REPORT ON STUDY TOUR

REPORT ON STUDY TOUR

By Hira Fatima

Final year, Roll No….

Study tours have a special place in the learning process. It is equally important to the theoretical or class work. That is why students always demand study tour because it helps understand their concerned field, keen observation and also a part of entertainment and enjoyment.

The study tour provides and opportunity to meet working people in the practical field, to gain greater understanding and develop linkage, skills.

It is a wide range of exciting learning experiences and enjoyable cultural and social interactions

Study Tour Programs offer the ideal mix of academic excellence while enjoying renowned for education, food, art and festivals.

Department of Mass Communication of the University of Sindh Jamshoro is one of the pioneers in this field. It has been providing opportunities to the students to get experience of the practical work in the media.

Students of this department are lucky that they have been going for study tour and field visits since their part- I studies. These visits were led by class teacher Sir Sohail Sangi.

Earlier, these visits were of some near by areas as we visited Jamshoro Phatak, Hatri, Barage Colony, Saindino Mallah etc to collect primary data and witness the life of rural and problem ridden people.

This time it was different from that of field visit. It was visit to related industry that is of Media houses. This was to see how media works at its head office? Also to observe their management, style and way of working, duties of different office holders, programming etc.

As it was end of the semester and course outlines of all the subjects were completed hence it was the time to such semi curriculum activity.

Keeping in view a study tour of the students of Mass Communication was planned.

Schedule

All the students of final year and part-III were asked to gather at Jamshoro campus on April 14, 2007 at 9.30 for leaving to Karachi. The study tour included visit of PTV Karachi center and HUM TV Karachi.

Chairman of the department Agha Rafique Ahmed along with teachers was e leading the students. According to schedule we were to reach PTV Karachi center at 2:00 pm and HUM TV at 4:30 pm.

As per programme students and the teachers gathered at Jamshoro campus and got on the university buses at around 10 am. The buses started moving from campus at 10:15 am.

The students were happy with jolly and light moods. They had prepared lunch. But those who were hostelers could not do so. Tape recorders of buses were on with full volume, while students were making many noises, creating a scene of jubilation and celebrations. It was really worth remembering moment, as for final year students it was last chance to go with class fellows on a tour.

Some of the students had also arranged the video camera and still cameras to catch and preserve the memorable moments/ glimpses. The students were singing, dancing, narrating jokes; some of the teachers were also on their feet. They were also rejoicing too much. All were in relaxed and informal mood.

At PTV Karachi Center

The caravan of the students reached PTV Karachi at 1:00 pm. The students were asked to make queues for the entry into the PTV center. There was strict security, and a thorough search of all the students was made. However, the girls were being made to sign the entry. PTV has a huge multi storey building with high rise tower.

After entry, all the students gathered in a huge hall where the chairman Agha Rafiq introduced the General Manager PTV Mr. Qasim Jalali, a renowned personality of electronic media.

Mr Jalali welcomed and told them that they can visit every department of the station without any fear. He also advised the students to try to have knowledge of all the aspects of a TV station and his staff would be happy to brief them. On this occasion, Mr Agha Rafique, chairman presented him AJRAK a traditional gift of Sindh, which he happily accepted.

In the second phase of the programme, the students were taken to the different departments of the TV station. Pakistan Television has expanded its network as different regional languages programs are being broadcast which were gaining good response from the audiences.

The electronic engineer of PTV Mr. Hizbullah Khatri while briefing the students told that PTV is soon launching two Sindhi language channels Mehran and Classic for the Sindhi people. To a question about the late reporting of PTV he told, it does not mean that we lack the latest technology but we have to maintain a check and balance of all the information going to be aired, because it is government run channel so it has limitations. He admitted that we have to get all the news and information approved by the higher authorities before broadcasting.

Sharing an important tip to the students Mr Khatri told the students that a producer should have knowledge of lighting to broadcast a program because any unexpected incident may occur in case the engineer is absent thus he must know some thing about the technical aspects.

The students also visited different sets of the programs. Some of the sets were fixed. Giving details of some technical aspects he said that a program requires 4 cameras and different shots of the poses are taken. He said that we get different programs from other channels like the matches of world cup are under the rights of GEO TV channel so we get from GEO.

At news section renowned reporter Mr. Iqbal Jameel informed students that it is the misconception that due to private TV channels, people don’t watch PTV or the graph of the popularity of PTV has declined. In fact that the PTV is still the most watched channel in Pakistan because in rural areas people mostly watch PTV and the PTV is the main source of information for the most of the population of Pakistan. He opined that private channels are mostly watched in big cities but the PTV is the need of all the rest of the Pakistan.

The student stayed at PTV for around two hours.

Our next destination was HUM TV channel.

At HUM TV Channel

HUM TV is basically an entertainment channel, how ever some current affairs programmes like talk show etc are also telecast from this channel. It is headed by renowned electronic media personality Ms Sultana Siddiqui. She has experience of many years at PTV where she coducted different programmes from current affairs to music, drama and other light programmes.

Ms Sultana Siddiqui said Pakistan has too many news and current affairs channels but we intend to provide entertainment to the people and we have succeeded. She told a woman can be a good administrator than a man and the women should be the head of the otrcganization. She was of the opinion that HUM TV has increased the importance of women.

She said that there are some other aspects of life which needed coverage. She told that Masala and ITV transmission will be better for the audience.

Coordinator, Human Resource Ms Ezza briefed the students about the HUM TV. She said if we telecast more current affairs programs we can not provide the pure entertainment.

So this tour was full of enjoyment and learning. In the late evening students returned back to campus from where arrangements were made to drop the students at heir homes.

The tour was rewarding experience. Students have the opportunity to:

§ - Enhance understanding by meeting and sharing experiences with the media community and with other people from diverse backgrounds.

§ - An excursions and visits to destinations of cultural, historical, geographical and social interest.

§ - Enjoy many exciting interactive opportunities performances, sporting activities unique cultural tourism experiences and activities

§ celebration with group photograph

These thrilling activities are a great opportunity for students to enjoy themselves and learn something as well. Field trips allow students to practice.