Alumni Talk: "Changing Careers in Media: Prospects and Challenges"
Date: 24 September 2024
The Department of Media Studies at Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, conducted an Alumni Talk on September 24, 2024, for the I Semester BA JMC students. Ms. Hamsaveni N, a digital content creator at The Times of India, Bengaluru, and an alumnus from the 2019–2022 BA JPEng batch of Kristu Jayanti College, spoke at the session, "Changing Careers in Media: Prospects and Challenges."

Ms. Hamsaveni discussed her educational background, emphasizing how her undergraduate work at Kristu Jayanti College served as the basis for her subsequent journalism career. She went on to the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media (IIJNM) to study a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM), which improved her knowledge and abilities. She acknowledged that the Department of Media Studies had influenced her career.

She stressed the importance of journalistic values throughout the discussion, particularly in reporting, editing, and the byline. Ms. Hamsaveni described how her report on Bengaluru's potholes was published in The Times of India, which she said gave her a great sense of pleasure because it brought attention to the problem and possibly sparked change.

Alumini Interaction Series Challenges of Reporting
Date: 24 September 2024
The Department of Media Studies at Kristu Jayanti College organized an interactive alumni talk on September 24 featuring Ms. Padmaja J. Ms. Padmaja J made history by being the first fastest recipient of the prestigious National Award for her exceptional article on Paralympic Swimmers. During the talk, she shared cherished insights from her professional experience giving important advice to the aspiring media students. She emphasized the importance of being persistent, passionate, and attentive to detail in the fast-paced world of journalism. She also provided practical tips to the students on how to navigate the competitive landscape and also for the second-year mass communication students, she offered specific guidance on internship opportunities.

Alumni Talk Series - Influence and Relevance of Digital Media Platforms
Date: 27 September 2023
The Department of Media Studies at Kristu Jayanti College organized an enriching Alumni Talk Series from 12:00 PM to 12:50 PM room no 205, PG block. The speaker was Ms. Anju Chowdary, a respected digital news anchor and reporter at Vijayavani. The central theme of the discussion revolved around the "Influence and Relevance of Digital Media Platforms." Peer teaching and learning took center stage during this event, fostering an exceptional environment for knowledge exchange, addressing inquiries, and enabling students to engage in discussions about their prospective career paths. The students were grateful to the Department of Media Studies for consistently organizing engaging and beneficial sessions tailored to their needs. The event commenced with a warm welcome speech by Ms. Angela Elizabeth Biju, setting the stage for an enlightening session. Ms. Chowdary, an alumna of the college, initiated the session by sharing her journey and reminiscing about her time as a student in the same academic environment. Her profound interest in the field of journalism ignited her fascination with the subject. She shared her unique path, having pursued a Master's in Journalism after completing her Bachelor in Commerce degree, which is a testament to her commitment and determination in serving society. Ms. Chowdary delved into a wide spectrum of topics, covering national and interstate opportunities within the media industry. Her presentation provided valuable insights into building a successful career, guidance on crucial steps to undertake, and the necessary adaptations and behaviors required to thrive in this ever-evolving field.

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Chowdary shared invaluable insights from her initial work experiences, shedding light on the expectations and realities of the industry. Her guidance will help students prepare for the next chapter in their careers. The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Joicy Pinto.The 'Alumni Talk Series' has proven to be of immense value, particularly for final-year students who are on the verge of entering the media industry. The event has equipped them with the knowledge and inspiration to embark on their professional journeys.

Alumni Interaction with Seniors from Batch 2020 - 2022
Date: 02 May 2023
The first-year students of the Department of Media Studies (PG) had an alumni interaction with their seniors Shirley J Victor and Raveena Reveendran (Batch 2020-2022) on the 2nd of May 2023. During the interaction with the juniors, Shirley shared her insights about her present work as well as her experiences about her life in college. She clarified the doubts of the students about the work stress outside as well as in the college. She also discussed the importance of a first job after a student’s life and also how she loves her job and the work she does. The students asked various doubts about the fields they are interested in and also how the seniors decided on their careers during their two years of college. She also shared about the programs and initiatives they took and started during their study period at Kristu Jayanti College. The interaction came to an end with Shirley expressing her thoughts about her life in college as well as giving ideas about how to create more memories as well as events, sharing her memories with her classmates and how she wanted to relive them all over again.

