Mass Communication Day 2024 with Hua Xia Private School at UTAR

On 19 April 2024, UTAR Sungai Long Campus was abuzz with excitement as it welcomed 42 Form 5 students from Hua Xia Private School for Mass Communication Day 2024. This significant event was a collaboration between the Corporate Communication Society and Journalism in Chinese Media Society, under the Department of Mass Communication of the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI).

Onwards fourth from left: FCI Dean Dr David Tneh Cheng Eng, FCI Deputy Dean Assoc Prof Thinavan Periyayya and Mr Kenneth Lee with the students and staff of UTAR and Hua Xia Private School

Mr Kenneth Lee Tze Wui, Head of the Department of Mass Communication, warmly welcomed the attendees, highlighting the day’s informal and interactive approach. He encouraged students to use the event as an opportunity to explore the exciting world of Mass Communication and familiarise themselves with the Sungai Long Campus and its diverse academic offerings. During his introduction, Mr Kenneth Lee particularly emphasised the uniqueness of UTAR’s programmes, especially the Journalism in Chinese Media programme, which is notably one of only two in Malaysia offered in both English and Chinese. He outlined the distinct roles of each programme in the department, describing Corporate Communication as "Interconnect", Journalism in Chinese Media as "Inform", Media and Creative Studies as "Express", and Broadcasting as "Disseminate".

Mr Kenneth Lee presenting his opening remarks

Following Mr Kenneth Lee, Mr Jerry Tan Yang Sheng presented details about the Journalism in Chinese Media programme at UTAR, highlighting the programme’s multicultural approach. He also emphasised dual-language instruction and its importance in equipping students with vital real-world media skills suited for the globalised media environment.

Mr Jerry Tan further engaged students with interactive questions to gauge their familiarity with media practices and introduced the Journalism in Chinese Media Society. According to him, this society provides practical experiences in news writing, web editing, and multimedia content creation, essential for a broad understanding of journalism that includes both traditional and digital media platforms.

Mr Jerry Tan introducing Journalism in Chinese Media Society

After that, FCI academic Ms Yong Xin Yi began her session on corporate communication by directly engaging with the students and inquiring about their understanding of communication. She explained the critical aspects of corporate communication, including its role in facilitating effective internal and external business interactions, building relationships, and maintaining a company’s reputation through strategic message management.

During her interactive session, she presented practical scenarios to encourage students to consider how these strategies could be applied in real-world corporate settings. Ms Yong also emphasised the need to adapt communication techniques to different stakeholders and discussed the significant role of technology in modern corporate communication.

Ms Yong sharing the importance of corporate communication

The workshop “Dream It, Build It, Pitch It!” provided the students with hands-on experience in corporate communication. Organised as a simulated press conference, students were divided into groups representing either Malaysian influencers’ corporate communications teams or paparazzi. Guided by members of the Journalism and Chinese Media Society, they practised fielding and posing questions, effectively simulating a real-world media event. After the mock press conference, Mr Jerry Tan and FCI academic Ms Cheah Shu Xu evaluated the performances, awarded prizes to the winners, and offered valuable feedback. This engaging session equipped students with practical insights into the dynamics of corporate communications and media interactions.

Ho Yong Jun, Chairperson of Corporate Communication Society (CCS)

Exchange of souvenirs between UTAR and Hua Xia Private School representatives

The participants of “Whisper Experts” game

Students participating in the workshop

Participants walked away with prizes and insights from the workshop