Assignment Code: MDC-004/ July 22- Jan 2023

Course Code: MDC-004

Assignment Name: Development Journalism for Social Change

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Maximum Marks: 100

Weightage: 30%

Note: Answer all the questions; they carry equal marks. (Answer in 500 Words)

Q1. Explain principles of Good Reporting. Discuss techniques of Good Reporting.

Ans)

Principles of Good Reporting

A journalist can be distinguished from an activist by adhering to the values that underpin good journalism, such as truth, objectivity, accuracy, fairness, and others. A journalist's responsibility is to report the news objectively and without taking sides. A journalist does not participate in the storey; instead, they report on it. These fundamental principles are followed by development reporting.

Truth and Accuracy

Reporting on development concerns needs devotion to truth, just like in any other subject. Cross-checking facts to ensure there are no errors is necessary for accuracy. In the modern era, where digital media frequently engages in the fabrication and transmission of misleading and fake news, fact-checking is more crucial than ever.

Objectivity

In journalism, objectivity refers to presenting all sides of an issue in order to reach a "balanced" conclusion. For instance, opinions from labour, management, government authorities, and independent specialists could all be taken into account in a report about an industrial dispute and labour unrest. The idea of objectivity in journalism is distinct from the social sciences' belief that all inquiry is fundamentally subjective.

Fairness

One-sided reporting is not acceptable. A person or organisation should be given the opportunity to respond or express their opinion if an allegation made them feel that way. All pertinent information should be made public. The principles of ethical journalism are violated by implied or partially disclosed motivations.

Techniques of Good Reporting

The ideas and practises of reporting in other fields are frequently followed in development reporting. A news piece uses the traditional inverted pyramid strategy. The most crucial information is presented first, then the less crucial information. Something has altered, it affects the audience, and it is crucial.

Reporting style

It should be tailored to the audience, taking into account their reading levels, age, gender, cultural background, whether they live in a rural or urban area, and other factors. Jargon should be avoided when developing reports. To further engage the reader or audience, technical terms should be followed by a succinct explanation. The writing should be clear, concise, and uncomplicated. Nowadays, the majority of tales in print and on television are shorter. Compared to print media pieces, online stories sometimes contain more information.

Research-based

Research-based reporting on development is preferred. The majority of the time, development concerns are multifaceted and have numerous implications. These fields require extensive research. Secondary sources for research include written works like books, journals, and reports from non-profit and governmental organisations. Interviews with relevant specialists, officials, and others impacted by the topic in question should be conducted as a follow-up.

Sources

The impact of a narrative is greatly influenced by its sources' reliability. Government representatives, outside specialists, those directly affected by the issue under discussion, and other sources may be cited. The participatory paradigm, which emerged in the 1970s, prioritises communication, debate, and discussion as democratic and participatory procedures.

Time frame

While news stories focus on recently occurring events, development tales frequently need to take processes into account to provide context. These can necessitate background research on the subject at hand. For instance, a narrative on agricultural development in a region should describe how it is happening and who has had a role in it throughout time.

Q2. Write a short essay on Agriculture issues in India.

Ans) The Green and White Revolutions, two distinct agricultural and rural initiatives, which sparked the communication revolution, were studied together with the history of farm reporting in India. It will be beneficial to go into more depth about these activities.

Green Revolution

The bioengineered seeds, commonly referred to as HYV or High Yielding Variety, were the main focus of the green revolution. This works in conjunction with herbicides, chemical fertilisers, and intensive irrigation. Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab were the main locations where the project was carried out. Punjab remained the primary state, nevertheless. The Government of India's Family Planning Program, which was introduced in the early 1960s, made effective use of radio. Information about agricultural technologies was also successfully disseminated using it in the United States of America. This inspired the Indian government to try with All India Radio. In essence, the Green Revolution was a component of a global effort to increase food production. The Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation were the driving forces behind this endeavour. India developed a communication strategy for agriculture in response to the global success storey of communication in the agricultural industry. As a result, seven All India Radio centres formed the Farm and Home Units in 1966.

Krishi Darshan

On January 26, 1966, the television division of AIR debuted a show for farmers called Krishi Darshan. In the beginning, it was introduced as a test project in 80 villages around what was then the Union Territory of Delhi. Distribution of televisions and community viewing were promoted. So, rather than being just an agriculture information programme, Krishi Darshan was more of a community experience. The insights made in this regard by prominent technocrat Kiran Karnik are quite significant. According to him, "[it] had societal consequences because of the 'community set' put in every village, leading to a congregation of viewers that cut beyond caste, class, gender, and age.

