Challenges and imperatives of defining theoretical framework in media education

After media gained the industry status, it has become difficult to teach media ethics as there is a chasm between what is preached and practiced. Increasing market competition and multiple communicative platforms have driven media education to focus more on job orientation rather than research. Besides soft skills like writing, editing and presentation skills, educators have to train students with technical and technological skills to meet industry standard. But one confronts all these problems after joining the post-graduate (PG) course and academic or media profession. The problem is at the macro level as there is diversity in nomenclature which is the theoretical framework of media education across the country. There is no unanimity in course title or faculty under which journalism department should function or even in subject titles within the syllabus. This study examines the challenges and imperatives of media education in India and suggests the way forward.