Media and Social Responsibility

Media and Social Responsibility
Prof.Satya Sidhartha Panda .
Bangalore -INDIA

“Media should the Watch Dog of democracy in the Society”.

In every walk of life, each one of us contributes in our own way to the building of our dear Bharta .What is the Bharta that we all wish to build?
A Bharat that is just and humane.
A Bahrat that treats all its citizens as equals.
A Bharat that is prosperous.
A Bharat in which every person is Literature and healthy.
A Bharat that is good Society.
A Bahrat in which everyone who seeks work is able to find it, and works for a brighter future for all of us.


“The hands that serve are holier than the Lips that Pray”
Introduction:-
The ability to know people is the starting point to deal with them and communication skill plays an important role in this ability .Most of the strained and fractured relations can be traced to the mutual breakdown of communication between individuals in a family, group, community, countries and even among the comity of nations .It is our duty and responsibility to do the welfare of the society and nation.
When we discuss about “responsibility” .Duty comes into mind .What is duty and responsibility?
The first word of the Bhagavad Gita is “DHARMA”. The last word of the Gita is “MAMA”. Hence the essence of Gita is “Mama Dharma”-My Duty .Where duty and responsibility turns into desire and desire turns into delight.

Mass Media:-
The mass media, the vehicles of mass communication, are many. The prominent ones which have become household names as News Papers ,Magazines ,Books ,Radio ,Film ,Television and more recently ,Satellite T.V. and Cable T.V.
Mass media is broadly divided into …
1. Print Media
2. Electronic Media

While the print media are the oldest, having a history of about five hundred years, the electronic media are products of the 20th century technological revolution. All media are expensive and need huge organizations to collect ,process ,formulate and disseminate information , views, entertainment and advertising to enormous, scattered ,heterogeneous, audiences simultaneously.
The mass media have assumed a significant place in our life. Individually or collectively they serve the needs of various audiences who have specific preferences. Some audiences want entertainment, films, Plays, serials, dance, and music etc.Others may have greater interest in news and views. Yet others seek guidance to solve their Socio-economic problems. Each medium is powerful in its own right in serving people and each has gone through several stages of development due to pressure and competition from newer communication technology.
The Print Media:-
Print media is a powerful means of dissemination of news, comments and knowledge, cater only to audiences that are literate .There are about 30,000 news papers and other printed matter produced and consumed in major metropolitan and big cities in the country but barely a small fraction of it reaches the rural masses .
The Television:-
The television network has increased tremendously in the last one decade covering 78% of the population. But T.V. receiving sets are mostly available in urban homes and TV is out of reach of the majority of the rural masses. Only the rich in a village have access to it. More recently satellite and cable television has stormed the urban Indian homes. It has broken nation-state boundaries and opened the sky for television.
The Radio:-
Radio is one of the significant media of mass communication. Government owned, All India Radio (AIR) has now the largest broadcasting network in the world. It is estimated that over 80 % of radio sets are in the hands of people living in urban areas who constitute only about 20 % of the country`s population.Inspite of the imbalance, radio is the only medium which is said to be truly a mass medium in India because it is a lowcost mobile means of communication.The portable radio, infact, is the poor man`s companion and hence has extended its reach widely.
Film:-
Film has a major medium of popular entertainment .About 800 films are produced in India annually .Many of these are in Hindi and are very popular with the masses. A large number of films are produced regionally also, particularly in the south, and their reach is wide. This may be so because regional films can better present the social reality and cultural ethos of the people in a defined region in the local language.

