Soumayashree Mishra 
On 19th November 2022, Media and PR Cell of XIM University – IlluminatiX successfully hosted Communiquè, its annual media conclave. The conclave’s theme was Metaverse – The Next Revolution in the Media Industry. The conclave was conducted to address the Metaverse, which is said to be the internet’s new future. The conclave featured discussions on the potential impact of the metaverse on media and public relations, current metaverse applications, opportunities and threats posed by the metaverse, and much more. The conclave attracted notable media personalities as well as technology experts in the field of Metaverse.
Prof. Ms. Kajri Misra, Dean, School of Human Settlements and Faculty Coordinator of IlluminatiX – Media and PR Cell, delivered the welcome address, which was followed by an introductory note from Prof. V.Vijay Kumar, Dean, School of Communications.
Moderator:-
1. Ms. Shweta Kothari – Output Editor, India, Seen.
She started the discussion by stating that the Metaverse is coming, and is speculated to be the next revolution after the Internet. Miss Kothari further initiated the discussion amongst panel members and posed relevant questions to the panellists including concerns around the impact of the metaverse, data privacy and protection, preparedness of media and adoption of technology.
2.Mr. Pratyush Ranjan – Head of Digital Services, Multimedia and Fact-checking Unit at PTI
He discussed how Metaverse is built through the interaction of multiple technologies including, Augmented reality, Virtual reality, Extended reality, Blockchain and Non- fungible tokens. He further shared that the consumers of media should be vigilant about how they consume the information. He also shared some tools to check the credibility of available information on the web and in the metaverse.
3. Mr. Sandeep Mishra – Founder and Owner, Frontier Media
Mr. Ranjan discussed how Metaverse is still a very new and far-reaching concept for media in India and around the world. He discussed some challenges towards the adoption of the metaverse, namely slow adoption of technology, reluctance, and lack of skills and infrastructure to name a few. He further discussed how barriers to content generation are eroding and how the role of journalists has changed from being the gatekeepers to gate watchers to now seeing the open doors for content generation.
4. Mr. Rahul Sethi – Founder and Metaverse Coach, Metaverse 911
He shed light on how metaverse will help the world experience content in the 3D format, and accelerate the creator economy further. Mr. Sethi shared that some of the metaverse platforms like Decentraland have been there since 2015, hence emphasising that the metaverse isn’t new. Many brands like Tiffany, BMW, Hyundai and multiple banks have already started promoting products on various metaverse platforms. He further elaborated on how Interoperability in the metaverse will add to the convivence of people interacting on the platform.
Ms. Nikita Baliarsingh – Co-Founder and CIO, Nexus Power and Forbes Under 30 Alumni
Miss Baliarsingh emphasised on how the metaverse will change the story of brands, and shift the focus from marketing products to marketing experiences. She also spoke about the opportunities that the metaverse poses for new businesses and domains like tourism, education, gaming and branding.
This interaction sparked debate on pressing issues such as metaverse regulation norms, the role of big tech companies and individuals in ensuring data security, opportunities for the gaming industry, and measures that can be taken to separate the real world from the virtual. Following the Q&A, the winners of Critiqué, the national article writing competition, were announced, along with a cash prize of Rs. 5000 and certificates. Prof. Kajri Misra, Dean, School of Human Settlements and Faculty Coordinator of IlluminatiX – Media and PR Cell, concluded the event by congratulating the speakers. Ms. Vaishnavi Mote, Coordinator of IlluminatiX – Media and PR Cell, then gave a vote of thanks.
