Educational Visit to TOI printing press, Airoli

"Were it left to me to decide if we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."

So said the American President Thomas Jefferson.

Media is known as the fourth pillar of democracy. Globally, 64 countries, representing a combined population of 49% of the world, are going to the polls in 2024. So it becomes all the more imperative that students, the future of a country, get a first hand experience of how media influences public opinion .

With this aim, an educational visit was organised by DAV Public School Nerul, for senior secondary students to the Times of India printing press, Airoli on 4th of July. The group comprised Mass Media, Humanities and Commerce students and four teachers.

Students reached the press at 2.15 pm. After entry of names, all were ushered inside. The storage warehouse was the first point of visit which has one of the biggest capacity of more than 30000 metric tonnes. The processing of paper and ink system was the next point, followed by printing of coloured images. Layering of colours and image printing came next, followed finally by the shipping port comprising multiple conveyor belts where newspapers are shipped as per the needs of the vendors.

It was an eventful day with wonderful memories to cherish. Who knows. May be the seeds of future media barons and journos were sown on the 4th of July to uphold democracy and freedom !