Mass Media and Social Development

1. Mass communication and
social development
Dr J Balamurugan

2. Introduction
• Social development is about putting people at the centre of development.
• This means a commitment that development processes need to benefit
people, particularly not only the poor, but also a recognition that people,
and the way they interact in groups and society, and the norms that
facilitates such interaction, shape development processes.
• Social development thus implies the change in social institutions.
• Progress toward an inclusive society, for example, implies that individuals
treat each other (more) fairly in their daily lives, whether in the family,
education, workplace, or in public office etc.

3. Conti..
• Social cohesion is enhanced when peaceful and safe environment within
neighbourhoods and communities are created.
• Social accountability exists to the extent that citizens’ voices are expressed,
and heard by the authorities.
• While the role of formal institutions and policies has become central to the
development debate, the role of informal social institutions has received less
attention.
• Formal institutional reform – for example, the provision of legally enshrined
rights, better law enforcement, or more participatory governance – are part
of the process by which institutional change is achieved, changing the way
people relate to people is an equally important part of this.

4. Indices of Social Development
• Civic activism refers to the social norms, organisations, and practices which facilitate greater citizen
involvement in public policies and decisions. These include use of media, access to civic associations,
and involvement in activities such as nonviolent demonstration or petition.
• Clubs and associations uses data on levels of engagement in local community groups, time spent
socialising in voluntary associations, and membership of developmental organisations, to identify the
extent to which people are part of social networks and potentially supported by community ties.
• Inter-group cohesion refers to relations of cooperation and respect between groups in a society; where
this cooperation breaks down, there is the potential for conflict and acts of terror and riots.
• Interpersonal safety and trust measures the level of trust and confidence between individuals that do
not know each other personally, specifically with regard to the likelihood of criminal violence and other
forms of trust violation, and combines this with measures of rates of violence.
• Gender equality estimates the extent of discrimination against women, whether in the labour market,
education, healthcare, or in the home.

5. Role of Government in social development
• The Government is committed towards overall development of all
sections of society.
• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment works towards
educational development, economic and social empowerment of
needy people.
• This section offers requisite information pertaining to the Central and
State Government Departments and their activities in the social
development sector.
• We can find details of educational institutions, commissions, schemes
and online facilities to avail for various government benefits.

6. Role of Mass Communication in social development
• The mass media must serve essential functions in the society by accepting and
fulfilling certain obligations to the society.
• These obligations are mainly to be met by setting high professional standards of
informativeness, truth, accuracy, objectivity and balance.
• In accepting and applying these obligations the elements of the mass media
should be self-regulating within the framework of law and established institutions.
• Therefore the media avoid whatever might lead to crime, violence or civil disorder
or give offence to any group of people in the society because of their faith or
ethnicity.
• The media as a whole should be pluralistic and reflect the diversity of their society
by giving access to various points of views and to rights of reply.

7. Daughters are precious Female foeticide in India
Break the Silence Child sexual abuse
Marriage or Marketplace? Dowry system in India
Every Life is Precious Medical malpractice
Intolerance to Love Love marriages and Honor killings in India
Persons with disabilities Physical Disabilities
Danger at home Domestic Violence
Poison on our Plate? Pesticide poisoning and Organic farming
Think before you Drink Alcohol abuse
Dignity for All Casteism and Untouchability
Sunset Years, Sunshine Life - Old age
Every Drop Counts Water crisis and Rainwater harvesting
Idea of India We The People
Satyamev Jayate Ka Safar Independence Day Special
Season One

8. • Fighting Rape Rape in India
• Police State of Police Affairs in India
• Don't Waste your Garbage Solid Waste Management
• Kings Every Day Corruption
• Criminalisation of Politics Crimes and Elections
• A Ball Can Change The World Changing Lives with Sports
• Road Accidents or Murders? Road accidents
• Accepting Alternative Sexualities LGBT community
• TB - The Ticking Time Bomb Tuberculosis
• Nurturing Mental Health Mental Health
• When Masculinity harms Men Masculinity in Society
Season two and three

