BLUE PENCIL 2020
A festival of Journalism & Media Arts
General Rules
- The contests will be held on 13 February 2020 and 14 February 2020. All contests will begin by 11 am and conclude by 5 pm.
- While the contests are open to undergraduate and postgraduate students of Communications, Communicative English and Journalism, students of other disciplines are welcome to participate.
- Each department can field an unlimited number of teams/participants.
- To register for events, please use the forms provided at http://metajosephs.in
- You may also confirm entries from your institution with a phone-call to the numbers provided below or an email to metajosephs@gmail.com by 12 February 2020.
- We will also accept a letter confirming entries from your institution.
- Teams/participants must carry valid identification from the institution they are representing.
- Participants/teams must report to the Reception Desk at the Undergraduate Block on Langford Road, following which they will be directed to the venues.
- The decision of the judges will be final and binding on all participants.
- While we will allow on-the-spot entries, we urge those interested to register in advance.
- A championship shield will be awarded to the college that tops the overall scoreboard.
- For all inquiries regarding contests, please call Prof. Vijeta (9741057203), Prof. Arul Mani (9731214519) or email metajosephs@gmail.com
Day 1
Inauguration
Time: 10:30 am
Venue: AV Room
Headliners
Time: 11:00 am
Venue: A305
Nosecut
Time: 12:00 pm
Topics to be given at: A305
Rag-Mag
Time: 12:30 pm
Briefing venue: A305
Cross-Currents
Time: 02:00 pm
Venue: Prelims and Finals A309
Nosecut and Twitter Essay Submission
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: A305
Filter Copy
Time: 12:00 pm
Venue: A309
Rag-Mag Submission
Time: 01:00 pm
Venue: English Department
Cartooning
Time: 02:00 pm
Venue: A309
Valedictory
Time: 04:00 pm
Venue: Atrium
HEADLINERS
An editing contest
We’ll give you a raw page in printout form.
You come up with the headlines and the captions. Edit the text for clarity.
RULES
Teams of two
Unlimited entries
Entry Fee: Rs. 100/- per team
Date: 13th February 2020
Reporting Time: 11 am
Prizes for the top three teams
Venue: A305, Arrupe Block, St. Joseph’s College
NOSECUT
- A variation on Press Stress, Nose Cut is a team event where every bit of research helps
- RULES
- Teams of two: Speaker & Researcher
- Maximum: 2 teams per institution
- Each team will be assigned an in-the news personality on 13 Feb
- Their job is to handle questions from a press conference on 14 Feb
- Teams can research personalities assigned to them, as well as to others during the contest
- Speakers must introduce themselves, and then begin taking questions
- Researchers may assist speakers only through handwritten notes during the contest
Time allowed: 4+1 minutes
Registration Date: 13th February 2020
Reporting Time: 12 noon (at A305)
Contest Date: 14th February 2020
Reporting Time: 10 am
Prizes for the top three teams
Venue: A305, Arrupe Block, St. Joseph’s College
FILTER COPY
A translation contest for teams
You will be provided copy in Kannada or Hindi
Translate into English within an hour.
Teams will be judged on time taken, accuracy, and sensitivity to both languages
RULES
- Teams of two
- Unlimited entries per institution
- Entry Fee: Rs. 100/- per team
Date and Time: 12 pm, 14th February 2020
Prizes for the top three teams
Venue: A309, Arrupe Block, St. Joseph’s College

RAG-MAG
Produce a satirical newspaper based on current political scenarios which will be specified during the briefing
RULES
- Teams of three
- Unlimited entries; Entry Fee: Rs. 100/- per team
- Teams must write, edit, and design over the two days of Blue Pencil
- Teams are allowed to design on Publisher, QuarkXPress or InDesign or by hand.
- Teams must submit a printout of a two-page A-3 size newspaper
Those working by hand can mount their newspaper on two KG Cardboard sheets
Registration and Briefing Date: 13th February 2020 Reporting Time: 12:30 pm (A305)
Submission Date: 14th February 2020 by 1 pm
Prizes for the top three teams
Venue: Arrupe Block, St. Joseph’s College
CROSS-CURRENTS
An inter-collegiate quiz on journalism, new media and current affairs RULES
- Teams of two (no cross-college teams allowed)
- Unlimited entries per institution
Entry Fee: Rs. 100/- per team
Prelims at 2 pm, 13h February 2020
Finals at 3 pm, 13th February 2020
Prizes for the top three teams
Venue: A309, Arrupe Block, St. Joseph’s College
CARTOONING
Comment on current affairs with wit and panache RULES
- Solo participation
- Unlimited entries
- Entry Fee: Rs. 50/- per participant
- KG Cardboard will be provided—the cartoon must be a single panel covering the sheet
- Participants may use pencils/pens only
Topic will be provided on the spot.
Date and Time: 2 pm, 14th February 2020
Prizes for the top three teams
Venue: A309, Arrupe Block, St. Joseph’s College
TWITTER ESSAY
Compose a linked 10-tweet essay on Twitter with a topic that will be assigned on Feb 1. All submissions to be mailed to metajosephs@gmail.com
RULES
- Solo participants
- Unlimited entries
- Register by Feb 1
- Tag @LitFestMeta while tweeting. Send screenshots and a link to metajosephs@gmail.com
- Entry Fee: Rs. 50/- per participants
Registration Date: 1st February 2020 Submission Date: 10 am, 14th February 2020 Prizes for the top three entries