In the light of the limited reach of mass media and peoples restricted access to traditional media like folk songs, folk dance, folk theatre etc. are the real channels of information and entertainment in rural India .Their reach is wide because they are less expensive, more accessible, closer to the heart of the people, participatory in nature, and hence communicate more effectively than print or electronic media.
Media and Society:-
Mass media today are inextricable form of modern Society.Without these media ,Society probably can not conduct its affairs effectively .On their part ,mass media ,in a bid to serve the people ,pay a significant role in spreading new ideas,new forms of behaviour and information about a variety of products .
Mass media perform many functions in society .The ,ost important ones of these are information, education, motivation, persuasion, entertainment, cultural promotion and integration.Harold defines these functions as surveillance of the environment ,correlation of the components of society in responding to the environment and transmission of social heritage .
Mass media not only inform the members of society about the threats and dangers and opportunities but also provide forums where debates and discussion on relevant issues can give direction for change in society .
Another function of mass media in modern society is to provide entertainment .They are a source of personal and collective recreation and enjoyment .News papers,radio,TV,and other media help in promotion of cultural heritage and play an important role in integrating people ,community and society for harmonious living.Mass media use subtle means and persuasive techniques to mould opinion and induce changes.
The question of media effect on society has been dealt with in several studies and writings but not one of them provides a clear-cut-view of media effects.
The information function of mass media has assumed a significant dimension at present .Society can not suvive today without being informed about international and local events,about political,economic,social and cultural affairs or even about weather conditions.People need varied information on practically all aspects of their lives inorder to plan for the future.But the very nature of mass media being persuasive ,it may result in the media transcending ethical codes within which they are expected to operate and they may become biased,manipulative and proopagandist .The power of the media to control or manipulate has triggered off thinking on the possibility of their sinister effects vis-a-vis society .
Media and Social Responsibility:-
The “Social Responsibility” theory owes its origin to the commission on freedom of the press (Hutchins 1947) that was appointed in the United States.
The social responsibility theory is based on the assumption that media serve essential functions in society .Therefore; it should accept and fulfill certain obligations to the society. These obligations are to be met by setting up high professional standards in communication of information. Truth, accuracy, objectivity and balance .In the public interest, the media should underplay that news which might lead to crime, violence and social tension or cause offence to ethnic or religious minorities.
The media should be pluralist, should reflect the diversity of their society and allow access to various points of view, including the right to reply.

Some leading news paper have started many interactive columns which provide readers a platform to express their views and opinions on given topics-university life, problems related to the society ,youth, environment ,powersupply,education and druge abuse ,etc..
Almost all newspapers, big or small, have also started advisor columns, where readers seek answers to questions they would not normally ask even their parents and friends-matters relating to relationships and health. Some others have gone to the extent of direct interaction with their readers by holding meetings with residents of particular colonies in various cities to hear their problems. After all it is the duty of the media to take up people`s cause.
Rapid growth of the media, including the electronic media, in the country has made media as an instrument of social change in the country.

In India, Projects like e-Choupal by ITC and Video SEWA, which make use of the folk ores to achieve the goal of women empowerment ,are playing an important role in social development and many feel that mass media in India has emerged as a strong Instrument of Social change.

ü Social attitude are developed over the years on the basis of the perceptions which develop in the human minds as a result of the day working .Continuous exposure of the people living in the rural areas to the mass media in the developing countries like India enables the people to realize change in their attitudes rather quickly. To this extent the mass media, particularly the electronic media, having massive coverage and impact, has become an effective instrument of social change.

ü Media supplements the efforts of the state in creating socio-economic awareness in the society .This type of media also exposes the rural population to the best social practices being followed all over the world ,as well as the change taking place in various traditional societies.

ü Growth of mass media in the recent years has effectively used the glorious past of the country to highlight rich social traditions in Indian Society including the high social position enjoyed by the women in ancient times and the position attained by the country in the world in respect of its scientific, religious and social achievements, motivating the people of revert to the good old socio-economic practices.

ü Mass media in recent years has caught the imagination of the masses ,as it not only provides information but also provides them with good entertainment and knowledge which keeps their interest intact in the messages being disseminated by it from time to time ,it turn ,results in the desired social change .