11. Functions of Mass Media in social development
1. Surveiance of the environment. This is the collection and distribution of
information within and outside a particular environment. The information
flow is necessary for unity and coherence if we live in the society of
collectivity;
2. Correlation of parts of the society. This includes the interpretation of the
information, the prescription of conduct and, the comment on social value;
3. Transmission of social heritage. By communicating information through
the mass media we are transmitting social and cultural values, which aim at
sustaining the society;

12. Functions of the Mass Media
4. Educating the masses. Education on the policies of governments and on
the rights and responsibilities could be carried out through the mass media.
5. Entertainment function. The mass media also entertain the public by
providing emotional relaxation, intrinsic and cultural enjoyment (i.e.
provision of momentary escape from problems) and killing boredom.
6. Mobilization function. This function of the mass media is very important
to developing communities everywhere. It seeks to bring the people
together and helps to advance national development.

13. Social Responsibility of Mass Media
• Mass Media Contributes to Socialization
• Level of Awareness
• Fair Mass Media
• Media ought to work for Culture
• Condemn Criminal Activities
• Helps in Educational Efforts
• Give Voice to Low level
• Give the solution of issue
• Development of Public Opinion
• Development Efforts of State
• Supports to Public Issues / Affairs
• Supports Democracy

14. Social Responsibility of Mass Media
1 Mass Media Contributes to Socialization;
• Mass media should contributes to socialization, including gender
socialization, as when movies completely teach young people that it is
wrong for females to have many sexual partners .
2 Level of Awareness.
• It is the reasonability of mass media to increase the level of awareness.
Media should contribute in increasing the general knowledge, who is who
and what is what and knowledge of current issues etc. The programmers
having media discussions, current affairs, documentaries, etc have been
instrumental in enhancing the common man’s awareness.
3 Fair Mass Media.
• Mass media should be fair with everyone .There should be no favourism.
Mass media should have to support everyone with equal rights .

15. Social Responsibility of Mass Media
4 Media ought to work for Culture.
• Mass Media should have to work for culture. It is the responsibility of
media to support cultural programs. Media should not play the
activities which are against the culture.
5 Condemn Criminal Activities;
• Mass media should condemn criminal activities. Media should have
to make aids of punishment of crime can reduce the crime.
6 Helps in Educational Efforts;
• It is the responsibility of Mass Media to promote educational
activities.

16. Social Responsibility of Mass Media
7 Give Voice to Low level;
• Media should give the voice to neglected element of society. It is the
responsibility of Mass Media to raise the problems and issue of poor before the
high class people.
8 Give the solution of issue;
• Media has to do something for the solution of issues by presenting the opinion of
experts.
9 Development of Public Opinion.
• Media discussion / other programmes highlight the issues, hold cross-discussions,
and identify what are reasons of issues. Stances of different segments of society
on key issues should be brought out: it helps to make / develop public opinion on
different issues.

17. Social Responsibility of Mass Media
10 Development Efforts of State.
• Media should have to assist in development efforts of state .Programmers
like “Parah Likha Punjab”, “Coverage of Earthquake”, have contributed in
projecting efforts being made towards state development.
11 Supports to Public Issues / Affairs.
• Media should have to provide viewpoint of the public on public issues.
Media should have to give voice to the public.
12 Supports Democracy.
• Media should have to support democracy by bringing out the democratic
norms. Providing live coverage of parliament proceedings, activities of
politicians, programmes on democracies are few of the examples.

18. Conclusion
• The fact that the mass media play an important role in social development.
• It is therefore incumbent upon our ethnic press (community newspapers
and local FM radio stations) to keep our communities connected to the
past by communicating the stories and traditions.
• And at the same time connect our communities to the present and to the
future by delivering images and news of our people around the world and
forming the foundation and values for our children to continue.
• The many newspapers, radio, and television stations should give our
communities a strong voice that is not always represented in the
mainstream media in the developed countries.

19. Thank you