M.A.

(JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION) - II

Assignments
(July 2023)

MJM-026: PRINT MEDIA

Course Code: MJM-026

Due Date: 31 March 2024

Assignment Code: MJM-026 /Jul23

Maximum Marks: 100

Weightage: 30%

Note: Answer all the questions. All questions carry equal marks = 20 each
Attempt each question in about 500 words

1. Explain the Functions of the Press Advisory Committee. 20

2. Tips for Good Environmental Reporting. Explain. 20
3. Discuss the Role of Mass Media in Governance. 20
4. Difference between column and Special Article. Explain. 20
5. Write any two Short notes. (250 words each) 2 x 10 = 20
a. Types of Editorials
b. Print Production Techniques
c. Press Conference
d. Film Reviews
 MASTERS OF ARTS IN
JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION
(SECOND YEAR) (MAJMC II)
MJM-026: PRINT MEDIA

Course Code: MJM-026

Due Date: 31 March 2023 / 30 September 2023 Assignment Code: MJM-026/Jul22/Jan23

Maximum Marks: 100

Weightage: 30%

Note: Answer all the questions. All questions carry equal marks = 20 each Attempt each question in about 500
words

1. Explain the Functions of the Press Advisory Committee. 20

Ans: - The Press Council of India (PCI) is a statutory body created by the Press Council Act of 1978. It is the apex
body for the regulation of the Print Media in India. It enjoys independence from the government. This article
lucidly shares details on the composition of PCI, its functions, powers and limitations.

Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has released new Digital Media Rules, Information
Technology (Guidelines For Intermediaries And Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 which place certain
responsibilities on the digital news publishers which included adherence to the code of ethics on the lines of
norms of Journalistic conduct framed by Press Council of India and the Programme Code under the Cable
Television Network Act

Press Council of India — Important Facts

The objective of Press Council of India is to preserve the freedom of the press and of maintaining and improving
the standards of the press in India

It acts as the regulator that defines and discharge professional standards for the print media in India.

It is considered as the most important body that sustains democracy and to ensure that freedom of speech is
protected.

It arbitrates the complaints against and by the press for violation of ethics and for violation of the freedom of
the press respectively.
Press Council of India (PCI) - Composition

PCI has a Chairman

Apart from the Chairman there will be 28 members.

The Composition of 28 Members in PCI are listed below.

2 Rajya Sabha Members

3 Lok Sabha Members

7 Working Journalists (other than editors of newspapers)

6 Editors of Newspapers

3 people with specialized knowledge on public life

1 person who manages news agencies

6 persons in the business of managing newspapers.

Press Council of India (PCl) — Appointment of Members

Chairman of PCI — Selection

The Chairman of PCI is selected by 3 people, holding the following positions.

Chairman of Rajya Sabha

Speaker of Lok Sabha

A member selected by the PCI

Press Council of India (PCI) — Functions

Making sure that newspapers are able to maintain their independence.

Maintain high standards of news for public consumption.

Keep a track on the developments that might obstruct the flow of information or news freely.

Build a code of conduct for the journalists for high professional standards.

Build a code of conduct for news agencies to maintain high professional standards.

Provide training to new journalists.

It works to promote technical and other research areas related to news.

2. Tips for Good Environmental Reporting. Explain. 20

Ans: - Remember the importance of report coherence.

All report sections should be coherently linked with a logical "red thread" which runs through from the
beginning to the end of the report. A coherent report will, at a minimum, logically include: 1) appropriate
background information to introduce the responsibilities, programme areas, operations, issues and
environmental management structure of your organization; 2) a Policy that details your organization's
commitments to improving performance in relevant environmental areas in light of item 1; 3) report contents
that relate to each policy commitment and detailed measures/initiatives undertaken in the reporting year
and/or previous years to improve performance to fulfill each commitment; 4) results of the measures/initiatives
undertaken and resultant performance levels; 5) assessment of performance clearly showing whether the
performance meets the objectives and targets or not; 6) follow-up actions and future objectives and targets to
clearly demonstrate continual improvement initiatives; and 7) top management's comments on the
organization's future focus and prioritization of environmental issues.

Coherence between consecutive yearly reports is also important!

