Indian High Commission facilitates training programme for journalists in India

By Ajith Siriwardana in India   

The Indian High Commission facilitated a two-week training  programme on Media Management for Sri Lankan journalists and media  professionals in Hyderabad, India together with the Indian Ministry of  External Affairs.   

The programme is hosted by the Dr. MCR HRD Institute from June 24, till July 6, 2024.   

The programme, which has been sponsored by the Ministry of  External Affairs of the Government of India, under the Indian Technical  & Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, is being attended by 30  senior journalists, including the Media Advisor to the Prime Minister of  Sri Lanka, Media Secretaries to the Ministry of Public Administration,  Central Province Governor and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and others.    

Dr. Shashank Goel, IAS, Director General of the Institute  and Special Chief Secretary to the Government of Telangana, who was the  Chief Guest at the inaugural function, said that media professionals  play a pivotal role, serve as the voice of the people, facilitate  informed decision making and promote transparency in governance.   

“Journalism and media relations are not merely professions;  they are indispensable pillars of the democratic societies”, Dr.  Shashank Goel, IAS observed.   

Dr. Shashank Goel stated that the emergence of Social  Media, with its amazing speed and unprecedented access to global  audience, has transformed the media landscape, across the globe, and  brought about a profound transformation in the world of media.   

“It is not just a shift; it is a revolution, driven by new  tools and techniques. In addition, Artificial Intelligence is  revolutionising the news industry, from content creation to audience  engagement,” he stated and added that in this rapidly evolving  landscape, the role of journalists and media professionals is far more  critical than ever and the importance of equipping the media  professionals with the latest skills and knowledge is the need of the  hour.