'Pivotal role for media in reforming social attitudes'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 29. Two successive editorials in the New York Times on any issue concerning the people of America makes the Government change its policies. But here in India, earth- shattering incidents take place and people suffer but nothing changes. Hardly ever.

The general complacency and insensitivity that grips society and mismatched priorities of the rulers and the ruled are commonly cited as some of the several reasons. But the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr.C.P.Thakur, displays amazing optimism, having ``personally seen'' the power of the pen and influence of the media during the outbreak of kalazar epidemic in Bihar in the 70s.

It is the same confidence which drives him today to exhort the media to place ``population stabilisation'' at the top of its agenda. In his opinion, ``the enormity of the challenge faced from burgeoning population'' can be well understood and explained - if desired - by the media to the people. In order to draw media's attention and sustain its interest in issues of social development, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised a social editors meet here today to underline ``media's pro-active role in correcting and modifying social attitudes.''

Today's meeting was the third in a series of consultative meetings on the National Population Policy (NPP). The earlier two meetings were held earlier this week with members of public health and medical professional organisations and the representatives of civil society and voluntary sector. Though the formulation of the NPP was preceded by a long process of consultation and national debates, the ministry felt it appropriate to ensure its implementation by facilitating mobilisation of all concerned stakeholders.

A medical expert himself, the Health Minister urged the small gathering of media experts to ``assume the role of not only familiarising the people with the major goals of NPP and the steps which need to be taken for reaching these goals but also to watch and monitor the progress.''

``Population explosion is an epidemic and media can help by creating awareness among masses in promotion of healthy lifestyle, prevention, outbreak and eradication of diseases, population pressure in a telling manner,'' he said, appealing for sincere involvement of media personnel in the national task.

``It is not for the Government to combat certain old social values, norms and preferences which often impede the progress in social sector. The media should take up the task of changing both the values and practices influencing social behaviour,'' the Minister stressed, requesting editors to give more space to social sector issues and particularly the NPP in their news and editorial columns.

The media should also not hold itself back from evaluating the Government's performance. Stating that the day's meet was the ``first ever of its kind by his Ministry at the national level'', Dr.Thakur announced his decision to hold periodic meetings of editors and media experts in major States and regions not only to sensitise the pen-pushers towards the subject but also elicit their views on implementation of the NPP. The Minister for State Information and Broadcasting, Mr.Arun Jaitley, who was a special invitee to the conference, also endorsed ``the need for media's resurgent efforts to help achieve the goals of NPP by focussing on the economic virtues of a small family, rights of girl child and health of pregnant women and mothers.''

``Media, undoubtedly, ought to be an active collaborator in population stabilisation programme but it should rather be in the driver's seat,'' he remarked. Mr.Jaitley was optimistic about the ``positive changes'' as well.

``Evolving and changing agenda for development is increasing in the country and so is the education base. People outside the country are looking at a more resurgent India emerging as a major economic potential. But population control programme is the deciding factor of the overall development of the country and growing population is one area of concern which is capable of putting other achievable areas at a naught. The media campaign, therefore, has to be expanded substantially,'' he emphasised. The Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ms.Rita Verma, echoed similar views to state that ``the challenge before the media was to rise above the taste of lowest common denominator and engage in persuasive education of its target groups''. At the end of it all, the media group unanimously agreed that ``economic and political reforms are incomplete without social reforms and hence social sector issues like family welfare merit more focus and space in both print and audio-visual media.'' Only how much of it would be achieved in true terms, remains to be seen.

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