It is told that the media reflects the truth and in doing so it aims at bringing about a degree of sensitivity among the readers towards issues. The traditional media has the process of professional message development; it reinforces individual responsibilities, focuses on shaping public attitudes, gives people some message and takes care of the media for the community. On the other hand, the concept of media advocacy includes collaborative message development, it reinforces social responsibility, focuses on policy and movement building, it gives people a voice and in its last stage it leaves the community with skills.

The Civil Society Groups and the Media share a relationship of mutual distrust due to lack of constant dialogue. In the recent years there have been efforts to build a good relationship between media persons and NGO’s as it is absolutely necessary to bring about a healthy social change. The relationship has to be built through dialogue with the media. In Madhya Pradesh, Vikas Samvad, which is a media advocacy initiative, has initiated a process whereby an positive atmosphere for trustworthy dialogues.   

Whenever we talk about the social change processes we feel that media shall stand by the most marginalized as well as in favour of the larger interests of the Society, but experiences shows that the role within the media itself is changing drastically and moving towards the market-oriented interests. Most of the carrier journalists, while introducing themselves said that they intended to join Media as a sector with two intentions - As a profession, as well as a field where they find space and opportunities to contribute in the social change process. In the present circumstances, they feel suffocated with the existing systems in which they are working. Most of the senior Journalists from well-established newspapers accept that one cannot deny the fact that, like any other field, media also will have to face the transformation phase, where, not only the structure and technology changes but Values and character also change. In the given context, fighting with Globalization, market or any other force may be a very though about decision. It is indeed very sad that the Journalist community itself is getting divided and accepting the targets and definitions of Development designed by the Market.  Here we are not analyzing once again, the fact that the market is dividing the Media Sector so that it can rule the Society.

Various experiences shared in the workshop proves that getting more and more news and articles published is not a very difficult task but education and training of the mainstream journalists is becoming the most required responsibility to be born by the Civil Society Organizations and Advocacy groups. It was also felt that Journalists as well as the media sector has to be updated on data, facts, and figures along with the pro-poor perspective and commitment. There is no active forum in the state, where, media persons can sit and have open discussion on Issues, Films, Books or Challenges in the sector regarding development issues on a regular basis. We come across various efforts being implemented to sensitize the media without understanding the problems, real target and lack of strategies, even in more of media workshops participants do not represent the mainstream media, and largely they are from the NGOs. In this situation it is very difficult to achieve the expected outcomes and results.

Vikas Samvad did not structurised these dialogues by designing various sessions but decided to keep it un-structured so that there are a lot of open ends and space, in terms of sharing, limitations, roles and possibilities.

This is a very important point came out from the discussions between Journalists and Vikas Samvad, that working with the media is a multi-multi dimensional effort. Any one cannot achieve its goal by targeting a particular section of Journalist. We will also have to find the strategies to tackle market pressure on media houses, senior journalists (because they take decision for the available space for news and thoughts), mid-carrier journalists (because they are in the field and are in touch with the issues as well as institutions), district level journalists (because they have their own analysis based on local situation, and more space is available at that point also) and Civil society organizations (because they know the issues and what is needed).

We have a long list of learnings relating to distinctive relationship of mainstream media and Voluntary organizations, but even then in the absence of strategic efforts, gap remained the same. It’s an amazing situation where two sectors, working for the poor and marginalized and development of the state have a big communication gap. And unfortunately this gap is constantly increasing in the absence of constant dialogue. Both the sectors have negative understandings (based on assumptions) towards each other. Usually on the other hand it is denied that the civil society groups will have to communicate in such language, which is understandable to the media, and use less NGO jargons and the other side is that these civil society groups are found using acronyms and terminology, which are only understandable to them. One should understand that we going to media, so theories and practices of media have to be adopted. It is a basic thing to understand that writing for media or production of material for media is an art and skill, and they should learn it and civil society organizations should know that the Journalists by profession are trained to express them salves, not to work as a publicity manager or PRO in any definition.

These groups need to understand that press releases and field visits with the media persons are very important in that they increase their organizations visibility. On the same side this issue should also be taken care of that media should also take the responsibility for ensuring that developmental messages are publicized. It is also not enough, why media should not take the ownership for the Developmental processes, outcomes and results. One should not forget that media is an active player of the society.

Sachin Kumar Jain