The very title sounds another utopian thought. These are days of media created images, news and information. Most of our thoughts and behaviour are influenced by media presentations. The media reach is now right inside our bed rooms and people are glued to media to scan or see their favourite stories, programmes and news channels. In a way life sans media is unimaginable now. Similar is the case with media too who has no existence without its clientele (readers, viewers, users etc.) Media derives power from its consumers. The economic viability of media is also dependent of its consumers .The situation therefore is beyond simple information technology.
The entire worldly knowledge has been now clubbed into a capsule with the help of information technology. Transmission of knowledge and its practice with the help of I.T. is fast gaining momentum in all fields of activities. Traditional living styles, relations, values, objectives , faith and orientation are now a forgotten past. This metamorphosis is reflected in all our walks of life like politics, governance, production, human behaviour, attitudes, market, sales promotion, management who have empowered themselves by using media in serving their interests. Similarly media has also empowered itself with the cooperation of these important organs of the society and became influential, powerful and impacting.
The new posture of present day media is no more an information window alone but is an instrument of social change. However sadly through this knowledge meaningful public opinion or mass perception is seemingly not generated though ironically propaganda-induced unpredictable mass behaviour is manifested. Head-lines like a student killing another student ;indictment of peoples representatives (MPs, MLAs) for their ignominous greed; Nithari baby killing spree; doctors deceitful act of removing vital organs of the body; sexual exploitation of trainee lady teachers and lately the terrorist strikes are a daily routine content of media. In one sense media is a party to the fast decaying human values in the society.
It was expected of the media to have played such a dominant role in the prevention of this decay in the human values as they had played an inspiring role during freedom struggle; Tsunami destruction in Orissa and Tamil Nadu; Gujarat's earth-quake etc. It is possible even now if media accords top priority to the restoration of the human values in the selection and publication/transmission of content. Media thus empowered through these values can definitely assume the role of an inspirer and guide for a positive transformation of the society.
Keeping this in view the Media wing of the Rajyog Education and Research Foundation, in the Prajapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya has selected the subject 'Media's empowerment through values' for a national level brainstorming discussion at Mount Abu in Rajasthan. A four-day national conference is being held at the Gyan Sarovar Academy for this purpose between May 22 and 26, 2008.
Senior media practitioners from print, electronic and cyber media, media academics and media intellectuals and other distinguished persons are participating and will be sharing their views on the theme. It is hoped that the thoughtful deliberations in this conference would definitely come up with such conclusions and action points which would enable draft a more powerful and effective role for the media in the building of a positive society.
Krishna Chander Mouli
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