About MTTN: When Passion Drives Journalism

Right in the months of May, June, and July, prospective first years enter their first queries about MIT, Manipal; their home for the next four years.
It is from that moment itself, they come to know of Manipal The Talk Network, or MTTN. And soon enough, as one joins college they figure out MTTN is an integral part of the MU ecosystem (along with several other organizations). You’ll find our mention in every other banner, as media partners, or see our writers and photographers all over the town, covering an event or the other. This raises the question: “What is MTTN?”

History

Never did Gaurav Prakash imagine, that a website built hastily in 10 days of his teaching break would evolve into the largest media body in Manipal.
Rewind to October 2010, when a first-year Gaurav was looking for a platform to bring together all individuals, cutting across boundaries of batch, or streams to engage in discussions about Manipal, in general. A melting point of stories, information, and opinions. Having found none, he made one.

In its fledgling days, the website used to post announcements from noticeboards all across the campus. That drew people in. Gaurav started small, and slowly started covering events. So far it was a one man show, but soon he sought to form a team. Contrary to all expectations, the turnout was massive at the recruitment, and Manipal The Talk 2.0 was formed. Finally, with a full team, we started covering events regularly, and doing so much more.

Present

MTTN is a family committed to depicting the spirit of Manipal in all its grandeur. We’re a team of about 150 spirited individuals spread across three main departments, namely Writing, Photography and Public Relations. Within a few weeks of college, you’re bound to see some of us proudly sporting our colours of black and white all across Manipal University. Currently, we have a presence in 10 colleges in Manipal.

Whether it’s the birth of seven puppies near VGT, or the latest seminar on a sensational topic, there’s never a dull day in Manipal. We know that in every nook and corner of this student-infused wonderland, there is a story waiting to be told. And we capture those stories, through our words, and our lenses.

MTTN boasts of a reach of 23,000+ followers (as of 25th May, 2017) through our Facebook page. Over the last two Revels, we’ve hit over a lakh in viewership. Our Instagram handle, manipalthetalk has had an exponential growth, and now reaches out to a following of 6.8K.

We also run the unofficial freshers’ group on Facebook every year, as a platform for seniors and the incoming batch to communicate.

Structure

The website, manipalthetalk.org and the organization are owned by Gaurav Prakash. Under him, serves an advisory board, along with two teams – the HS team, and the MIT team.

The health sciences team comprises of students from KMC, MCODS, MCOPS, MCONS, WGSHA, and SOAHS. From the other side of the street, the MIT Team is consists of members from MIT (obviously), SOC, DOC, and FOA.

Both teams follow a flat hierarchy, and the distinction between the crew and the board members are negligible. The crew comprises of students ranging from freshers, to the outgoing batch.

Objectives

Given that we are a voluntary organization, what brings us together as a cohesive unit is our passion. As a media body, our objective (broadly speaking) is to present Manipal to the world. We endeavour to uphold the spirit of journalism and make information free, and easily accessible to everyone. We aim to provide unbiased, and complete information about events in Manipal, and voice our opinions on issues that matter. Having established ourselves in 10 colleges already, we wish to expand to all colleges across Manipal University, in the spirit of inclusiveness.

Why join MTTN?

When you’re a part of MTTN, you’re a part of an inimitable legacy. We try to emulate a professional work atmosphere and give a taste of college journalism to our members. Here, you learn the semantics of an organization at its very core. There’s something unique to learn from each member. In MTTN, you are bound to find your passion, or see it deepen. You might find a mentor, or a friend, or share ideas that shape who you are. But most of all, you will find a family.

PS: The MIT Team of MTTN will recruit in October 2018 (tentatively). Any individual from MIT, SOC, FOA, or DOC, from any year, can apply.

 

– by Ananya Roy, and Agnihotra Bhattacharya for MTTN

 

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