The annual environmental report should aim to provide year-on-year comparisons of performance and
improvement initiatives. For those areas in which objectives and targets were set in the previous report, it
would be essential to report on the relevant initiatives taken to fulfill those objectives and targets and the
specific performance levels achieved. For example, if your previous report committed your organization to
extending environmental training to another 20% of staff, your next report should include information on how
you provided that training and the results of the training (e.g. attendance level, resulting environmental
performance improvement due to improved knowledge, competence and/or behavioural change). If your next
report will be posted on your website, remember not to overwrite your previous report with this new one.
Reports of consecutive years should also be available for comparison.

Work closely with the Green Manager and/or Green Executives.

They are responsible for implementing environmental management measures/initiatives, setting environmental
objectives and targets and/or implementing your Environmental Management System (EMS) if it has been
established, within your organization. The performance of the measures/initiatives will form the basis of your
report. As such, Green Manager/Executives will provide valuable information that will feed into both the data
collection and report writing processes.

Review existing environmental data and information to facilitate data collection and reporting.

For example, energy/fuel/water consumption bills, material purchase orders, waste disposal receipts (trip
tickets), sewage surcharge receipts, organizational training activities and emergency drills records,
equipment/vehicle calibration and maintenance records, supplier and contractor performance information,
minutes of management review meetings, complaints records, etc.

When measurement is not feasible, apply common sense and educated estimation to obtain performance level
information.
As environmental performance levels may not always be measurable, there are instances where estimation
could help to provide information that will serve as an initial basis for performance assessment. In estimating
performance, remember to include typical and a-typical circumstances, direct and indirect influences as well as
internal and external factors to capture/reflect the actual pattern of consumption/emissions/discharges/arisings
that are to be estimated. Hence reasonable assumptions and considerations for peak periods, seasonal
variations, workdays, non-workdays, non-business hours work, legislative changes, etc. are essential to arrive at
reasonably accurate estimations. For example, if you were estimating the quantity of your wastewater
discharges you could estimate the average amount of wastewater generated at your sanitary facilities per
employee per day accounting for reduced usage on Saturdays and during holiday periods.

3. Discuss the Role of Mass Media in Governance.

20

Ans: - In fast-changing media and communication environments more people are connected than ever before.
While most acknowledge that the influence and impact of changing media and communication on governance
outcomes is growing, the degree to which new media landscapes are contributing to more informed, peaceful
and accountable societies remains in question. For some, increasingly networked young, educated and
information-empowered global citizens have the potential to be democratically, socially and economically
transformative. For others, increasingly fragmented and co-opted media and communication environments are
driving political polarisation, extremism and violence.

Access to internet and mobile phones is rising rapidly, not least in fragile states, but radio and TV remain the key
sources of information for most people. Over the last couple of decades powerful changes in media markets
have had a substantial impact on patterns of information, communication and governance: the number of
media stations has rapidly increased (Afghanistan alone is now home to 75 terrestrial TV and 175 FM radio
stations); media environments have become increasingly fractured, with more stations catering for specific
ethnic, linguistic or religious communities; advertising models are often unable to sustain quality journalism;
and, in many countries, it is increasingly hard to see how the market can support inclusive media that reaches
across divides. Political, religious, ethnic or other factional actors have stepped in, supporting media outlets to
promote their agendas.

For much of modern democratic history, media has been considered one of the most powerful agents of
democratic accountability. Extensive empirical research has demonstrated the connection between a free press
and good governance, including the association between access to balanced, independent programming and
improved knowledge and political participation. However, since the Rwandan genocide and the Balkan wars
researchers have devoted increasing attention to the links between media, fragility and violent conflict. More
recently, an emerging evidence base has shown the ability of media interventions to reduce polarisation.

There are some notable exceptions, but overall, development actors spend relatively small sums on media
support, often not investing for the long term and struggling to integrate the media into broader policy agendas.
When they do, it is usually with the aim of achieving one (or more) of the following objectives:
Democracy and human rights: To build an independent media sector as an intrinsic good, essential to the
functioning of a democratic society and a key platform for freedom of expression.

Accountability: To enhance the accountability of governments to citizens, often in order to: improve service
delivery, state responsiveness and state-citizen relations; support more informed democratic/electoral decision-
making or marginalised groups to assert their voice; or decrease public tolerance of corruption or poor
governance.

Stability and conflict reduction: To improve debate, dialogue and tolerance in fragile or conflict-affected
societies, often in order to: increase the availability of balanced, reliable and trustworthy information; reduce
the likelihood of hate speech or inflammatory media likely to exacerbate conflict; and enhance social cohesion
or build state legitimacy.

