[Reader-list] Workshop on "Science Broadcasting", 2011

[Yousuf]

SCIENCE BROADCASTING WORKSHOP 2011

Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India
invites applications for participation in a 5-day workshop on Science Broadcasting

2nd to 6th May, 2011 at New Delhi

Last date for applications: 25th April 2011

Workshop
Vigyan Prasar, a national institute of science & technology communication under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India invites applications for participation in a 5-day capacity building workshop on Science Broadcasting. The number of participants is limited to 14.
The workshop will focus on improving the skills needed to quickly locate scientific content relevant to specific target audiences and to structure the content in comprehensible and engaging ways. The workshop will provide tools, tricks and tips for covering issues related to health, agriculture, environment and technology.

The workshop will use power point presentations, discussions, demonstrations, exercises and games to orient the producers to the best practices used in attracting audiences in a competitive media environment.

Objectives
There has been an explosive growth of TV and Radio channels in India. After a period of “more-of-the-same”, where channels imitated each other, media channels are now struggling to specialize and to capture niche audiences. As the media landscape develops, the ability to handle content that meets the information needs while satisfying the entertainment values of the viewers and listeners will ultimately determine the survival of most of the existing channels. This workshop provides an opportunity to train the content producers and to build their capacity to handle diverse contents efficiently and effectively.

Date, Time & Venue
Dates: 2nd to 6th May 2011
Time: 10 am to 7 pm
Venue: Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, JNU New Campus, New Delhi

Unique feature (What you will gain)
1. What is science? Differences between popular perceptions and practitioner’s views of science.
2. Why report science?
3. Philosophy and methods of science. Comparison to the philosophy and methods of media
4. Common Ground between scientists and media professionals: 5 W and H. Characteristics of questions. Differences between the prioritisation of questions in science and media –
5. Reporting by scientists – Comparison with the structures that media uses.
6. Comparison of journals and magazines – primary and secondary sources
7. Problems in popularising and reporting science - ways to overcome the challenges.
8. Distinction between science and technology - Covering Technology: Problems and solutions
9. Contents areas for science programming: meeting the information needs of target audiences. Health, Agriculture, Environment.
10. Science policy and research
11. Investment, performance in S & T: Comparison between countries
12. Search and Research for content: Search Engines. Introduction to methods and techniques
13. Searching in Directories, Searching in databases, comparisons. Deeper net.
14. Locating and evaluating experts, scientists, gaining access to events
15. Evaluating websites – credibility, authenticity, accuracy, acceptability
16. Questioning the expert: applying the critical spirit of science to media
17. Strengths of radio and TV: a comparison - Comparison of approaches to the same topic. Exploring synergies. What kind of programmes? Genres and science programming
18. Story telling – structure of story. Dramaturgy – Fairy tales, three-act plays and Hollywood films
19. Role of emotions in science programmes
20. Writing, rewriting the script – techniques of script editing
Faculty
K P Madhu started out as a freelance science journalist in 1978 and in the last 3 decades have had extensive experience in print and television media. He has worked as a producer for UGC programmes in Jamia Millia Islamia, as producer for Turning Point, a popular science serial, as chief producer Medical Television, as Joint Director, CEC, coordinating UGC production and transmission, and as a media consultant to NGOs.
K P Madhu has a passion for training. His skill sets as a trainer was refined when he worked as a Progamme Manager in the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development and conducted training workshops for TV and radio producers in many countries of the Asia-Pacific region.
He has published several academic papers in media journals. He is the lead author of “HIV on TV: Getting the Story and Telling it Right”, a UNESCO Journalism Education Series for TV trainers and Producers. His book “Social Media: Tips and Tricks for Citizen Journalists” is presently under publication by publication division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
He has conducted workshops on Science for producers in Indonesia, Malaysia and Sudan. This led to the development and testing of a training material titled “Broadcasting Science”, published by AIBD and UNESCO. This resource allows the present workshop to be focused on skill building rather than improving knowledge and awareness.
Who can participate?
1. Producers from private channels, production houses, community radio stations, FM stations; Producers from Public sector (Doordarshan, EMMRCs, IGNOU, CIET, etc), scriptwriters freelance producers and academicians with a minimum of three years’ experience (relaxable for community radio producers)
2. Up to 2 seats offered to faculty members from Science Journalism courses.
3. Not more than 40 years of age
4. Ability to write and speak English, the language used for training
Fee structure
Rs. 3000/- (Three thousand only)
(Limited number of scholarships are available for covering the 3rd class AC railway fare and accommodation of deserving outstation candidates).

Expected output from the workshop:
By the end of the 5 days, the participants will have worked out the concepts, done research, worked out a treatment for producing programmes which they can produce easily after the workshop. In other words, the output will be story ideas which are executable, backed by reasonable amount of research and pitched at the right level for specific audiences. They would have the tools, tricks and techniques to deal with complex scientific ideas and present them in comprehensible and interesting ways.

Expected outcome of the workshop:
The outcome will be programmes with scientific content produced by the participants in the following months, enriched by the inputs from the workshop. Networking between participants and between the participants and trainers is also an expected follow up action.

Address for correspondence:-
Mr. Nimish Kapoor
Scientist & Coordinator,
Science Broadcasting Workshop 2011
Vigyan Prasar
Plot no. A 50, Sector 62, Noida (U.P.)- 201 309
Phone: 0120 - 240 2009
Email: nkapoor at vigyanprasar.gov.in, nimish2k at rediffmail.com
Applications are invited in the format attached.