9.9 Mediaworx launches a media school

Media company 9.9 Mediaworx, promoted by Pramath Raj Sinha, has taken over School of Convergence from Kaleidoscope Entertainment, headed by Bobby Bedi. The institute is being rebranded as 9.9 School of Convergence (9.9 SoC).

Be it the course, infrastructure or the faculty, everything is being redesigned for the new 9.9 School of Convergence. The media school was shut down two years back, due to inadequate funding.

Talking about the institute, Pramath Raj Sinha, founder and managing director, 9.9 Mediaworx, says, "The idea took off from the need we and other media companies are facing today. The need is for good journalists and every media company is looking for them. Therefore, we decided to put together something that is worthwhile and matches the global standards. We are just retaining the name of the school; everything else will be new here."

The institute is starting its first batch in September with just one course, an eleven-month diploma in Applied Journalism. The course will focus on the fundamentals of reporting, writing and editing. Classes for this part-time course will be held only on Sundays.

The school has an impressive list of faculty members, including Graham Watts, a journalist and trainer; BV Rao, consulting editor with MoneyLife, a fortnightly magazine, and a columnist on Indian media; Rasheeda Bhagat, associate editor of Hindu Business Line; Savyasaachi Jain, a media trainer and practitioner; Edward Henning, a teacher-turned-journalist; Vanita Kohli-Khandekar, independent media consultant and writer; Mala Bhargava, a psychologist-turned-media professional. Other faculty members are Jacob Cherian, Radha Hegde, Vinay Kamat, Pooja Kothari, Ranbir Majumdar, Eric Saranovitz and Pramath Raj Sinha.

Apart from acquiring 9.9 SoC, Mediaworx recently took over iGovernment.in, a government focused online portal. With this initiative, the company has entered the government vertical, targeting the advertising and promotions budgets of companies focused on e-governance. Sinha adds that soon, Mediaworx will build a magazine around this content.

Early this year, the company had announced plans of launching Inc. magazine in India by June. However, the launch got delayed. "We have now got the approval from the MIB (Ministry of Information and Broadcast), and within two months, we will launch the print version of the magazine," informs Sinha.

He adds that the company is going strong with plans of launching niche magazines. It is thinking of building an education magazine, as well as one revolving around small and medium enterprises.
However, he emphasises that despite the drop in newsprint prices, not many foreign media companies would come to India. "The media there is bleeding and coming to India will be the last thing on their mind. This, I presume, will continue for this fiscal." Another factor affecting the print industry adversely is the decline in the number of advertisers due to the economic conditions.

SoC opens Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Jounalism and Media Communication

9.9 School of Convergence
c/o Nine Dot Nine Mediaworx Pvt. Ltd.,
A-262 Defence Colony, 2nd Floor, New Delhi 110 024
Tel. # : +91 97 1799 9612

Step 1: Submission of Application Form: Last date: May 2010
Applicants can either download the application form download ‘Application Form’
Or, collect it from the following address:

Please note that incomplete forms will not be processed. The form, along with the processing fee, can be dropped at or couriered to 9.9 School of Convergence, c/o 9.9 Mediaworx Pvt Ltd, A-262 Defence Colony, 2nd Floor, New Delhi 110 024 before the submission deadlines.
Those who have downloaded the application forms from the website will be mailed a copy of the brochure upon submission of form and payment of processing fee.
Step 2: Selection Process
Candidates will be short-listed on the basis of their applications and called for a written test-cum-interview session. The duration will be 90 minutes for the test and 60 minutes for the interview.
9.9 Mediaworx Pvt. Ltd., A-262 Defence Colony, 2nd Floor, New Delhi 110 024
Time: 10am onwards
The written test will have three sections:
  1. English grammar
  2. Logical reasoning
  3. Essay on an undisclosed topic
Step 3: Final short-list
The results of the written test and interview will be put up on the website within 24 hours. Given there are only 50 seats available for the ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Journalism and Media Communication’, interested candidates are requested to apply in the first cycle and take the first available test date. Those who clear the selection process will be required to pay the first instalment of fee to secure admission.
Application Deadlines
Admissions are based on a first-come-first-served basis for a total of 50 seats.
Last date for application submission is May 15, 2010.

NOTE
The 'Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Journalism and Media Communication’ is open to:
• Graduates from any discipline;
• Students in their last year of studies, pursuing graduation/post graduation in any discipline
  (Arts, Commerce or Science);
• People who are working, but want to switch to a career in media.
We look at the following qualities in candidates:
• Good academic record;
• Decent command over English;
• Average writing and communication skills;
• Interest in current news and events;
• Willingness to learn.

Tuition Fee and Financial Aid
The total course fee for the program is Rs 1.85 Lacs.

Scholarships
It is 9.9 SoC’s endeavour that all deserving students should be able to undertake their programme without our fees becoming a barrier. Therefore, they have instituted scholarships for deserving students. The 9.9 Media Scholar will get a 25% tuition waiver based on a scholarship from 9.9 Mediaworx Pvt Ltd.

Education Loans
The School of Convergence has tied up with select financial institutions to provide an education loan facility to its students. Once admitted, students will be put in touch with the financial institution for processing of their loan application.

Enrolment for Information Sessions
If you have any questions or concerns about the ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Journalism and Media Communication’, they will be happy to answer them for you in person. Please send us an email asking for a meeting and we will get back to you in a day’s time with a venue and time.

School of Convergence: Media Studies

9.9 School of Convergence
c/o Nine Dot Nine Mediaworx Pvt. Ltd.,
A-262 Defence Colony, 2nd Floor, New Delhi 110 024
Tel. # : +91 97 1799 9612

The 9.9 School of Convergence offers world class education in the fields of Media Studies, Journalism and Communication. Our PG Diploma in Applied Journalism and Media Communication, together with our programme in Global Media and Communication and the  Centre for Communication Excellence, brings the best professional and academic practices to the classroom in order to train and educate present and future writers, editors, journalists, communicators, and media professionals.

9.9 School of Convergence aims to become a globally acclaimed school for journalism, media and communication studies. Our programmes are centred on three guiding principles:
• The collaboration between theory and practice
• The development of an understanding of convergence, as technological advances
   bring together print, broadcast and online media
• An intercultural and international approach to learning, making the most of
   India’s position as an emerging market and its leading role in media and
   information production
The 9.9 School of Convergence is founded on the belief that education is based on cultural sensitivity, and stresses the importance of ethics and quality in all aspects of media education.

With this, the 9.9 School of Convergence aims to create innovative and challenging programmes that ensure the cultivation of global leaders in media production, management, and all creative communication endeavors.

Editors’ Guild defends Prajavani reporter

The Editors Guild of India has cautioned the Karnataka police against using the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against Rahul Belagali, a reporter of the ‘Prajavani’ newspaper.

The Shimoga police had demanded information on a Naxalite leader who was interviewed by the reporter for an article on Naxalism which appeared in the newspaper.

When Belagali refused to comply, the police sent a notice to ‘Prajavani’ associate editor Padmaraj Dandavati, threatening to use the Act against him.

Professional ethics demands that mediapersons should protect their sources and not reveal their identities, when they request privacy. The confidentiality of a source is a well-established journalistic principle,” Guild president Rajdeep Sardesai and secretary-general Coomi Kapoor said in a statement.

“Without such privilege, sources would not be willing to speak freely to the media, whose duty it is to report the facts fairly and objectively from all points of view to present a true picture to the public,” they said.

In Bangalore, the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists has condemned the police for threatening to take action against ‘Prajavani’ journalists and demanded that the police should withdraw the warrant immediately.