Department of Mass Communication

The media and entertainment industry in India, and indeed across the globe, is estimated to be the fastest growing among all other industries.

Even as the new media continue to grow in leaps and bounds, the traditional print medium is not far behind. Very interesting, fulfilling and financially lucrative career options are available to young people in the field of Mass Communication. While the focus of Mass Communication education remains on Journalism, the other attractive career options that open up are in the areas of Advertising, Public Relations/ Corporate Communications and New Media (including Social Media).

As for the entertainment industry, there are courses to train people in TV and Radio anchoring, reporting, editing, directing, shooting (camera persons) and such other specialized jobs for which skilled people are in great demand.

History

Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University could well claim to be a pioneer in mass communication education in India, for offering the first structured and well-planned journalism course after the country won freedom in 1947.

It was to the credit of Hislop college, Nagpur and its then Principal, the Late Dr.D G Moses, who established a full-fledged Department of Journalism with the approval and encouragement of Nagpur University in 1952-53. Prof. K E Eapen was the first Indian scholar to be the head of the department. The begining was made with a diploma course in Journalism, which was later elevated to the degree level in the mid sixties.

The university’s Department of Journalism was set up as a unit of the Social Sciences faculty in July 1969. Mr.S T Puranik was the first Honorary Head of the Department. The Department was renamed as the Department of Mass Communication in 1989 and was shifted to its own building in the sprawling and verdant setting of the university’s post graduate teaching campus on Amravati Road, Nagpur.

Faculty

The Department has highly-qualified and experienced full time teachers, and it also boasts of an outstanding panel of visiting faculty who are all people of rich experience and great expertise in news reporting, editing, feature writing, photography, advertising, public relations and New Media.

Research

Activity:
=> Recognised Place of Research for Ph.D. degree.
=> The students of the department are engaged in periodic research on the topic of media, its development and its impact on the society. These are in the form of survey reports, dissertations, video and radio news bulletins and documentaries.

Sr. No.	Name of Ph.D. Award student	Title of Thesis	Name of supervisor/Co-supervisor	Date of PhD Degree Award
1.	Moiz Mannan Haque	“A Study of Job Satisfaction and Achievement Motivation Among Journalists Working in Major Newspapers of Nagpur City.”	Dr. Hemant Yawalikar, Associate Professor, Hislop College, Nagpur.	31/06/2015
2.	Jaipal Singh	“A Study of audience’s tendency to watch films through online medium”.	Dr. Dharmesh Dhawankar, Dept. of Mass Comm. RTMNU, Nagpur.	25/04/2019
3.	Upasna Ahuja	“Media and Right to Information : A Study of its Application and Impact in Indian Context.”	Dr.Dharmesh Dhawankar, Dept. of Mass Comm. RTMNU, Nagpur.	01/03/2018
4.	Smiti Padhi	“Role of Internet in promoting traditional media : A Study in reference to district Udaipur (Mewad region, Rajasthan).”	Dr. Dharmesh Dhawankar, Dept. of Mass Comm. RTMNU, Nagpur.	01/03/2018
5.	Atul Arora	“Effects of Online Advertising on Indian Consumer: A Critical Study.”	Dr. Dharmesh Dhawankar, Dept. of Mass Comm. RTMNU, Nagpur.	08/05/2018
6.	Atul Upadhayay	“Television Advertising a Tool of Consumer Awareness in Delhi and NCR: A Comparative Study.”	Dr. Dharmesh Dhawankar, Dept. of Mass Comm. RTMNU, Nagpur.	19/03/2018
7.	Apoorva Malhotra Buttan	“Application of e-Governance Projects in Education in Delhi and Nagpur: A Comparative Study.”	Dr. Dharmesh Dhawankar, Dept. of Mass Comm. RTMNU, Nagpur.	17/04/2018
8.	Ashish Dubey	“प्रधानमंत्री इंदिरा गांधी द्वारा घोषित आपातकाल की पृष्ठभूमि एवं आपातकाल के दौरान तथा बाद विदर्भ के प्रमुख समाचार पत्रों की भूमिका: एक अध्ययन (कालखंड वर्ष १९७२ से वर्ष १९८४ तक)”.	Dr. Nirmalkumar Singh, Dept. of Public Administration, RTMNU, Nagpur	15/06/2018
9.	Ghapesh Dhawale	“वृत्तपत्र प्रतिनिधींवर पडणाऱ्या राजकीय प्रभावाचे अध्ययन – नागपूर ग्रामीण व शहरी भागाच्या विशेष संदर्भात अब्यास.”	Dr. M. G. Meshram, Asso. Professor of Political Science, SRBT College, Mouda	27/09/2019
10.	Jitendra Dhawale	“स्वातंत्र्य चळवळीतील मराठी वृत्तपत्रांचे योगदान – एक अभ्यास”.	Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Dept. of Public Administration, RTMNU, Nagpur	25/04/2018
11.	Leeladhar Bansod	“हिंदी चित्रपटांमध्ये स्त्रियांचे बदलते रूप – एक चिकित्सक अभ्यास.”	Dr. Sunder Rajdeep, Dept. of Mass Comm. University of Mumbai.	08/05/2018
12.	Anamika Srivastava	“Media as Catalyst for Financial Empowerment of Women through Self Help Groups (SHG)”.	Dr. Vikas Jambhulkar Asst. Professor Dept. of Political Science, RTMNU,Nagpur	03/01/2020
13.	Anuradha Srivastava	“Television Advertising and the Image of Perfection : A Study of Lucknow District”.	Dr. J. G. Wasnik Asst. Professor Dept. of Public Administration & LSG, RTMNU, Nagpur	03/01/2020
14.	Ashish Thakare	“संयुक्त महाराष्ट्र चळवळीतील मराठी वृत्तपत्रांचे योगदान : एक अध्ययन (कालखंड – १९५० ते १९६०)”.	Dr. Virendra G. Bais, Asso. Professor Yashwant Mahavidyalaya, Wardha.	31/01/2020
15.	Pankaj Mohrir	“राज कपूर ने चित्रपट माध्यमातून दिलेल्या सामाजिक संदेशांचे अध्ययन.”	Dr. D. K. Pokharapurkar Kothrud, Pune.	31/01/2020
16.	Geeta Arora	“Print Media as a Tool of Fair Representation of News in Delhi-NCR”.	Dr. Vikas Jambhulkar Dept. of Political Science, RTMNU, Nagpur	31/01/2020
17.	Anant Kolamkar	“Effects of Facebook on Youth of Vidarbha Region: A Study.”	Dr. Dharmesh Dhawankar, Dept. of Mass Comm. RTMNU, Nagpur.	05/03/2020
18.	Yogesh Pande	“Popularity of Media among Undergraduate Students in Nagpur District.”	Dr. Jitendra Wasnik, Asst. Professor Dept. of Public Administration & LSG, RTMNU, Nagpur	01/04/2021

