Media academicians and stalwarts join hands for ICAN4 – World’s First 10-day Digital Live International Conference

NOIDA: ICAN4^, the World’s First 10-day Digital Live International Conference on Information, Communication and Artificial Networks was inaugurated on Zoom Platform on July 01, 2021, in the presence of national and international acclaimed media educators, scholars, researchers and professionals from across the world. This is the fourth time that DME Media School is hosting this prestigious international media conference and the second time in completely online form amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conference is being organised by DME Media School, Delhi Metropolitan Education, NOIDA in association with Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. ICAN 4 is supported by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Government of India. It is also supported by 4 knowledge partners – Adamas University, Kolkata, K.R. Mangalam University, Gurugram, Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Bhopal and Vigyan Prasar, Government of India.  Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University, Guwahati is an Academic Partner and Institute for International Journalism, E. W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University, United States is an international partner. The Policy Times, New Delhi is the Media Partner for the conference.

While welcoming the dignitaries, Dr Susmita Bala, Professor and Head, DME Media School, said “ICAN started as a three-day international conference but evolved to be a ten-day conference.” Inaugurating the conference, Dr Ambrish Saxena, Professor and Dean, DME Media School & Director, DME Studios, said “Organisations like UNESCO, India Today education and IIMC have been supporting us in organising various editions of the conference.” In every edition of the conference, we have received more than 100 abstracts, which always motivating us, added the senior Professor.

Prof (Dr) Shahid Rasool, Dean, School of Media Studies, Dean, School of Media Studies, Director, Media and Public Relations Centre, Director Tulmulla Campus, Central University of Kashmir delivered the keynote address. He said, “In the age of acceleration, communication has modified our way of living”. He mooted the concept of understanding, approach and action.

Dr Usha Raman Professor, Department of Communication Hyderabad University, Vice President of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) in her address spoke about the changed pattern of information consumption. “In the past 15 months, the manner in which we receive information has changed. The newer forms of information are evolving but its dependability and credibility becomes doubtful”, she said.

Prof. K G Suresh, Vice-Chancellor, Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication stressed on the need for alternate and smart content to please the end-user. “From customised content, we have entered into users’ market with the attention span reduced to seconds. The objective is to deliver the right content to the right people at the right time, especially in this era of infodemic. The promotion of alternate content and smart content is where the AI will come in handy”.

Prof. Ujjwal K. Chowdhury Pro Vice Chancellor (PR & Media) and Dean, School of Media, Communication & Fashion Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal spoke on the democratisation of the media. He said that the content has to ride on Artificial intelligence.  Emerging technologies have to be used for people’s benefits.” He also highlighted the relevance of context.

Dr Jatin Srivastava, Associate Professor E. W. Scripps School of Journalism Ohio University, said that changing technological paradigms is not resonating well with academia. “As a result, there is a disconnect among innovation, society and academia, and hopefully, with the diversity of content ICAN will be able to bridge that gap”, he added.

Dr Sheikh Shafiul Islam, Head, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Daffodil International University, Bangladesh, while showing concern about the global pandemic, stated, “We have to work as a communication expert so that the voice of people can be reflected back. We have to make people aware before the adoption of technology and survey its horizons.”

Ms Kathryn Lancioni, Author and Eminent PR Professional, USA, spoke about discussing the role of PR in times of COVID-19 in her ensuing sessions in the conference. She said, “During the pandemic crisis management and communication has been an important part of our lives”.

Dr Nakul Parashar Director, Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India said that ICAN 4 is a milestone in the history of conferences and wish good luck to everyone for its grand success.

Dr Ankuran Dutta, Head, Department of Communication and Journalism Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, pointed out the necessity to tackle the problems of misinformation and disinformation. Therefore, media literacy is essential to be discussed and is the need of the hour.

Collaborating partner Dr Vikrant Kishore, Course Director School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University, said, “I have had a fruitful journey with DME. It is really good to see these researchers and professionals two times a year once in ICAN and then in CIFFI film festival.”

Dr Pallavi Majumdar, Joint Acting Head-Amity School of Communication, Amity University, Noida said that technology has disrupted our media space. Therefore, we need to understand the technology and need to teach in our learning structure and curriculum.

Dr Anand Pradhan, Professor, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi said that sometimes we are actually driven by technological determinants and show too much faith in the technology. This needs to be discussed in detail at various platforms.

Prof (Dr) Manukonda Rabindranath, Chairperson, Centre for Media Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), stated that these conferences are relevant to contemporary media issues.

Justice Bhanwar Singh, Director General DME, Noida, eloquently presented a comparison between the current age of Artificial Intelligence and the past and how the human mind is so easily getting attuned to this new culture of AI.

Mr Aman Sahni Vice Chairman DME opined that ICAN 4 holds immense importance academically.

Dr Ravi Kant Swami, Director DME said, “Crisis is the mother of innovation. This conference indicates the paradigm shift taking place in the current scenario.”

Earlier in the day, the ICAN-4 began with a pre-inaugural workshop on “Reflexology for Communication Practitioners – conducted by Prof. Umesh Arya, Dean, Faculty of Media Studies, GJUST, Hisar, Haryana. The workshop aimed at refreshing the mind and body. The workshop began with the motto of aligning the human body and mind with inner happiness. Through his practical session, Dr Arya took the audience to an altogether new world of tranquillity, serenity and gratitude.

Later in the evening, after the inaugural session, a cultural event was organised wherein some scintillating performances of classical dancers from Gauhati University and Adamas University, Kolkata, along with the cultural show presented by students of DME Media School, enthralled the audience.