Communication for development: To create demand for services and use the media as an instrument to shift
behaviour or change the social norms that prevent such behaviour. For example, improving immunisation
uptake.

4. Difference between column and Special Article. Explain. 20

Ans: - Before writing a column, a writer has to keep some important points in view: purpose, audience, content,
source, and presentation of facts. There are various types of columns: opinions, analysis, research, satire, et al.
Some columns cover specific topics or types of information which have been published in scientific journals. The
motive of sharing such information is to reach a larger, more general audience. There is a section of readers that
prefers to read content based on facts to enlarge one’s general knowledge. The columns published in various
dailies have a lot of content on various social aspects. In a place like Kashmir, where there are limited platforms
for knowledge sharing, along with limited internet connectivity and other constraints, a person who claims to be
an educationist/ scholar/ author/ writer/ poet tries to highlight specific issues by writing columns for a general
readership. People who have the habit of reading newspapers early in the morning with their breakfast prefer
op-eds/ opinions/ scientific information published in the newspaper rather than searching in scholarly journals.

| have recently started writing columns in various newspapers. The motive of writing the articles is to create
awareness about the subject | specialise in, that is, food science. It is something which is paid least attention,
especially in a place like Kashmir where politics hogs the limelight. This is despite various initiatives from
academicians, government, and social organisations to broaden the scope of food safety and public health. Let’s
analyse the difference between a “Newspaper article” and one published in a “Scientific journal”.

An editorial or an opinion is a regular column published in newspapers, or any periodical of general interest. It
contains the writer’s opinion or viewpoint regarding some issue. It is pertinent to mention here that newspapers
are very serious about their ethics and policies. Before sending an article to press, they consider whether the
content is in the interest of the public. I’m reminded of the publishing policy of a reputable newspaper which
says, “Not all content will be published”. The writer of an opinion piece or a columnist tries to express either his
views or to pass on information which may be a literature review or based on facts in the public domain, with
due credit to the source of the information and the publisher of the original literature that has been reviewed.
Writing a column also gives an opportunity to young and budding writers who intend to take up writing as a
 career. It is necessary, however, that the subject they write about should be of importance and should not harm
any organisation/ individual. A person irrespective of his background is free to write a column and is under no
restrictions in writing/ expressing their observation, experience, and knowledge. A writer has to be mentally
ready for accepting criticism and likes and dislikes. A person who takes the initiative to write on a particular
subject must be having some expertise to present and compile primary/ secondary data, and express it in the
form of an article, so that the information given can be simply understood.

In order to compile an article on a particular subject matter, the writer either refers to the information already
available in the public domain (which is the case with 95% of the articles published) or consults an expert of the
particular field. The reader is free to accept or reject the views/ opinions/ general information published.
According to the definition by Thomas G Carpenter Library, “Article can be much shorter than a book; an article
can be as short as a paragraph or two or as long as several dozen pages. Articles can be compiled on any of the
topics that the author decides to explore and can reflect opinion, news, research, reviews, instruction, nearly
any focus”. Articles usually are part of newspapers, magazines, trade publications, research journals, and even
academic books. Because of their relative brevity, articles typically are used to provide up-to-date information
on a wide variety of topics. Articles based on literature review consist of a survey of previously published or non-
published materials that focus on a particular subject. The sole intention of the review article is to identify and
express what is already known about the particular topic, so as to provide general information and knowledge.
According to Georgia State University Library, newspaper/ magazine articles are meant for a general audience,
and are free of technical words/ language and easy to understand for common people. News articles are written
by professional journalists/ freelancers/ subject-experts, who may or may not have special knowledge of the
topic. The articles are edited by journalists who may or may not have specialised knowledge of the subject.
Newspaper articles are not reviewed by subject specialists and do not have a specific format or structure. They
certainly do not contain a bibliography or footnotes!

The same source mentioned above states, “Articles in scientific/ scholarly journals are written by professionals
in a particular field meant for research scholars. The language of the articles will often contain special or
technical words that are used by a scholar of a particular profession that other common people do not
understand. Authors are usually experts in a given field and are required to mention credentials and affiliation
with the working institute. They are edited by an editorial board consisting of experts in the field. The names,
institutional affiliations and credentials of the editorial board are listed within the front of every issue and are
subjected to some sort of peer review by outside experts within topic covered by the article before being
accepted for publication, and may be returned to the authors for revising of content before being accepted.
Research-based articles, especially in science/ health-based journals, may contain the various sections: abstract,
literature review, methodology, results and conclusions. Articles contain a bibliography of works cited and
footnotes documenting the research.”

