Grade 9 students meet a national celebrity newscaster

Grade 9 students meet a national celebrity newscaster

On 29 August 2023, the Grade 9 students of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka welcomed Ms Shemoul Hamid, a retired newscaster at Bangladesh Television – a national TV station –  to share her exemplary experience as a news presenter in the media. 

Ms Hamid’s visit helped the students learn more about the impact of news reporting, tying into their learning unit of “English language and literature”. While engaging with the young learners, Ms Hamid discussed the purpose of news texts, the changing perspectives of the media and the obligations of stakeholders in TV journalism in Bangladesh’s history. Moreover, she shed light on the conflict between the ethical responsibility of journalists, providing a brief insight of TV journalism as a career. 

The retired newscaster was enthused at how students extended their classroom knowledge to ask pertinent questions about the dynamic nature of reporting. 

“This was an enriching experience for most students as their first exposure to life at the other end of the TV news cycle,” Ms Hamid said. “They effectively connected the session with their classroom learning.”  

Grade 8 English Teacher Ms Aziza Choudhury commented that students could sense how language and context impacted the way news is delivered to the public. They understood the influence of newscasts on the audience (by informing and warning) and appreciated the responsibilities and restrictions of being a newscaster. Additionally, the students reflected well on how journalists play a crucial role in society.