[Reader-list] Conference on Contemporary Media Scenario in South Asian Region

[Tapas Ray [MAKAIAS]]

*Contemporary Media Scenario in South Asian Region*

A two days International Conference at University of Burdwan in
collaboration with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of asian studies,
19-20th November, 2014.

South Asia today is the location of some of the most turbulent societies of
the world, which confront problems ranging from ethnic separatist movements
in India and Sri Lanka to challenges related to the restoration of
democracy in Nepal and Maldives to the role of military
in Pakistan to terrorism and developmental issues in Afghanistan and
Bangladesh. Also located in this region is a country - Bhutan - with a
unique perspective on development, namely Gross National Happiness.

Such a diverse, complex, and changing context makes it particularly
important for the media to remain impartial, maintain the utmost accuracy,
and offer insightful analyses in providing news and information to the
public of the region and the world at large. This requires a democratic
attitude on the part of political parties and media houses towards
reporters in the field and news editors in newsrooms and studios, so that
they may work independently and maintain high
professional standards. However, it is often heard that such independence
and adherence to professional norms are sorely lacking.

South Asia is also home to a large segment of the world's illiterate
population, for which visual media and radio are the primary sources of
information. With more and more corporate interests entering this sector,
the intentions of these news providers have come under scrutiny.

These circumstances make it necessary for academics and practitioners to
meet and discuss these issues in order to evolve a road map towards an
improved news delivery mechanism for the region.

With this in view, the conference will study forms of communication and
information networks currently existing among South Asian countries, at
both state and non-state levels, and explore ways in which social,
political, economic, cultural and technical factors influence these
structures and processes. It will also attempt to determine whether current
strategies of communication are adequate for enhanced relations among the
countries of South Asia. The conference will produce a working paper on
possible ways and means of instituting a new communication order, keeping
in mind the bottlenecks and availability of social support and
technological inputs in the age of globalization.

Papers may address the following sub-themes:

(a) Political system, political parties and media in South Asia
(b)  Globalization and network of media across South Asia
(c)  Corporatization of media houses - management policy and ethical norms
(d)  Media and elections in South Asia
(e)  Print, Visual and radio - changing communicative pattern, techniques
and spheres of media in South Asia
(f)  Social movements and social media - the South Asian experiences
(g)  Commercialization, consumerism and convergence - media policy and
ownership in South Asia
(h)  Transnational media and growth of the market - redefining media &
advertising in South Asia
(i)  SAARC and its organization - building a communication bridges in South
Asian region
(j)  Road to prosperity - notions of rural communication in South Asia

IMPORTANT DATES:
October 21, 2014: Last date of submission of abstract (maximum 500 words)
and author profile
(100 words).
October 23, 2014: Notification of acceptance of abstract.
November 8, 2014: Last date for submission of full paper (maximum 5000
words including references in APA style).
Papers should be mailed simultaneously to Rajesh Das <
rajesh.das.cal at gmail.com> and Tapas
Ray <tapas.ray at makaias.gov.in>.

REGISTRATION:
For Paper Presenters: Rs. 2,000.00
For Participants: Rs. 1,000.00

The registration fee can be be paid through Demand Draft (DD) drawn in
favour of "The Finance Officer, University of Burdwan", payable at State
Bank of India (SBI), Burdwan University Branch, Burdwan and should be sent
to the following address:

Head of the Department
Department of Mass Communication
University of Burdwan
Golapbag, Burdwan - 713104
West Bengal

-------------------------
Tapas Ray, PhD
Fellow
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies
(Ministry of Culture, Government of India)
IB-166, Salt Lake, Sector-3
Kolkata - 700106, India
Web site: http://makaias.gov.in/