Media and Social Responsibility

Abstract

The relationship between media and man is very old, or rather the relationship between media and society is as old as the old society. Over time, new dimensions were added to the media. In the pre-independence era in India, media was used as a weapon of social change. Great writers such as Rajaram Mohan Roy, Jugalkishore Shukla, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Raja Shiv Prasad Starshand, Nikhil Chakraborty, Munshi Premchand and Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay made the journals an important weapon of public awakening whose aim was to remove the discrepancies prevailing in the society. In its early days, journalism was born as a mission in our country. The purpose of which was to make social consciousness more aware. But after 1857, the media became an instrument to raise the voice of nationalist revolution rather than just being reformist.
Similarly, after independence, public service broadcasters like All India Radio and Doordarshan had taken up the responsibility of providing information and entertainment and educational programs to the nation in mass communication. Gradually, the size and type of media increased and its importance increased to such an extent that it was considered as the fourth pillar of democracy. Later, while basic changes came in the social, political and economic structure of the country, there was also a big change in the tone and content of the media. It assumed the form of a disguised industry. Due to which all the goodness of industries along with its distortions also started appearing in the media.
Media and society are interrelated and the role of media is considered very important in building a better society. On the one hand, in the changing circumstances, where there have been changes in the society, the change in the working style of the media is also natural. The cooperation of the media in maintaining social fabric cannot be denied. On many occasions it has reiterated its social commitment by discharging its responsibilities. But its business character has also raised its credibility. The industrial houses that run the media institutions of the country and the world also have their own ambitions. They will not or are not misusing the media to fulfill this ambition. It is not difficult to say.