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Bhubaneswar, 7/11/2026 ( Odisha Samachar)- The second edition of MEDIOSA, the annual media fest organized by the Birla School of Communication at Birla Global University, opened on Thursday with the theme “Attention Economy – Capturing Attention, Creating Influence.” The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Surya Deo, film critic, journalist and researcher, as Guest of Honour, and Ms. Jhilik Bhattacharjee, actor and Managing Director of Jhilik Motion Pictures, as Chief Guest.
The ceremony began with an introduction to the theme, followed by the university Kulgeet, the lighting of the lamp and a sapling ceremony. Dr. Shiv Shankar Das, Dean of the Birla School of Communication, described attention as the new currency of the media economy. Dr. Gyanaranjan Mishra, Chairperson of MEDIOSA 2026, encouraged students to move from theory to practice and from knowing to doing. He emphasized the importance of human creativity, empathy and capability as media organizations compete for audience attention.
Prof. Anubha Ray, Dean of Alumni and Student Affairs, said MEDIOSA celebrates imagination, creativity and talent, while organizing events helps students develop resilience and problem-solving skills.
A short film on the history and journey of Odia cinema, curated by Dr. Surya Deo, was screened during the ceremony. Dr. Deo spoke about the need to preserve Odia film heritage through better archiving. Chief Guest Ms. Jhilik Bhattacharjee told students, “Media is not about visibility, media is all about responsibility,” and urged them to build a contribution, not merely a career. The vote of thanks was delivered by Ms. Anwesha Padhi, Assistant Professor.
Alongside the fest, The Flea, a student-led entrepreneurial market, opened with 18 stalls offering food, drinks and games. Inaugurated by the university Vice-Chancellor alongside the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour, it drew enthusiastic student participation and added to the festive atmosphere on campus.
The day also featured a panel discussion on attention and impact, with content creators Siddhi Satpathy, Soumya Biswajit and Heena Mirza from Odisha, and Atif Habib from Jharkhand, joining online. The discussion highlighted authenticity, cultural responsibility and meaningful audience engagement.