SITE

After Krishi Darshan gained enormous popularity, the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) was conceived in the middle of the 1960s. With this, it was demonstrated that the mass media can connect with citizens living in even the most isolated regions of the nation. Under the direction of the then-developing ISRO, NASA, Ford Aerospace, General Electric, Hughes Aircraft, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology worked together on SITE.

KHEDA

The SITE project had its origins in the Kheda project. It was put into practise in Gujarat's Kheda area, where the United Nations Development Program donated low-powered transmitters (UNDP). Space Applications Centre (SAC), a satellite earth station, was established in Ahmedabad. In a 35-kilometer radius, a studio was created in Pij village, and 651 televisions were installed in 400 villages. Operations at Kheda and SITE got underway in July and August of 1975, respectively. Long after SITE was terminated, the Kheda project kept going. It then went on to win the 1984 UNESCO award for outstanding rural communication. The fact that Kheda was the first attempt at user-generated material produced in analogue format gives it its actual significance. However, the Kheda transmitter was dismantled and transferred to Chennai to launch an entertainment channel in 1985 when a more reliable transmitter was installed in Ahmedabad.

Q3. Discuss role of Media Campaigns for Environmental awareness.

Ans) The media have a significant impact on how the public feels about the environment. Given that it touches a sizable portion of India's complex society, the media plays a significant role in raising public awareness of environmental issues. The following list of popular media outlets:

Newspapers and Magazines

Newspapers have always been a valuable resource for news about daily occurrences to read while sipping your morning tea. When they inform farmers on the introduction of organic farming, new agricultural technologies, or sensitise them to the detrimental effects of pesticides, stubble burning, etc., they serve as a source of motivation. Local authorities, governments, industries, and other stakeholders are frequently compelled to change their practises as a result of such exposure and the ensuing public pressure, to strictly enforce laws and regulations, and to halt development projects if their environmental and social costs outweigh benefits (both organisational and societal).

Radio

Radio is a popular and widely accessible mode of communication, and its transmissions almost completely cover the entire country. Notable is the fact that the Ministry of Environment & Forests previously broadcast two weekly environmental programmes on Delhi FM, "Kinare-Kinare" and "Aao Dilli Savaren." Environmental news is rare at the national level and, when it does occur, is often broadcast at the regional level.

Television

According to studies, television promotes a higher retention propensity due to its audio-visual components. As a result, the government is getting more and more interested in giving television environmental programmes prime time slots. At the moment, environmental documentaries tend to draw fewer viewers, perhaps as a result of their academic or esoteric presentation. The Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and Animal Planet are examples of mainstream channels that broadcast only about animals and other endangered species, as well as other ecological topics. The Ministry of Environment & Forest worked with Door darshan to broadcast shows including "Virasat," "Race to Save the Planet," quiz programme "Terraquiz," and "Earth." Additionally, the BBC's "Earth Report" provides fascinating environmental facts. In reality, "The New Adventures of Captain Planet" repeats on Cartoon Network aimed to the younger age group of youngsters. They educated them about environmental dangers like poaching, pollution, and deforestation.

New Media

The world's population uses the Internet as their primary source of information when looking for information about environmental issues, such as climate change, environmentalism, and how to live more sustainably. Nowadays, Internet services are used more frequently to raise environmental consciousness among individuals and to participate in instantaneous public discourse. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and others are the most useful for informed "netizens" to stay up to date on environmental issues because they share news, information, and articles. The Internet has also created areas for the fusion of traditional and modern media, creating a diverse and all-encompassing resource for individuals to learn about environmentalism from their roots. Additionally, the search engine "Ecosia" makes sure that its users spend 100% of its income on planting trees on suggested sites. This is in response to the rise of mobile applications that utilise various tactics to give people a sense of ownership over the world.

Q4. Describe Corporate Social Responsibility for Development.

Ans) CSR is a structure for corporations that ensures that businesses are accountable to society. This addresses the public's perceptions of a corporation from a financial, legal, and unrestricted standpoint. Providing financial, social, and environmental advantages to all stakeholders while maintaining sustainable growth is a sound corporate strategy. It is customary for corporations to embrace their social responsibility and put it into reality through a variety of CSR projects.