Alumni Interaction - A session with the Alumni
The department of media studies PG conducted an alumni interaction between the students of MA JMC on 20th March 2023 and the alumni of the college to help the students gain more knowledge about the field and the industry. The speakers were Ms. Ria Eapen and Ms. Elizabeth George. The session started with an introduction to the speakers by Dr. Juby Thomas, she welcomed the alumni to the session by taking a walk down memory lane.

The first speaker was Ms. Ria Eapen. She started off her talk by addressing the gathering. She first spoke about her experiences in college and how much she learned during her two years in college, she then connected the dots to how it helped her in her work life. She spoke about how her work life was and explained to the students what her work in a Pr agency looked like.

The second speaker was Ms. Elizabeth George who works as an In-house PR for a global civil engineering company. She started off by expressing her joy of coming back to her alma mater, she went on to explain what her work life looked like and advised the students on how to prepare for work life.

After the speakers shared, the floor was open to questions. The alumni were happy to clear any query by the students and the session was an interaction between the students and the alumni who cleared the doubts of the students and advised them on how to welcome their work life with ease. The session ended with a photography session including the students, teachers, and alumni.

Alumni Talk Series- Responsibilities of Sub-editor
The Department of Media Studies (PG) of Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bangalore, organized an Alumni talk series on 28th October 2022. Ashyl Paul, an alumnus of Kristu Jayanti College, and a sub editor for Indian Express spoke to the gathering about the responsibilities of a sub-editor in the newspaper.

Ashyl Paul has been working as the sub-editor for The Indian Express Bengaluru at the district level desk for four years now and has been offered the post of Associate Editor for The Times of India for its Chennai section.

During her interaction with the students of MA JMC opened up about her life as a sub-editor. She candidly spoke about the struggles and hurdles in her job. But she also put forth the satisfaction and fun that she has while carrying out her work as she said, “If you are passionate about the work, you’ll always have fun.”

Asked about what tips she has for aspiring editors and reporters, she advised them to write as much as possible. She went on to showcase her skills on the computer by editing a newspaper page. She further shared some tips on editing newspaper pages.

The interaction came to an end with a questions and answers session from the students.

Alumni Talk Series
The Department of Media Studies (PG) of Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru organized Expert Alumni talk on 1st October 2022. Padmaja Jayaraman, an alumnus of Kristu Jayanti College, and a reporter for Citizen Magazine spoke to the gathering on the value of writing for healthcare and the necessity of addressing concerns about public health.

She also spoke about her transition from a chemistry bachelor to a Journalism and mass communication postgraduate degree. “My knowledge in chemistry has been very beneficial to my profession as a health reporter,” she added. The Media Department PG students participated in the open discussion by contributing inquiries about the working conditions of journalists and how the MA JMC curriculum has assisted them to overcome similar challenges.

“I am very grateful to Ms. Padmaja Jayaraman for her motivational speech on the Journey of a reporter and the virtue of pursuing your passion,” opined Adharsh S, a first-year MA Journalism, and Mass communication student. Additionally, Ms. Padmaja discussed how the MA JMC program helped to shape her into the ideal reporter. Panel discussions, marketing campaigns, beat reporting, magazine writing and video productions each in their way encouraged her to be confident in her sector.

