Vice-chancellor, Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Prof. Mehraj ud Din Mir Wednesday said that there has been a sharp decline in the number of people reading Urdu newspapers in Kashmir valley.
“The current trend among the people, particularly the youth,is to read English newspapers. However, strenuous efforts should be made topromote reading of Urdu newspapers among masses as Urdu is the officiallanguage of the State,” Prof Mir said while addressing the inaugural functionof a two-day workshop on Urdu journalism.
The workshop “Skill Enhancement of Urdu Journalists ofKashmir,” has been organised by CUK’s department of Convergent Journalism (DCJ)in collaboration with Jammu Kashmir Urdu Council and Anjuman-e-Urdu Sahafat atvarsity’s Green Campus here, a statement said.
Prof Mir said that in order to promote Urdu journalism inthe valley, “the varsity is contemplating to start diploma in Urdu journalism.”
He said a state-of-the-art studio will be constructed forthe DCJ at the Tulmulla campus of the university. “The journalists coming fromGanderbal district would be also allowed to avail certain facilities providedin the Convergent Journalism,” he said.
Addressing the gathering Registrar, Prof. Fayaz A Nikka,said that at present the Urdu journalism is at crossroads and there is a direneed to conduct such type of workshops.
Senior faculty member, Media Education Research Centre,University of Kashmir, Prof. Nasir Mirza in his address hailed the DCJ and UrduCouncil for organising the workshop.
He said the technical sessions on different aspects of Urdujournalism would be beneficial to the participating reporters and sub-editors.
Dean School of Media Studies, Prof. Hamidullah Marazi said,the DCJ is offering Post-Graduate programme in Journalism and has startedresearch programme in 2018.
DCJ Coordinator, Dr. John Babu Koyee while speaking on theoccasion, said, the purpose of holding the workshop is to revive Urdujournalism. “As Urdu newspapers are circulated across the Jammu and Kashmir, itbecomes imperative to train and orient the journalists in Urdu journalism, sothat they report professionally,” he said.