Major Research Project:
The Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi sanctioned a major research project to Dr. D. V. Dhawankar on “A Study on the impact of Media Mix for rural poor of Vidarbha.” on 30/03/2017 vide no. F 02/307/SC/2016-17/RP. The project was completed in November 2019. Major Research Project granted Rs. Eight Lakh.

Facilities

The Department offers:

=> A well-equipped Television studio with Chroma backdrop, LED lights and Production Control Room (PCR),
=> A 14-Track audio mixer for sound recording
=> Professional tele-prompter
=> Digital Video Cameras,
=> Digital Recorder DSR - 11,
=> Two Apple I-Mac computers and Final Cut Express professional video editing equipment,
=> Sony MCS-8 Multi Format Switcher (8-source vision mixer),
=> Three Multi-media LCD projectors
=> Interactive Board for classroom teaching,
=> Canon 60D SLR Digital Camera for photography lessons,
=> Canon Digital Copier
=> Data Display Wall 48”
=> Full HD TV 55”
=> Satellite TV
=> Press Trust of India (PTI) 24-hour news feed
=> State-of-the-art air-conditioned Computer Room with A3 laser colour printer
=> B/W Laser Printers
=> The entire building, including computer laboratory, TV studio, library, faculty rooms and classrooms are networked to enable Internet connectivity at all these places.

Training

The stress is on practical training. The students are required to produce news reports, interviews, features and articles on a variety of subjects. They are also required to make newspaper pages and produce video and audio news bulletins and documentaries. Besides, the students learn to conceive and prepare print advertisements and various forms of Public Relations literature.

Other than all the practical assignments given throughout the year by the concerned faculty, the students undergo a minimum 30 days of internship at newspapers, news agencies, TV news channels, advertising agencies and public relations firms or departments.

The students also produce a tabloid news bulletin called ‘Campus’ each year.

The Department holds specialized workshops by outside experts to provide hands-on training in areas such as page-making, ad-making, video editing and television production.

The students are regularly taken out for learning visits. The places visited range from printing presses and TV studios to the Maharashtra Legislature, FM radio stations, advertising agencies, public relations departments and other related institutions.

Industry-Institute Interaction:

=> The Department has initiated various initiatives to strengthen interaction with the Industry.
=> An Industry-Institute Interaction Cell has been set up under the umbrella of the Department’s Media Club.
=> The visiting faculty is drawn from the mass media and related industries and professions.
=> Experts from the industry are regularly invited for Guest Lectures, Seminars and Workshops.
=> From the time to time, the Department assists news media in areas like reporting during special events and public relations activities.

Placement

The quality of professionals produced by the Department is appreciated by the media industry. The Department has a strong placement record in terms of getting jobs for those interested in joining the print media in particular. Alumni of the Department are also highly placed in the electronic media, advertising and public relations industries. Over the last five years, students have been placed in the following organizations:

=> The Hitavada
=> The Times of India
=> Lokmat
=> Nav Bharat
=> Maharashtra Times
=> Sakal
=> Tarun Bharat
=> ETV
=> ABP Majha
=> IBN Lokmat
=> Lokmat Times
=> Lokmat Samachar
=> Dainik Bhaskar
=> Punya Nagari
=> Lokshahi Vaarta
=> Rashtra Prakash
=> GTPL
=> BCN News
=> InCable
=> UCN
=> Youth Junction
=> News Bharati
=> Nagpur Today
=> MajhaVidarbha
=> Maharashtra Today
=> New News Network
=> Profit Advertisers
=> Market Info Inc., Design Studio
=> and other media outlets.

Besides, many of our students have launched their own news web portals, YouTube channels, public relations agencies and other self-employment ventures.

Alumni

Alumni of the department are highly successful individuals who have made a name for themselves in print, electronic and interactive media, besides in myriad other fields ranging from academics to politics. The Alumni Association of the Department is full of stalwarts eager to help the students not only in improving their skills and making the right career choices, but also in getting them suitably placed. The Department periodically hosts ‘Sampark’ the Alumni Meet and also holds events in partnership with the Alumni Association. In recent years, the Department and its Alumni Association have hosted a National Seminar on Credibility of Media and a Golden Jubilee Seminar on New Career Opportunities in Mass Communication.

Contact

Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University
Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Educational Campus, Amravati Road, Nagpur - 440033
Tel: (0712) 2500085,
e-mail: [email protected]