Yogyakarta, November 10th 2022—The Department of Communication Studies, of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) again held a practitioner class in the Celebrity Studies course on Thursday (10/11). This practitioner class is carried out through the Teaching Practitioner Program initiated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemendikbudristek RI) which presents actress Prilly Latuconsina as a practitioner lecturer. This meeting was Prilly’s second meeting as a practicing lecturer after previously teaching the same subject last September.
Discussing media issues, crisis management, and cancel culture, the material discussed in this meeting was more in-depth than the previous meeting. “The first meeting is an introduction to the material first. Now it is more complex and there are many case studies,” said Prilly.
In class sessions, Prilly explained that celebrities and the media have a close relationship. “So far, the theory that has been taught is that the media controls celebrities. Through Sis Prilly’s presentation, we come to know that the two actually need each other,” said Jacgua, one of the students who had the opportunity to take the Celebrity Studies course. Prilly’s presence provides a new perspective for students, especially because Prilly has experience both in front of and behind the scenes in the entertainment media industry. “Yes, they can have a broader view because sometimes theories and facts on the ground can be different,” said Prilly, in line with the impression given by Jacgua.
Using the case study method, Prilly felt that the students were much more active than in the previous meeting. “We also discussed a case that occurred in the creative and film industries. Today’s class is more interactive and you can get more insights,” she added.
Even though this meeting was the last meeting in this semester’s course, Prilly admitted that she was very open to teaching opportunities anywhere. “I am very happy if my views and material can be useful for students,” said Prilly expressing her enthusiasm for teaching. After two hours of filling in the Celebrity Studies course, the class ended with a group photo documentation with the students and supporting lecturers.