Doon University concludes 2-day Workshop on Journalism Skills
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 7 Nov: The Department of English, School of Languages, in collaboration with the School of Media & Communication Studies, Doon University, successfully concluded a two-day workshop on “Journalism Skills: The Power of Words and Visuals” held on 6–7 November. Led by Dr Rashi Mishra, Assistant Professor at the School of Media & Communication Studies, the workshop aimed to strengthen students’ skills in news writing, layout design, and visual storytelling — blending the art and craft of journalism in an immersive, practice-driven format.
The second day stole the spotlight with its vibrant, practice-oriented session, “Designing the Story: Layout, Structure, and Visual Storytelling”. Participants explored how visuals enhance the impact of words, experimenting with newspaper design, headlines, captions, and story placement. The session transformed the classroom into a simulated newsroom, where participants designed mock pages across diverse beats: national, editorial, sports, entertainment, and international, applying principles of balance, color, and unity. Dr Mishra also familiarized students with the structure of a newspaper office, explaining the roles of departments such as HR, Marketing, and Printing, and demonstrating industry-standard page-making software like QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign. Discussions further extended to CMYK concept and ethics in visual journalism, examining how images can shape or distort reality in today’s media ecosystem. Students also watched the film, “Signs”, to explore and understand the power of nonverbal communication in media perspective.
Earlier, the first day’s session, “Effective Report Writing: The Art and Craft of News Writing”, introduced participants to the fundamentals of reporting, from news values and story structure to clarity and objectivity in communication. Through engaging icebreakers and editorial teamwork, students explored how facts evolve into narratives that inform and inspire.
The workshop, marked by enthusiastic participation from students across disciplines, particularly English and Media & Communication Studies, reflected Doon University’s commitment to experiential learning and interdisciplinary engagement.
Speaking at the conclusion, Dr Rashi Mishra highlighted the soul of journalistic practice, remarking that “journalism thrives on observation, empathy, and the courage to tell stories that matter”.
Organized under the patronage of Prof Surekha Dangwal, Vice Chancellor, and Dr Chetana Pokhriyal, Dean, School of Languages, the event saw active support from faculty members including Dr Aditi and Dr Gazala. Over 150 students attended the workshop, including several of Dr Mishra’s former students from the 2017–2020 batches, who returned specially to be part of her session. Held at the Senate Hall, Administrative Block, the two-day engagement not only honed participants’ practical writing and design skills but also deepened their appreciation of journalism as a vital medium of truth, creativity, and social reflection.
