Academia-media linkages can serve society better

Islamabad: The media needed to contribute more actively in bringing positive change in the society, and help to improve the living standard of the people.

This was stated by the speakers while addressing the inaugural session of First National Media Conference titled 'Media in Postmodern Times', arranged by Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) here on Friday.

The speakers including renowned columnists, Sajjad Mir and Khurshid Nadeem, besides the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui highlighting the responsibilities of journalists in post-modern era, asserted that the media should address the ground realities, keeping in view the cultural and social needs of the society.

Sajjad Mir presided over the inaugural session while Khurshid Nadeem was the key-note speaker. According to the chairman, Department of Mass Communication Dr. Saqib Riaz, the conference was aimed at developing academia-media linkages to serve the society through educational pursuits.

They called for having strong partnership and regular interaction between the media and the academia to address the future challenges, particularly in the education sector. While deliberating upon the theme of the two-day conference, 'Post-Modern Times: Challenges & Prospects', the speakers hoped that the event will help the young researchers to interact with senior ones to understand their future responsibilities towards the society.

The event, arranged by the Department of Mass Communication was the part of series of activities, being arranged by the university on regular basis to highlight the importance of media in educating the people as well as media-academia collaborative partnership in addressing the socio-economic problems of the society.

The conference's participants from various parts of the country appreciated the Vice Chancellor for developing the AIOU as a vibrant educational institution, efficiently providing academic and literary support to its 1.3 million students across the country.

Dr. Shahid Siddique further said that media has emerged as most powerful social institution in the recent years for the transformation of the society. He also highlighted the AIOU's achievements in developing the University as the country's role-model learning institution and a hub and literary and cultural activities.

The University, he said fulfils its duties, creating, constructing and disseminating knowledge through publication of research journals and holding of national and international conferences. He announced media's conference will be made a regular feature and next year, it would be arranged at the international level.

During the working sessions, to be chaired by eminent working journalists and academicians will make insight into the latest trends of communication and media. It will also discuss theoretical as well as empirical methodologies to devise appropriate strategies for policy makers so as to find workable solution to address the challenges being faced by our society.

Later, Dean Social Sciences Dr. Samina Awan in vote of thanks said that the university, through such events will continue to provide platform to youth to learn from the experience of their seniors and deliver best their practical field.