GUNTUR: Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of Acharya Nagarjuna University has got a new audio-visual studio wherein the students can practise recording and editing audio and video clippings to produce a mock news capsules.

University Vice-Chancellor Y.R. Haragopal Reddy on Monday inaugurated the AV studio at a simple function attended by Rector K. Viyyanna Rao, EC members N. Samuyelu and D.A.R. Subrahmanyam on the administrative block of the campus. In course of six months' time the department will also install a FM community radio station. The UGC has sanctioned Rs.10 lakh for the purpose and the process of seeking a licence, procuring equipment was going on, department coordinator G. Chenna Reddy said.

The department, which did not have computers for past five years to train its students on the latest skills of news collection, reporting, editing and page-making, now has this studio with a couple of cameras and a single computer set up at a cost of Rs.4.5 lakh.

The Vice-Chancellor promised to appoint one technical assistant to impart practical training to students and also two ad hoc teaching faculty would be recruited through a notification in April.

The AV studio has video cameras, still camera, I-Mac edit suit (computer), an overhead projector and a couple of large LCD television sets for the practical training in electronic journalism (TV and Radio). Department faculty members G. Anita, T. Madhubabu and Kamal Sucharan were also present on the occasion.

Later, a students' get-together was conducted.