In the mid-1990s, DBICA (Don Bosco Institute of Communication Arts) was launched to address the signs of times and the fast-evolving communication mediums. Since its inception, DBICA through its multifarious media services and a plethora of productions and publications, has created a niche name for itself in the media industry in Chennai which is the second most important media hub of India and also a distinguished Catholic media centre. The contribution of our two publication houses (Arumbu Publications and Don Bosco Publications) in the print domain has etched a lasting legacy through valuable publications. Many stalwarts have passed through its portals and quite many have been associated with the institute in the past quarter-century of its existence.
1. DBICA gave birth to DBCAD (Don Bosco College of Art and Design) in 2014 which provided certificate programs in media-related skills. Due to the rising demand for formally recognized degree courses, it has in course of time been upgraded to DBCC (Don Bosco Arts and Science College) which is affiliated with the University of Madras. Through these stages of evolution, DBICA has managed to bring both formal and non-formal streams of media education and skill training under one umbrella. Currently, around 700 students are studying in this college of which around 200 specialise in media studies. This college’s main objective is to offer media-related courses to groom the next-generation media professionals to be sent out as ambassadors of truth, peace, and harmony and who will act as moral compasses of the democratic society in the complex social reality of the Indian subcontinent.
2. Understanding the importance of Social Communication in the lives of the young today the Province has established a new satellite centre of DBICA at St. Joseph’s Home, Katpadi, Vellore. This centre is effectively reaching out to the rural youth catering to the needs of media education and media skills training.
3. Apart from the regular services following are some of our new initiatives in the era of digital communication and social networking.
4. Naan Pesa Ninaipathellam (NPN): A Tamil audio and video podcast channel that promotes quality audio content in Tamil on various topics relevant to youth and society.
5. Aflame: A platform that focuses on nurturing spirituality on the digital continent by creating a vibrant presence of the Church online.
6. Media Clinique: A digital wellness mission with the aim to create awareness and suggest coping techniques in this age of excessive digital dependencies.
7. Media Clubs: A unified approach for a systematic follow up of media education programs in all our settings empowering the local coordinators in every campus.
8. Athirvugal: A forum and a platform for social entrepreneurs, change makers, media personnel and the like to interact with and inspire the upcoming generation of young and creative minds in social, political, and academic spheres.
9. Musiland: A platform that engages with the young through the powerful art of music in order to nurture and promote their talents.
10. SkillVille: A media skilling mission that designs and delivers creative media and digital technology-related short and long-term courses to suit various interest groups.
11. Thus, we are passionately engaged in the field of Social Communication through Formation, Animation, Education, Information, Documentation and Production adapting to the changing times. We are constantly listening to young people in order to understand their anxieties and fears as much of their experience of life is connected to the internet, social media and the digital continent. Therefore,
Under the Salesian Publishing Society, we have the following publications and magazines.
1. Arumbu (1963) – Tamil monthly
2. The Salesian Bulletin (1956) – English monthly
3. The Salesian Seithi Malar (1978) – Tamil monthly
1. The Arumbu Publications
2. The Don Bosco Publications.
The objective of this Publishing Society is to produce magazines, books and other publications that would inspire and guide young people and the general public, while upholding Christian principles and promoting Salesian values.
The Salesian Publishing Society has so far published more than 200 books of various genres. Apart from publishing, the society also conducts seminars, animation programmes, workshops, competitions, award programmes, scholarship programmes, etc. The Society also ensures the sale of printed books through book-fairs.
Bosco Information Service (BIS) is for the management of Salesian information in the Province. BIS consists of a network of correspondents who gather Salesian information from various centres, process it, and share it with the rest of the world, through the Province website. The Province BIS Team consists of the Provincial Delegate for Social Communication (Boscom Secretary), the Province (National) Web Master, the Province BIS Coordinator, and the correspondents of the communities. Efforts have been made to bring back our province magazine – Intercom.