Media at Crossroads: Berhampur Seminar Explores Challenges & Future in Digital Age
In a thought-provoking gathering that brought together media professionals, academicians, and community leaders, a seminar titled “Challenges and Future of Print Media in the Digital Era” was organised at the Government ITI Auditorium Hall in Berhampur.
The seminar was presided over by V. Rajendra Raju. Delivering the welcome address, Abinash Misra, Editor of Orissa Today, underscored the rapidly evolving media landscape. He emphasised the urgent need for print journalism to embrace digital transformation without compromising its core values of credibility, depth, and public trust.
Distinguished guests and speakers included senior advocate Bhagaban Sahu, Head of the Department of Journalism at Berhampur University Bandita Panda, senior journalist Jyoti Ranjan Das, environmentalist Sudhir Rout, Bighneswar Sahu, Shaktidhar Rajguru, and others.
The speakers delved into the pressing challenges confronting print media today — declining readership, fierce competition from digital platforms, shrinking revenue streams, and the constant pressure to innovate. They also explored strategies for a sustainable future, stressing the importance of maintaining ethical standards, investigative depth, and community connect that print media has traditionally offered.
Journalists Sameer Acharya and Rupesh Panda actively participated in the discussion, sharing practical insights on how traditional media houses can adapt to the changing dynamics of news consumption while preserving journalistic integrity.
A highlight of the event was the felicitation of ten distinguished personalities for their outstanding contributions in various fields.
The awardees included:
- Senior journalists A. Raja Rao and Jyoti Ranjan Das
- Environmentalists Sudhir Rout and Sibaram Panigrahi
- Educationist Satya Narayan Sahu
- Entrepreneur Partho Padhi
- Businessman Kanhu Senapati
- Ranjan Kumar Parida, Principal of Government ITI, Berhampur
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Sanyasi Gouda, District Correspondent of Orissa Today.
The seminar served as a timely platform for meaningful dialogue on how print media can reinvent itself in the digital age while continuing to play a vital role in informed citizenship and democratic discourse.