ü Theatre as a Social mirror .As a social values change over a period of time ,so do the parameters of literary art.Theatre,today,represents the most potential vibration and vehicle of social realities that affect human angst and aspirations , fears and frustrations . Many young people are coming up with novel ideas.Theatre, as we all know, is a place, where the dramatic action takes place and the script writer tries to reach out to his audience by raising certain Socio-economic issues.

It is the responsibility of media to develop social marketing. Keeping in view, the bottlenecks of micro-level approach of development; the role of print, electronic and traditional media was recognized to spread such message simultaneously to different sectors .Messages given by media not only spread easily but understood and given importance as well .just on the line of marketing, need a trained professionals was felt in this field too in order to get such things done in a professional manner.
Raja Ram Mohan Ray was a Social and religious reformer .He had a passion for truth .His conception of the freedom of the press was freedom to pursue the truth and the evolve a way of life proved by the test of reason. His simple representation in the freedom of the press and the duty of the ruler to preserve it at all cost and at all times. His Bengali weekly “Sambad Kalmudi” suffered temporary extinction when its editor left in the protest against Ram Mohan Ray`s reforms to abolish “Sati Pratha” .He was also a champion of female education.
His writings are “Braham cal Magazine” published in English.”Sambad Kaumudi” in Bengali and “Mirat-ul-Akhbar” in Persian propagated truth and tested it in the light of discussion.



Mahatma Gandhi:-
In his auto biography Gandhi defined the objectives of Journalism as follows.
“One of the objectives of newspapers is to understand the popular feeling and give expression to it, another is to arouse among the people certain desirable sentiments and the third is fearlessly to expose popular defects.”
In his “Young India” (2nd July, 1925), he explained –“References to abuses in the states in undoubtedly” a necessary part of journalism and it is a means of creating the value to Truth and Human values.
Mahatma Gandhi`s work in the Guajarati Language can be classified under these heads.


ü The articles in “Nava Jeevana”
ü At Makatha, his autobiography.
ü Dakshina Africana Satyagrahana Itihasa.
ü Arogya Visa Samanya Gyana.
ü Patro (Letters )
Gandhi always said “It is better not to issue newspapers than to issue them under a feeling of suppression.”
ü News papers
ü Magazines
ü Books
ü Film
ü Theatre
ü Television
ü Satellite TV
ü Cable TV
ü Internet
Tradition media can also change the society. Through Kirtan, Local dance where there is no reach of electricity or where literacy levee is low; in such area tradition media can play a vital role in the society.
News Paper:
ü The times of India.
ü The Indian Express
ü The Hindu
ü The economic Times




Regional News Paper:
1. Orissa:
ü The Samaj
ü Dharitri
ü Prazatantra
ü Rastra Dip
ü Sambad
2. Karnataka:
ü Bangalore mirror
3. Utter Pradesh:
ü Amar Ujala
ü Dainik Jagran
ü Delhi Times
Magazines:
ü Business world
ü Women`s era
ü Kurukshetra
ü Indian Management
ü Competition master
ü Competition Success
Books:
ü You can Win
ü Wings of Fair
ü The discovery of India
ü Triumph and Tragedy
ü The Gita

Film:
ü Mother India
ü The Guru
ü Lakshya
ü The Bhagbaan etc...
Internet:
ü Religion News service: News and photo service to unbiased coverage of religion and ethics.
ü Reason online covers Poitics, culture and ideas through a provocative mix of news, analysis commentary and reviews.
ü Media Gurdian-The UK`s most popular newspaper website.
ü Arabic News.com-News, articles and entertainment.
ü BBC World news –Updated every minute of every day.
ü Women`s News -Bridging the gender gap every day.
ü India timesjob.com
ü Placement india.com
ü Matrimonials.com
ü Naukri.com
Tradition Media:

Ranapa Dance (Ganjam) Dalkhai Dance (Kalahandi)




So, Media is known as the watch dog of the society. Media should inform if the coroptain, Unjustice, will occour.It is his duty and responsibility towards the society.
After all it is the duty of the media to take up People`s Cause.


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