Of the 66 participants, more than 50 percent of them said they got their news from “the Internet” but not necessarily from a branded news site like nytimes.com, washingtonpost.com or something similar.

Readers saw four edited articles and four unedited articles each, and they were asked questions about them.

Vultee measured the readers’ assessments on a series of seven-point Likert scales. He focused on the relative importance of three main criteria that editors had suggested: professionalism, grammar and organization.

WHAT’S NEXT

Vultee stressed that his research was only the beginning. Questions remain.

For example, although Vultee’s research included for ethnicity and other factors, it did not ask about income, which would matter to publishers trying to reach a particular audience.

Vultee will also consider whether readers would stop visiting a website altogether because of poor editing.

--

Pvt dailies emerge after 50 years in Myanmar

By Aung Hla Tun

(source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/01/us-myanmar-press-idUSBRE93007320130401)

YANGON | Mon Apr 1, 2013 7:55am EDT

(Reuters) - Four private dailies hit the newsstands for the first time in almost 50 years in Myanmar on Monday, but many others failed to appear, hamstrung by poor financing, archaic equipment and a dearth of reporters.

Sixteen dailies were granted licenses by authorities, but only four were published.

The government-affiliated Union Daily, one of three dailies available free of charge, used financial clout to beat out competitors like D-Wave, the paper of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), for which publication preparations are still underway.

"All four papers sold out quickly today," Kyi Kyi, a roadside book vendor, told Reuters.

"But it's very hard to predict their future sales since three of them were distributed free of charge today and the remaining one was sold at 150 kyat ($0.17) per copy,"

Myanmar's quasi-civilian government took power in early 2011 after the military dictatorship relinquished a half-century stranglehold on the former Burma. It embarked on media reforms as part of its democratization program in August 2012, when it relaxed draconian censorship.

The three other newspapers distributed were the Voice Daily, Golden Fresh Land and The Standard Time Daily, all Burmese-language publications.

Competitors were unwilling, or unable, to get their dailies into the hands of the public quite as quickly.

"Frankly it's quite early to say for sure when ours will come out. We are still making necessary preparations to publish the daily," said Han Tha Myint, a member of the NLD's Central Executive Committee, which publishes D-Wave Weekly.

STUMBLING BLOCKS

Distribution, poor infrastructure, outmoded printing equipment and staffing issues are some of the stumbling blocks for media organizations wanting to expand into dailies.

"To be frank, the government granted licenses much earlier than we expected and we were caught by surprise," said the editor of one private paper, who uses the pseudonym Ko Maung.

"There are a lot of things we have to prepare like printing facilities and training staff," he told Reuters, pegging well-funded state-owned dailies as the likely major competitors in a market that will become very crowded, very quickly.

The Ministry of Information has invited local and foreign partners to invest in a joint venture to publish the New Light of Myanmar, a former state propaganda newspaper and the only English-language daily in the country.

Other media groups are waiting for clarity on how Myanmar will treat publications benefitting from foreign investment.

"It's been an excruciating wait, a bit like a tree trying to grow through a crack in a rock, but we have now arrived at the starting line and no one seems at all in a hurry," Ross Dunkley, managing editor of The Myanmar Times, which is applying for licenses for both Burmese and English dailies, said last month.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranks Myanmar 151st out of 179 countries in its Press Freedom Index, up 18 places compared to the previous year.

RSF has warned that a media bill, presented to parliament in March, could threaten the "fragile" progress Myanmar has made since 2011.

It criticized provisions that could result in newspapers being declared illegal for publishing material liable to threaten national reconciliation, denigrate religions or disturb the rule of law.

(Writing by Paul Carsten; Editing by Ron Popeski)