Alumni Talk Series
The Department of Media Studies PG organised an alumni meet in the conference hall 1(pg block). The Chief Guest was Ms. Thoya who was part of 2017-2020-degree batch. Dr Juby Thomas, Coordinator of the department, delivered the welcome speech and Prof. Vishnu Achutha Menon, Dr. Ravikumar, Prof. Viju V.V, and Prof. Samuel Duraivel were also part of the session. She started her career in 2019 at India Today and now she is working in the same organization as a reporter. The students of first and second year MA Journalism and Mass Communication students attended the session. She shared her journey and experiences of mainstream media. She went onto to say that journalism was her passion and if once you a person gets into media; it makes a the individual very powerful. She also added pointed out that one can build a lot of network by getting into this profession one can build a lot of network. Furthermore, she suggested the students that if they want to be in media, they should try to get into electronic media rather than the print media because it gives you a lot of opportunities. Ms. Thoya has been working as a Correspondent of South India in India Today. Her particular interest lies in political and crime reporting. She has carried out several sting operations which was very interesting for fascinated the students. It was an interactive session and the students had the opportunity to ask questions which helped them to learn more about the profession. Ms. Thoya, in conclusion, advised the budding journalists, especially the girls, that there is no need to be scared in this profession and but to be brave enough to raise their voice. The session came to an end with a vote of thanks.

Problems and Prospects in Television Journalism
Department of Media Studies (UG) organized an Alumni Interaction with Ms. Sreeja MS, Senior Correspondent, NDTV on April 28, 2022. She had completed her BA JPsEng undergraduate programme at Kristu Jayanti College in the year 2012.

“Internships have helped me to get a job as a television journalist,” said Ms. Sreeja while emphasizing the importance of journalism internships. “Today, to pursue a career as a television journalist one must learn to multitask and have good analytical, presentation, and technical skills. Moreover, the aspirant has to do internships in media organizations and start networking with journalists”

Ms. Sreeja also shared her experience as a television journalist. She said, “the job is interesting as well as challenging. It’s interesting because you get to meet people and you serve the society, and it’s challenging because a lot of responsibility and care has to be taken to unearth the truth from the clutter of information– especially in the era of social media”.

She ended her session by sharing her experience in SriLanka while covering the economic crisis for NDTV. Mr. Abraham, Coordinator, Department of Media Studies (UG), faculty members were also present during the session.

Alumni Talk Series on Insight on Technical Writing: A User’s Manual
Date: 26/03/2022
The Department of Media Studies (PG) organized an Alumni talk series on, ‘Insight on Technical Writing: A User’s Manual’ on March 26, 2022. The Resource person for the talk was Ms. Malavika Surendran who is an alumnus of the Department of Media Studies (PG) and Information Designer at E2Open, a supply chain management firm.

The welcome address was proposed by Ms. Lakshmi Muralidharan of 2nd year MA JMC student and she also introduced the resource person for the day. Ms. Surendran shared the profile of the company and her job roles in the firms. She gave a practical idea of what is expected of a technical writer in the job market. She urged the students to focus on their target audience as technical writers and how in the end the goal was to simplify information as much as possible.

Ms. Malavika delved into her process of writing proper technical content. She said, “Good research gives you a good base.” Her process of writing starts with doing proper research and having multiple conversations with the subject matter experts. She believes that there is no right or wrong way to write and that the challenge in technical writing is to write more using minimal words.

She shared certain tips and skill-sets required to excel as a budding technical writer. Her insights on how things work in the industry gave the students an idea of what they can expect once they enter the job market as technical writers. She said, “If you have a passion for writing then you will not have an issue in learning about the niches you have no idea about beforehand.”

The session ended with a question-and-answer session from the students and Ms. Gayathri R of 2nd year MAJMC proposed the vote of thanks. It was an informative session that explained the challenges of the industry and motivated the students to accept the contests of the industry.

Importance of Building Portfolio
Department of Media Studies [PG] organized an alumni interaction with Mr. Anurag Thomson, Optimization Strategist, Verizon Media as a part of Alumni Talk Series on March 26, 2021. Mr. Thomson, while addressing the students on career planning, emphasized on the importance of building portfolios which displays one’s skills that qualify for a job. Furthermore, he said that the job market currently looks for individuals who can multitask and be flexible. Speaking on his experience how to find the right career in media, he said, “the key aspect is networking. Connect with people in the media, share your portfolio with them and your grit lends the result”. The session was attended by over fifty students.

