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Vashi2Panvel.Com: Navi Mumbai: May 29: My tryst with BMM was most unusual. Even before I passed my tenth standard exam, I had decided that I will have nothing to do with science after twelfth standard. And trust me that decision has proved to be spot on when I look at it in retrospection. I have always had a flair for art and JJ School of arts was my aim. Journalism was my second career option. So it was with a lot of reluctance that I filled up the form for BMM at SIES College, Nerul. But fortunately it so happened that it was SIES where I landed up. I say fortunately, because it has been a fabulous and eye opening three years of graduation for me.

I still distinctly remember my first day in college when I had very little knowledge about BMM. I just knew that the course is supposed to ultimately make some sort of a media pundit out of me and I already was not interested in doing advertising. It wasn’t like this three years ago when students were open to doing alternative courses and were hell bent upon gathering as much information as they could. That just goes to show the avenues the media industry has created for students. Not only is there much moolah involved, but working is actually fun.

I believe to be a journalist and observer of the society, BMM forces you to take notice of the goings around. Often laymen hardly notice a certain pattern in the larger society, BMM offers specific subjects that makes you think in this direction. With practical projects like monitoring news channels and newspapers a lot of myths are shattered and one learns that appearances are often deceptive.

The first four semesters offer 24 subjects in all, encompassing various elements of media like films, journalism, advertising, animations and graphics, technicalities of printing and production, public relations and basic knowledge that is useful to both advertising and journalism students. The final two semesters are specializations with the option to choose either journalism or advertising. As far as journalism is concerned I felt the course was tilted towards the print media. Also there were some vague elements, but I believe it’s just been 4 years since the course has started, so hopefully changes will be made soon to suit the industry specifications. But nevertheless, the final year was extremely fulfilling as I think I discovered some latent talents and my knowledge of art could be used in journalism too!

Now comes the tricky part- a job. Even a year back media wasn’t a very hot industry. It is only now that the job market is picking up with new television channels and newspapers being established. I think like it is for all fields, only hardwork and talent can take you to success here too. But the bright spot here is that the media revolution in India has only just begun and there are umpteen numbers of niches you can carve for yourself. Of course internship stints help a long way. And I think I’ll be doing a PG only to understand how the broadcast media works and yes to get a placement so that I need not run around for a job!

My final word about BMM, well the course is a refreshing change from the theoretical schooling years and something tells me that all pitfalls of the course are in for a dramatic change. So if any kid is wants to change the world get into BMM. The media needs people like you!

Lakshmi Subramaniam
BMM Graduate (2006)