Srinagar, Apr 04 (KNO): Noted academician Prof Farhat Basir Khan on Saturday called for a fundamental structural overhaul of communication studies, arguing that traditional teaching frameworks have failed to keep pace with the realities of the algorithm-driven media landscape.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said he was delivering a special lecture on the theme “Responsibility of Being Heard in the Age of AI: Power, Algorithms and Integrity”* at the Department of Communication and Journalism (DCJ), Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Tulmulla campus.
He said the event brought together scholars and students for an engaging discussion on the growing influence of algorithms in shaping public visibility, often privileging engagement over accuracy.
“The programme began with a welcome address by Dr Arif Nazir, Head of the Department.”
The spokesperson said, Vice-Chancellor Prof A Ravinder Nath and Dean Academic Affairs Prof Shahid Rasool conveyed their best wishes for the programme, underscoring the importance of such academic engagements in a rapidly evolving media environment.
He said, Prof Khan, a distinguished author, media practitioner and communication strategist with over four decades of experience across academia, research, administration and industry, delivered a wide-ranging lecture examining the deep structural shifts redefining communication today.
“Mass communication, as we have taught it for decades, is no longer structurally aligned with how communication actually operates today,” he said, setting the tone for a critical reflection on existing curricula.
“Challenging the idea that media education only needs incremental updates, Prof Khan argued that the discipline is facing a systemic crisis rather than a content gap.”
“This is not a content gap. This is a structural gap,” he asserted, emphasizing that merely adding modules on digital media or artificial intelligence is insufficient.
He pointed out that while students are trained extensively in content creation, they are rarely equipped to understand the underlying systems that determine visibility and reach.
“If we do not teach this, we are not teaching communication we are teaching craft without context,” he said.
“Highlighting the changing nature of media power, Prof Khan noted that in the age of artificial intelligence, being heard is no longer just about expression but about navigating algorithmic systems that act as invisible gatekeepers, deciding what gets amplified and what remains unheard,” the spokesperson said
He also stressed that responsibility in the digital ecosystem extends beyond content creators to include platforms and developers, who must ensure that algorithms promote integrity rather than sensationalism.
While acknowledging the continued relevance of traditional platforms such as television and radio, he said these must now be understood within the broader context of digital and algorithmic transformations. Media theories, he added, remain vital but require reinterpretation to stay meaningful.
The lecture concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Asif Khan, while the session was facilitated by Dr Nookaraju Bendukurthi and Dr John Babu.
The interaction underscored the growing urgency to rethink media education in the face of rapidly evolving technological systems, with Prof Khan’s insights offering both a critical diagnosis and a forward-looking roadmap for institutions seeking relevance in the digital age—(KNO)