… is the state of awareness on AIDS amongst Mumbai students. What is scary? …the film, the survey, and the article, the general state of disinterest,? the belief that it happens to some one? else, the amount of money spent with little or no communication impact and finally the moral brigade that screams and shouts everytime sex education is mentioned. Scary!

Tags: AIDS, India

One of the things that I do, is teach. And, i enjoy it. I have been teaching various aspects of media for the last 4 years - for the Bachelor’s in Media Studies programme. The first year was at SIES - where i studied, and the last three years with Sophia’s, where my mother taught. Each year I set them a project - that is meant to test their understanding of how to communicate. I have so far stuck to print and video - the two media that i understand the best. And, the process of guiding them through their project helps me improve my own understanding of the media. And, the students have by and large delivered. I had a batch that worked on an incredible ecotourism project for Latur. I had one which did a wonderful piece on street foods in mumbai. And, this year has been a very exciting news magazine project. This year I volunteered to teach 3 subjects that i formally studied but hadn’t tought before - broadcast journalism, news media management and global issues in the media. And this year’s project was the creation of a video news magazine that is aimed at youth issues. The topics chosen were interesting.

• The lead story was on AIDS (un) awareness in colleges in Mumbai. As such gutsy and hits you right between the eyes. Kids think that AIDS is caused by mosquitos, toilet seats and don’t believe that sex education is required. The DNA picked up the story. The team was majorly chuffed at that. But, my question is where is the MSM on this - if awareness is so abysmal - students get to hear about AIDS one week ina year maybe - then where is all the NGO work going. What are parents, teachers and the government (afterall it funds the bulk of this campaign) doing?
• The second story was on an American employer who cribbed about the fact that our educational system produced functionally useless fodder. in a world where communication and presenation skills matter as much as academic credentials, the system has failed to deliver both.
• Then comes a straight from the heart issue - dress code in colleges. The obvious divide between generations is fairly apparent. As is the divide between authority and individualism. It seems like yesterday when i was in college and it was the same issue then
• A story on how basket ball is making its mark in the college scene was the sports story. We are so much influenced by the mass media and its focus on cricket - that sometimes we forget that there people who play other sports, and a bit of exposure of the local scene may actually go a long way in attracting talent.
• And finally an ‘entertainment’ story.? The team did a good job in taking a different POV of entertainment. They looked at a lady who designed for films, and without any formal training has launched her own fashion label

All in all a good magazine - could have run on any channel!

Tags: India, Teaching

the Americans are not particularly khaas at hitting the target correctly.

They have a president who aims for Osama bin Laden and hits Iraq.

They have a VP who aims for a deer and hits a lawyer.

Now, if they aim for universal democracy, peace and good will - maybe the world should collectively duck:)