Keep your mind open and asses your skills
Date: January 31, 2020
Classes Attended & Number of beneficiaries: II semester MA, & IV semester MA JMC; 44 students
Name and details of the Resource Person: Mr. Anurag Thomson, Senior Creative Analyst at YAHOO
Objective: Interaction with the alumni and the industry person to have a firsthand experience of the industry and its functions and how media functions with the technical aspects of the media.

Mr. Anurag Thomson, who is presently working as a Senior Creative Analyst at YAHOO for the past two consecutive years. Mr. Anurag was welcomed by his very own Professor Dr. Juby Thomas who stated that Mr. Anurag is a person who is passionate about his institution and he is someone who has given the best of his abilities to this college as a student and as alumni.

Mr. Anurag shared his experience as a student and as an employee in the industry. “I was always interested in print media as I believed that the pen is powerful and writing was my forte as well as communication but later realized that advertisements as a perfect match,” said Mr. Anurag. As he went on speaking about his steps into the media industry, he also took a minute and briefed us about his experiences during his internship. He also provided a new perspective on the advertising industry and the prospects of digital media advertising. “Goals are something that everyone should have and work upon but also have a plan B,” he added. He continued to give us a glimpse of his personal experience about criticism as it is something that is bound to get when you step into any industry or in any walk of life. Criticism should be taken in a positive manner and make it constructive as it gives you an edge to grow and become even better than before.

ALUMNI TALK SERIES
A few years from now, the online communication will be at peak and therefore a clear introduction is the same is crucial for media students. Mr. Anurag Thompson, alumni of the batch of 2016-18, who presently works for Yahoo as Ad operations specialist addressed the postgraduate students on 21 December 2018. He broke down the cloud of questions around online marketing and communication for the students of Mass communication and journalism.

“This is a field that requires you to be shameless. Shed your ego to learn and work better” says Anurag while answering to some of the queries of the students. He adds that one needs to be open to the jobs offered in the online sectors and also gives his inputs for job hunting and tackling interviews.

The online job sector often creates some level of confusion, be it with relation to searching for jobs, job stability or even division of work. Having the chance to talk with someone who easily relates to that enhances the value of the session. Not only where there some interesting revelations but also students understood the functioning of the online markets through the interaction.

While reminiscing his old days in the college, he shared his story of getting his job and repeatedly emphasized, “when it comes to looking for job opportunities always be ready with a plan B.”

Alumni Talk Series: Getting Candid with Print Media Professional
“It’s really overwhelming to come back to my college, where I learned so much through my teachers, their advice and am finally able to use it now, when I work”, says Mr. Ajith M.S, an alumni of the batch 2016-18 of Mass Communication and Journalism during the alumni talk series organized on 11/ 09/18.

The students of the department of mass communication and journalism, of the batches 2017-19 and 2018-2020, had the opportunity to interact with him at an inclusive level.

The students were really happy and privileged to interact with the correspondent of the new Indian Express, Mysore and gain valuable insights from him, associated with the work he does to the principles he follows in life.

“I work in the print media, and to be very honest, it pays you decently well”, he opined. Mr. Ajith also mentioned the main qualities of being a journalist including that of never being shy, building huge networking and of always being critical.

He enlightened the gathering of being social in media platforms, especially that on twitter to keep oneself updated and in connection with the high profile.

Asking him of how credible is the news he gathers through WhatsApp sources, he replies, “For that always gather news from different WhatsApp sources. Only one version will not do. Lots of information will give you loads of angles and ideas to the story.”

Speaking from topics of what he learned in college to what he is applying in the work field, the session ended in clicking pictures with our senior who is now the correspondent of the New Indian Express, Mysore.