I bet no journalist has ever won a gold medal in their board or university examinations.
Neither silver. Nor bronze.
Had they won a medal, they would have known the excitement of being at the college/university convocation, receiving a standing ovation on stage while receiving the medal.
They would have known the thrill of having a happy reunion with alumni which the convocation brings with.
Journalists hate medals; subsequently, they also hate convocation.
Their aversion to medals and, of course, convocations is seen when they report an event like convocation.
They hate to talk about the medal winners. They never talk to them.
Instead, they will write about the chief guest – their address, their dress, their smiles, their frowns and so on.
The age of stereotype reporting is upon us.
Report the elite, for the elite but by common hacks.
The ultimate casualty is news.
On November 20, the media reported the convocation proceedings of the Punjab University.
This is how the media fed readers with a well-worded press release.
“Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana, who is also chancellor of the Punjab University, has said that quality education would lead to improve international ranking of universities, increasing the respect of degrees and being chancellor of all the universities he is much concerned over the quality of education.”
Thank you for showing your concerns but we are interested in what measures you’ve taken to improve the ranking and quality of education. Hopefully, the subsequent paragraphs should tell us.
“He was addressing the 126th convocation of the Punjab University at the Faisal Auditorium here on Monday. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Mueen Nasir, Lahore Mayor Mubashar Javed, Examinations Controller Prof Dr Shahid Munir, Registrar Dr Muhammad Khalid Khan, heads of various departments, senior faculty, officials and a large number of students along with their parents were also present on the occasion.
Thank you for caring about five Ws and a single H. Now, please elaborate the measures.
“Addressing the ceremony, Governor Rajwana said that there was a difference between education and knowledge. He said that the present era belonged to research, technology, and specialisation and we must focus on improving all those aspects which would bring our universities among top universities of the world.
Why are you not sharing the measures you have taken or planned for universities?
What is the difference between knowledge and difference – please elaborate.
The remaining part is so obvious. There is no news, Sir Chancellor.
“We must appreciate good initiatives and deeds of others. He said that criticism of negative things must be positive and constructive. He said that all the political parties were patriotic but there could be a difference of opinion. However, he said there was no difference of opinion that Pakistan, its democratic institutions, parliament, and economy must be strengthened and every institution must work within its constitutional boundaries.
“He said that toppling the governments was not a service to Pakistan. He said that educated youth must join politics as well because the nation needed sane and sensible politicians too. He said that freedom of expression was everybody’s right, however, they must not spoil others’ basic rights while exercising their own right. He said that students were real assets of Pakistan.”
Ohmygod.
All the things are so obvious and so known. Why one would like to read the obvious things?
This is the first half of the press release.
The second half is more or less the repetition of the first half.
The last paragraph states “in the convocation, 275 Master’s (session 2014-16), 176 undergraduate degrees (session 2012-2016) and 148 medals were distributed among the students. As many as, 73 medals were distributed among undergraduate students while 75 medals were distributed among Master’s students. A total of 599 degrees, medals and prizes were distributed in the convocation”.
So, the news story ignored 599 distinguished alumni only to highlight the chancellor’s customary sermon.
Not even a single sentence of the governor’s speech is worth reporting.
Yes, not even a single sentence.
It seems 599 degree-holders plus teachers were at the convocation hall to clap and clap on the governor’s sermon. So were reporters. That is not journalism.
The blog is getting longer, and now let me come to the point.
How should the media cover the convocation?
Convocation is the celebration of candidates’ success and a chance to peep into their’ career inception and the prospect to grow.
So, a reporter can meet the graduate and see if they have got jobs. Many would share their entrepreneurial ventures. Many would share the challenges faced in getting a job or on the job. They would let the reporter know what skills they still lack to meet the job.
It is a ceremony that celebrates the reunion of alumni where the graduating lot can interact with them and benefit from their experience. It is an opportunity for the university administration to meet with alumni and get to know if they have got the job, how they are competing with their counterparts from other universities. And all these things are for the media to report about; there is huge public interest in these issues.
In an ideal journalistic regime, a convocation story (or stories) dedicates most of the space to the medal winners, outstanding career winner, and not for a political governor. Lord help us to initiate real journalism.
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