On 11th February, the Department of Journalism organised a mock press conference. Honorable Pro Chancellor LPU, Mrs. Rashmi Mittal witnessed the conference and encouraged all the participants.
Supported by Assistant Professor Arusha Farooq, the students of Journalism divided themselves into groups and took the initiative to promote various products such as music, consumer goods, businesses etc. through a mock press conference. The students played both the roles of the product owners, and the PROs promoting the product and organising the press conference.
Playing out the entire process gave the students a real idea of the practical aspects of Public Relations, which they study as a part of their course.
Of the many role plays, one was a political manifesto release in which Kumar Sarthak and Punit Singh, as representatives of Rashtriya Jan Shakti Party and Samaj Party respectively, formed a coalition and proposed their manifesto for upcoming elections. Competing for the UP Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2017, they talked about how their new bond would be favourable for the state. The ‘press’ grilled them on their claims and agendas. It was a very life like simulation of a current situation which gave the students acting as the press, a chance to ask probing and well thought out questions. The two ‘leaders’ promoted their parties like products, at once affording everyone present a chance to deliberate over the objectification of ideals and learning to create and capitalise on ‘needs’ amongst their target audience.
With the hard work of team members Sneha Chakraborty, Nirbhay Singh Chauhan, Nitish Markan, Pratyush Pandey, Punit Singh, Aditi Raina, Sarthak, Amit, Arun, and Gautam, the conference was a real success, much appreciated by Mrs. Mittal.
