The University of Westminster’s Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme (SAJP) recently hosted the annual SAJP symposium, which concluded an eight-week fellowship for 20 South Asian journalists, connecting mid-career journalists with leading media organisations in the UK.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)-funded fellowship is open to journalists from South Asian countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Titled Who Controls Our Stories in South Asia?, this year’s fellowship explored how political power, technology platforms and media ownership shape whose voices are heard - and whose are silenced - across the region.
The programme concluded with the annual SAJP symposium on 9 June in Portland Hall at the Little Titchfield Street site of the University on a topic chosen by the Fellows. This year the group focused on the theme of journalism in an age of big tech and authoritarianism. The group examined how digital platforms influence public narratives, the risks journalists face when reporting under shrinking civic space and the ways in which governments and corporations increasingly shape information ecosystems.
Led by Professor Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History at the University, the programme was originally created by Seaton and Professor Rosie Thomas at Westminster. This year, Sarah O’Meara, from The Conversation joined the team as Programme Director, alongside Research Associate Raunak Mainali.
Vineet Bhalla, a Fellow who took part in the programme, said: “The programme was one of the most memorable episodes of my life - both personally and professionally. Eight weeks of exploring London, forging friendships with a diverse bunch of journalists from all over South Asia, meeting top journalists from several British media organisations and deliberating with so many smart and experienced people the existential churn our profession is going through - I don't think any other fellowship or programme for journalists can provide this exact and near-perfect combination of elements. I emerged at the end of it with a much wider professional network and a better grasp of what the state of the media industry is.
“The symposium almost modeled the programme: it was a great learning experience as well as a lot of fun. The Fellows contributed in their own ways to make it happen, right from ideation to execution. The way it unfolded, with such a great lineup of panels, and a full house of audience throughout the day packed with insightful discourse, was quite rewarding.”
About the programme Professor Seaton said: “This year’s SAJP programme was especially intense and successful because these distinguished journalists are all facing economic and political challenges, and many are now working day in, day out, under increasingly threatening physical threats. Our Bangladeshi Fellows had even had their newspaper burnt down just before I visited it in January, yet they made very strong personal connections. UK institutions – generous, principled and committed to truth – also played their part, as visits to the British Library, the BBC, Nature, The Guardian, Prospect Magazine, the Globe and Cardiff opened up shared experiences and insightful debate. But in the end, it was the wonderful, warm, witty, hard-working Fellows who made the programme.”
The SAJP directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education, 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more studying Media and Communication courses at the University of Westminster.
Learn more about the University’s Global Partner Network in South Asia.
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