Assistant Professor M. Asiuzzaman will present his paper entitled:  “Media Pluralism and Development in Malaysia: A Third Eye View” on October 7, 2009, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at the Seminar Room, Campus B. He is a visiting fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS). 

M. Asiuzzaman has worked for 13 years as a journalist in English language newspapers in Bangladesh. As a part-time research consultant for the Bangladesh Centre for Development Journalism and Communication, he completed several media researches on the Bangladeshi media for UNESCO and other international organizations. He has been awarded the British Chevening Scholarship (1995), Asian Scholarship Foundation Fellowship (2008) and recently, the Australian Leadership Award under which will enable him to pursue his PhD study.

His research abstract reads: “The exponential growth of technology-based new media has transformed media scenario in Malaysia, threatening the very existence of mainstream media. From the vantage point of an outsider, this paper looks into this growth in relation to media independence and its relation with pluralism. The speaker argues that Malaysia has a very ‘peculiar’ media system. The country has a diverse media but at the same time it has the most ‘boring’ media, especially the traditional or mainstream news media. Given the new media landscape, the speaker asks whether the traditional media can still be called the ‘mainstream media.’”

This paper is part of a series being conducted this fall by the Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) Department of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). The other research papers lined up for presentation are: New Media and Participatory Democracy in Rural Bangladesh (Jude Genilo/Marium Akther); Domestication of Film (Anis Pervez); Public Relations in Bangladesh: Past Discourses, Future Trends (Jude Genilo/Imtiaz Ahmed Chowdhury); and Narratives on Digital Bangladesh: Shared Meanings, Shared Concerns (Jude Genilo/Shamsul Islam/Marium Akther).

ULAB Launches Paper Presentation Series. 

The Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) Department of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) will conduct a research paper presentation series during its Fall Semester 2009.  The first research paper entitled: “Media Pluralism and Development in Malaysia: A Third Eye View” will be presented on October 7, 2009, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at the Seminar Room, Campus B by Assistant Professor Md. Asiuzzaman – who was a visiting fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS).  His research abstract reads: “The exponential growth of technology-based new media has transformed media scenario in Malaysia, threatening the very existence of mainstream media. From the vantage point of an outsider, this paper looks into this growth in relation to media independence and its relation with pluralism. The speaker argues that Malaysia has a very ‘peculiar’ media system. The country has a diverse media but at the same time it has the most ‘boring’ media, especially the traditional or mainstream news media. Given the new media landscape, the speaker asks whether the traditional media can still be called the ‘mainstream media.’”

Md. Asiuzzaman has worked for 13 years as a journalist in English language newspapers in Bangladesh. As a part-time research consultant for the Bangladesh Centre for Development Journalism and Communication, he completed several media researches on the Bangladeshi media for UNESCO and other international organizations. He has been awarded the British Chevening Scholarship (1995), Asian Scholarship Foundation Fellowship (2008) and recently, the Australian Leadership Award under which will enable him to pursue his PhD study.

 The other research papers lined up for presentation are: New Media and Participatory Democracy in Rural Bangladesh (Jude Genilo/Marium Akther); Domestication of Film (Anis Pervez); Public Relations in Bangladesh: Past Discourses, Future Trends (Jude Genilo/Imtiaz Ahmed Chowdhury); and Narratives on Digital Bangladesh: Shared Meanings, Shared Concerns (Jude Genilo/Shamsul Islam/Marium Akther).

For further information, please contact Taufiq Aziz at 01714273436.

The Dept of Media Studies & Journalism has recruited two foreign-educated faculties to strengthen its Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) Department. The two new faculties are Associate Professor Anis Pervez and Lecturer Imtiaz Ahmed Chowdhury. 

Anis Pervez has postgraduate degrees in Sociology, Communication and Information Science from Dhaka University, Oslo University and Indiana University Bloomington, respectively. He has taught communication and media courses in several universities in Bangladesh and the United States (US). He also has served different media organizations and development agencies in Bangladesh, Norway and the US. His research interests include film reception, home filmmaking, community informatics and computer-mediated communication.

Imtiaz A. Chowdhury is the Creative Director of the crime-watch program ‘Auporadheen’ scheduled to be telecast on Bangladesh Television (BTV). Before this, he worked as one of the leading Copywriters for Bitopi Advertising Ltd. (an affiliate of Leo Burnett Worldwide, Inc.) managing prestigious brands such as Telenor, Djuice, UNICEF and more. He also conducted field research regarding awareness towards AIDS in Bangladesh. He received his B.Sc. (Hons) in Communication and Information Technology from East West University, Bangladesh, and M.A. in International Communication from Macquarie University, Australia.

ULAB recruited recently two new faculties to strengthen its Media Studies and Journalism Department.  In the photo are Associate Professor Anis Pervez (left) and Lecturer Imtiaz Ahmed Chowdhury (right).

ULAB Hosts 80plus1 World Journey Ender.

The Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) Department hosted the 80plus1 "A Journey Around the World" culminating activity for Bangladesh on September 7, 2009, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the ULAB Seminar Room, Campus B, Dhanmondi, Dhaka City.  The activity, spearheaded by ULAB Lecturer Shahjahan Siraj, brought together via satellite hook-up and fiber optic cable technologies students, faculty and professionals from Austria and Bangladesh.  The topic centered on consumer culture.  Austrians wanted to know the various roles markets play in everyday life, the effect of new shopping malls on ancient markets and the reaction of Bangladeshi market vendors to new technologies.  Bangladeshis, on the other hand, inquired about the impact of megamalls on small shops and the typical products that can be found in Austrian home refrigerators.

As a background, the 80plus1 "A Journey Around the World" (http://www.80plus1.org) is the Austrian-based Ars Electronica project inspired by Jules Verne’s world famous classic “Around the World in 80 Days.” The project, however, did not entail any physical land, water or air travel.  Instead, the mode of transportation is via Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).   The expedition started on June 17 and ended on September 7, 2009.  During the journey, digital travelers stopped in 20 locations everyday, each one of which stands for a theme of crucial importance to the future.  One of the daily 20 stops is in Dhaka where the theme of market culture was highlighted; digital travelers explored 81 markets, shops and malls around the city.

Mr. Shahjahan Siraj, who spearheaded the “80plus1: A Journey Around the World” project in Dhaka City presented a plaque of appreciation to ULAB Media Studies and Journalism Head Jude Genilo for hosting the culminating event on September 7, 2009.

ULAB Faculty Imtiaz Ahmed Chowdhury reads a question from an Austrian digital traveler during the “80plus1: A Journey Around the World” culminating activity on September 7, 2009.  Mr. Shahjahan Siraj, who spearheaded the project in Dhaka, holds the computer.