TV ads take off as social messaging catches eyeballs

New Delhi, July 23 (UNI) Even as the nation's eyeballs were tuned on the high pitched battle on the cricket field, viewers were being beamed subtle social messages on gender-related matters.

Starting with the India-Sri Lanka ODI series 2005, social messages on a host of issues regarding empowering women and the girl child targetting a captive audience of millions of sport lovers have been transmitted along with the cricket score on Doordarshan late last year.

To drive home the message, the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare is utilising programmes such as sporting events to push spots on falling sex ratio, domestic violence and dowry since TRPs during cricket matches on Doordarshan peak among both urban and rural viewers.

In fact, under the proposed new Broadcasting Code, private TV channels too may be asked to devote a portion of their airtime to social messaging, official sources say.

The proposal, which is under active consideration of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, received favourable response when it came up for discussion at the first meeting of a sub-commitee of the Ministry held in June to consider the draft Broadcasting Code.

The committee members were overwhelmingly of the view that the private electronic media because of its wide reach and power to influence the young mind could not shirk its responsibility towards society.

At present, it is up to private channels to carry any social message voluntarily. Representatives of social organisations strongly backed the move saying that any agency that has been licenced by the government to reach the people on such a wide scale could not be left to pursue its own interest.

According to the sources, the new Broadcasting Code is expected to strengthen the reach of social messages to households throughout the country, Among the most visible messages being transmitted on Doordarshan News channel are those on dowry, female foeticide, child labour, educational empowerment of women, and child marriage telecast every five minutes by the Ministry since December 2005.

The Ministry of Women and Child Welfare in an innovative approach has also been targetting those sites having a high rate of turnover such as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Posters have surfaced on display boards of the Delhi Metro panels on the Shahdara-Rithala track and other busy Metro stations.

The socially relevant issues such as eve teasing, domestic violence interspersed with messages on inclusion of green leafy vegetables and seasonal fruits in daily diet, personal hygiene and sanitation on posters are displayed on public utilities at prominent places in Delhi.

The Ministry has devised its multi-media publicity campaign through the electronic media to highlight the issues of gender discrimination and female empowerment. Spots such as "Lalli" (on trafficking), "Human Chain" (women's empowerment), "Mujhe Mat Maro" (female foeticide), "Mera Beta Hai Na" (gender discrimination), "Speak Up" (sexual harassment), and "Mujhe Beti Hi Chahiye" were among the ten spots that were shown on Doordarshan DD-I National Network and even private TV channels.

Simultaneously, a 15-minute duration weekly sponsored radio programme 'Aakash Hamara Hai" which sheds light on the Ministry's policies is being regularly broadcast in hindi and regional languages from Commercial Broadcasting Service Stations of All India Radio (AIR) across the country, including the northeast region.

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