Benefits of CSR

1. Incorporated into today's corporate culture is CSR. It is a lot more than just a rule or requirement. It gives life to the so-called living "corporate" organism. A corporation can guarantee its overall growth and good reputation by engaging in CSR. CSR offers several benefits to the company both externally and internally.

2. When it comes to CSR's external advantages, developing community-based initiatives like a park or a sports facility can result in the creation of momentary work possibilities. In places where the plantation is less influenced by certain climatic circumstances or is negatively affected by certain variables, plantations and cultivation programmes are highly valued. The public supports actions like recycling since it benefits the environment and garbage management.

3. Benefits for internal publics like employees are called internal benefits. CSR adds to normal work and gives employees of a firm a sense of purpose while they are performing their usual duties, in addition to luring and keeping the top talent in the market. In addition, CSR promotes corporate sustainability, competitive advantage, and simpler compliance with legal requirements.

Theory of CSR

Stakeholder Theory

One who has an interest in the company is referred to as a stakeholder. The risk is greater when the stakes are high. When it comes to business, at stake simply means at danger. The Stakeholder Theory can be summarised as follows: Those whose lives are impacted by a corporation or business have a right and obligation to take part in its direction. According to several theorists, CSR and stakeholder theory are somewhat similar. It begins from the outside world rather than from the inside. It lists all the communities and people that the business will directly or indirectly impact. This idea discusses who the rightful participants are, their rights, etc. What sort of expectations people can have of a specific company is another factor.

The responsibly for the environment's and the general public's safety. According to the stakeholder hypothesis, however, it begins with the neighbourhood and the people who live close to the hospital. If it is not disposed of properly, medical waste could have a negative impact on them. The neighbourhood near the hospital is entitled to a clean environment. They can therefore demand the correct disposal of medical waste because they are stakeholders for the hospital. They have no claim to the hospital because they are not connected to it directly, if we only look at their relationship to their jobs.

Q5. Discuss role of Community Media for Rural Development

Ans) A range of media geared at community development are included in community media. Community-driven initiatives are combined with alternative media. It supports and aids in the dissemination of knowledge to "conscientize" its members, which encourages them to engage in community development initiatives. Several media technologies that are intended to have a big audience impact were used in the mass media. Television, radio, cinema, and a few other media, such as cameras and video raises, are all examples of broadcast media, sometimes known as electronic media. As an alternative, print media sends information via a physical medium like a newspaper, magazine, brochure, newsletter, book, leaflet, or pamphlet.

Internet media has the potential to become a major mass media outlet. This mass media offers a wide range of services, including email, websites, blogging, and Internet television. Numerous media jobs are now available online as a result. Another form of mass media that links to a website is TV advertisements. The internet's mass media outlets release these programmes, which are beneficial to a variety of peoples' lifestyles. There is enough information on the Internet that can be instantly transmitted to many different parts of the world. Advertising, symbols, posters placed internally or externally on marketable structures and objects, such as factories and workshops, as well as aerial posters, airships, and skywriting, are all examples of outdoor media. With the aid of the media, community language and incident establishing can also be measured.

The development journalist is someone who is diligent enough to go deeper than the polished news releases and briefings issued by wealthy foreign groups and curious enough to locate local sources of expertise. Such a journalist must have the guts to offer indigenous solutions to urgent development issues. Journalists covering development frequently visit remote locations to report on local events. This kind of journalism serves as a weapon for social justice, speaking up for the voiceless, examining a nation's strengths and faults, and, as a result, identifying ways to support the country.

Media is surely a quick, extensive, and effective form of communication. Additionally, it has a significant influence on a nation's political system and social culture in addition to appealing to a sizable audience. Media is a broad category that includes movies, TV shows, journalism (newspapers and news channels), and more. By "Ethics and Media," we typically refer to the journalism ethics that shape society and people's perspectives. starting with a weather forecast and ending with "what is your future?" It informs you of everything and anything. With such an influence, any wrongdoing or reckless behaviour has the potential to not only disrupt but also undermine the foundation upon which we have built such comfortable lifestyles.

Any message transmitted to a big audience by an individual or group of individuals is referred to as mass communication, and any medium used to disseminate information to large audiences is referred to as mass media. Up until recently, the eight major media industries—books, newspapers, magazines, records, radio, movies, television, and the Internet—were considered to be mass media. However, the advent of digital technology has broadened the definition of mass media.