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Media in poverty alleviation - how effective?
Much of what we are discussing today is based on information disseminated through media. So, we are familiar with the medias role in setting off deliberations such as this one. How far they succeed in alleviating poverty is another matter.
Many slogans have been heard about poverty alleviation. The most popular was Garibi Hatao (Eradicate poverty) in the seventies. This slogan was lapped up by the national media and improved the electoral prospects of the Congress at that point of time. But, how far it succeeded in alleviating poverty is for all of us to see. Now the latest slogan from a business tycoon is Amiri Badhao (increase affluence). It is being projected as a positive take on the older slogan. Poverty alleviation is apparently being seen as a side effect of growing affluence. But the growing gap between the rich and poor tells another tale.
The number of farmers committing suicide due to unbearable debts is on the rise. The number of jobless youths in the villages is galloping.
In the past 57 years of our democracy we have tried socialism and we have through successive legislations given a free play to market forces in the name of globalization. But we have failed to check the rising number of the poor. Most state governments continue to draw huge amount of money to sustain their efforts to help people below poverty line. The central and state governments regularly churn out statistics to suggest that a large population is being redeemed from poverty. One cannot deny the progress in lifestyle. But, the results are nowhere near the target nor do they match the efforts and money spent.
The UNICEF recently released its report on the state of worlds children. It candidly admits that the progress has been terribly slow.
The projections on child mortality warn us that out of 5.5 million children under the age of five years whose lives are targeted to be saved by 2015 up to 3.8 million may not survive. This is a global projection that includes figures from sub- Saharan Africa. India has made a marked progress on this indicator.
Then 300 million children were targeted to have access to improved sanitation by 2015. But, 130 million may be still be missing out
Improved water resources would be available to 70 million out of he hundred million children targeted by the UN.
And 10 million of the targeted 60 million children will remain uncovered under the nutritional food programme.
Very negative picture. But its a reflection of our half-hearted efforts in poverty alleviation. I have generally remained skeptical of statistics. The ones I have presented from the UNICEF report are just to substantiate an argument Figures for India on all these indicators is improving over the years
Now, the issue is how earnest is the media in initiating or sustaining the debate. How successful it is in catalyzing our progress towards an egalitarian nation? Are we moving in the right direction to bridle poverty? A wrong remedy for any length of time is unlikely to help.
The newspapers or for that matter even the electronic media are run on commercial considerations. Todays managers would like us to believe that good journalism is not always a good business.
The changing economic scenario has turned the traditionally thrifty Indian into a big spender. The newspapers and news channels are targeting the upwardly mobile middle class. A major section of this class wants to look away from poverty. To identify with its aspirations the newspapers have to present a rosy picture of the happenings. Depiction of poverty is left for the seminars to discuss.
Newspapers or news channels have to sustain their economy through advertisement revenue. And this in turn comes from the people who promise moon. In fact the media deals in two sets of truth, one, as presented by the journalist and the other by the advertiser. You would find media changing its priorities ----- entertainment comes ahead of information now. But please do not blame the media alone for this. We have seen some newspapers that have made sincere efforts to deal with issues on social importance losing circulation to glamour peddlers. The people who wish to be bracketed among the elite would not like to pay even a $ 2 a month for a decent newspaper.
This is a transition phase. Most developing nations go through it. With the advent of the 24-hour news channels the newspapers have had to evolve strategies to sustain their circulation figures.
The television channels also package news with an eye on TRP ratings. No wonder then if each channel has a long time slot reserved for crime-based programme with which to keep the audience hooked. Audience pressure is building up against dumbing down and thats a healthy sign.
With its geographical and social diversity India provides a tough test to democracy at the grassroots. The caste and communal divide makes difficult for the administrators to carry out welfare efforts at the capillary level. We should not expect a few constitutional amendments to succeed where social reforms are making a tardy progress.
But two major laws enacted during recent times should remove major hurdles in poverty alleviation. I am referring to laws empowerment of the weaker sections through the Panchayati Raj Institutions and right to information act. The media and conscientious citizens can bring about a dramatic change in the situation. I should like to conclude on this optimistic note.
Note: This paper was presented in the Poverty and Livelihoods workshop organized under the umbrella of the 5th Annual Regional Meeting of OneWorld South Asia in Agra, India from Jan. 23-24, 2006.
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