Feature

Campus Television:
The Demand of Time

Parvez Chowdhury

TODAY, different universities and other educational institutions of many countries in the world maintain their own television channels. They are telecast within the limited area of those universities or institutions. This type of educational institutions based television channels are called “Campus Television” which is also called “Student Television” in some countries. Campus television broadcasts recent and local issues along with campus centric matters and the activities and editorial outlines are designed with the combined decisions of both the teachers and students.

We can take the example of the student television of Glasgow University in Scotland established on 1964. Though the broadcast through cable and Internet network is limited within the concerned campus, some also have a wide range of televised area. For example, MTVU of the United States. It pays attention to different issues and problems of its own campus and contributes to relevant issues of the students.

Unfortunately, In Bangladesh there is no campus television or even campus radio which would be really helpful for the students. Bangladesh can also take a step to set up such a television which would not require going through the process of frequency allocation like state owned and private television channels. Rather it would only require license for its commencement. Campus television would play a vital role in making the future cultural and mass media activists more technical and globalized.

Now, let us talk about the principal activities of a student television. Media is called the fourth pillar of a state. So, it is a matter of great importance to observe whether its activities would resemble our basic cultural history. The major cultural activities should get the highest priorities like music, dance, debate, recitation etc. Besides, seminars, research presentation of different disciplines and interactive programmes with cultural and academic foreign groups should also be included as constructive parts of a student television. Student participation is the locomotive to make the programmes successful. Different competitions among the departments and residential halls on various social and cultural issues can also be arranged. Apart from these, exchanging programs on an inter university basis could be another facilitative mode for the students. For example, the programs of Dhaka University campus television can be broadcast in the television of Jahangirnagar University or in any national issue i.e. annual fiscal budget issue, the analytical talk shows made by Economics Department of Jahangirnagar University can be broadcast in other university campus televisions. In all, news presentation of own campus and an opportunity to make drama with students' scripts and directions could be the strongest appearance to show student power in a society.

The directive authority of the student television would be the university authorities, particularly the departments related to mass media and journalism. In absence of such an authority the student welfare centre could play the instructive role.

This will also create a scope for Bangladeshi students to participate in international competitions held in different countries. As students and teachers living in the campus area regularly watch different national and international channels by cable network, the broadcasting method does not need to be restructured as area wise every cable network has their own channel where they play movies and songs of their own choice.

Dhaka University and some other public universities have their own camera, edit panel anda full media centre in their mass media and journalism department. These universities could take the initiative of setting up a campus television for the students. And subsequently other universities will be interested as they will find it helpful for the young generation in knowing and widening their knowledge base.

(Translated from Bangla by: Umme Wara Mishu)