5. Write any two Short notes. (250 words each) 2x10=20

a. Types of Editorials

Ans: - Editorials are believed to be the heart and soul of the newspapers. Each and every newspaper is
incomplete without the editorial section. Here the editor not only shares his or her view but also criticize and
appreciate the ongoing topics. Editorial is light in nature they should be interesting, full of thought evoking and
debatable at the same time. It is said to be the window or reflection of newspapers news policies meaning if an
editor is writing an article it is generally assumed that it is the view of the news publishing house.

Everyone such as news editors, readers and critics have different meaning and image of how editorials should be
but according to some scholars, we cannot actually explain what an editorial is. Generally, these articles are
published on an editorial page with the heading and the name of the editors and other members if there were
any.

Editorial is the only section were newspaper can state its own opinions and comments on the current issues.
This cannot be done in other news writing styles such as column and feature writing. But here the editor has the
advantage as the article will be seen as the opinion of the entire newspaper. In column and feature writing the
thing is that the editors are the one who will be held accountant but it is totally different in editorial writing. It is
also said to be the unique style of communication between the editor and the readers.

Editorials of argument and persuasion take a firm stand on a problem or condition. They attempt to persuade
the reader to think the same way. This editorial often proposes a solution or advises taking some definite action.

Editorials of information and interpretation attempt to explain the meaning or significance of a situation or
news event. There is a wide variety of editorials in this category, ranging from those which provide background
information to those which identify issues.

Editorials of tribute, appreciation or commendation praise a person or an activity.

Editorials of entertainment have two categories. One is the short humorous treatment of a light topic. The
second is a slightly satirical treatment of a serious subject. (Satire is the use of sarcasm or keen wit to denounce
abuses or follies. While it ridicules or makes fun ofa subject it has the intent of improving it.)

b. Print Production Techniques

Ans: - Offset Lithography

Often used for:

Rough-surfaced media e.g. wood, canvas and cloth

Versatile method so can also be used for books, paper, stationery and more

Also known as offset printing or litho, offset lithography is a very popular method of mass-production printing. It
involves printing plates, usually made from aluminium, which each hold an image of the content that needs to
be printed.
These plates are then transferred (offset) onto rollers or rubber blankets before going onto the print media,
which can be any type of paper you want. The print media doesn't come into contact with the metal plates,
which extends the life of the plates. As well as this, the flexible material of the rollers or rubber blankets means
offset lithography can be used on any media with rough surfaces.

Offset lithography is great at producing consistently high quality images and can be used for small or high
volume print jobs. It's also a versatile choice as it can print on any flat surface, regardless of whether it's smooth
like paper or rough like canvas.

Flexography

Often used for:

Packaging and labels

Anything with continuous patterns e.g. wallpaper and gift wrap

Flexographic printing is the modern version of letterpress printing and is commonly used for printing on uneven
surfaces. This style of printing uses quick-drying, semi-liquid inks and can be used for high volume jobs.

Flexible photopolymer printing plates wrapped around rotating cylinders on a web press are used. These inked
plates have a slightly raised image of the content on them and are rotated at high speeds to transfer the image
onto the print media.

Digital Printing

Often used for:

Posters and signage

Labels, newsletters, menus and letters

Digital printing is a modern method that covers a variety of different techniques including inkjet printing and
laser. In digital printing, images are sent directly to the printer using digital files such as PDFs. This eliminates the
need for a printing plate, which is used in other types of printing such as lithography, and can save time and
money (unless you're printing in larger numbers).
Digital printing allows for quick turnaround and allows businesses to print on demand. It's also great for small
run jobs - requests can be made for as little as one print. If you choose digital printing for the right job, it can
make for a cost-effective method that still produces high quality prints similar to that of the other, bigger-scale
options.

Screen Printing

Often used for:

Printing logos and graphics onto clothes

Fabric banners

Posters

Screen printing is a printing technique where fine material or mesh is used to transfer an image onto another
material. The mesh is stretched out so it creates a screen and ink is pressed against it in order to successfully
print the image. Popularly used to print graphics onto clothes and other pieces of fabric, screen printing can also
be used for paper and metal.

There's a lot of setting up required with screen printing, so it's best used for printing repeat items in bulk. It's not
very cost-effective for small number orders. But if you need a lot of the same image, it's a highly cost-effective
method of printing.