This year, around 59,000 applications were received for journalism courses in Delhi University but media honchos met to explore the talent gaps in media and entertainment industry through an interactive session in New Delhi orgnised by exchange4media
Chaired by Manish Porwal, MD, Alchemist Marketing Solutions, the session started with Amita Maheshwari, head HR, Star TV India, saying: “The hiring for marketing, creativity and content is done from outside the industry. There is a need for growing of talent pool at all levels.”
Representing the academic side of the industry, Nagesh Rao, director of Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad (MICA), talked about student’s grievances through a survey in which a majority of students don’t want to work in this industry due to better prospects in other fields. “It’s important for institutions to provide internships,” Rao said.
Ashok Venkatramani, CEO, media content and communication services, suggested that the industry should start treating its employees as an asset and should start investing enough on training, career building and career planning of employees.
Shailaja Bajpai, director (academic), Express Institute of Media Studies focused on the journalistic side of the industry and stated that “creativity is different from being a journalist, students don’t have basic fundamental journalistic skills and also have poor communication skills in Hindi and English language, what needs to be done is to make the students understand what is journalism and simply educate them with the skills.”