Problem of Journalism’s ‘Poverty of Purpose’

We are now passing through the mid-term-point of the MDGs, a right time to stop for a while and look back to check how far we have reached and how far we still have to go to meet the deadline of 2015. Journalists know the importance of meeting deadlines. Present day journalism is even more sensitive to deadlines than before. But unfortunately, it is also much more insensitive to social agenda and lacks the right purpose for this whole activity called journalism.

Journalism can actually play a crucial role in assessing the progress and present status of implementation MDGs continuously and keep the implementing authorities on their toes. It should highlight the gaps between tall claims and on ground reality for each of the goals by citing case studies as well as with the help of studies conducted and data collected by independent organizations.

Journalism should also reach out to the masses and mobilize them around effective implementation of MDGs by thrusting political will on the political leaders. It should also identify lacunae in implementation and provide effective solutions in achieving targets.

As per the trends exhibited so far, it was expected that the MDG target for poverty reduction would be met as projected. But as per the revised estimates, the global food crisis and resulting rise in food prices will force about 100 million people world over back to poverty and hunger.

Asian scene is no different. Asia region too appeared to be moving rapidly to meet some of the MDGs targets, mainly due to the economic progress made by many Asian giants. But the food crisis has pushed them all back. It now looks like that Asian countries may not achieve all the MDGs targets by 2015. Unfortunately, Media, is least interested in really going deep into the issue and analyses how commercialisation of agriculture as a deliberate policy by many nations, at the cost of food security for the poor, has brought the world to this stage, where poor only are suffering.

The rapid economic growth in many Asian countries, like in India, raised hopes of waging a successful war against poverty. But apart from the food crisis, there is another obstacle in fulfilling these hopes. Rapid strides in economic development have given rise to the problem of even more rapidly growing inequality. The growth in inequality is manifold. The gap in the economic status among various classes is widening at an alarming speed as well equally alarming distance. A recent report in New York Times “Inside Gate, India’s good life; Outside, slums” by Ruth Fremson aptly depicts this current situation in India, which is replicating in many countries.

This rising inequality has led to two further issues. The upper classes do not want to relate with poor and have no sympathy for their issues and problems. Media and journalists too are addressing the interests of only upper class as they are potential buyers in a market. Safeguarding or fulfilling that class’s interest can give media readership or viewership that is required to fetch good advertisements and revenue. The poor, backward and marginalized have no alternative but only to have their own media. But that too is difficult as they may not get the required market ad support as they do not belong to the “consumer class”.

The role of journalism has become more crucial in such a situation. Journalism can create an enabling environment for achieving MDGs by promoting good governance and accountability. Good governance incorporates participation of the people, responsiveness of the authorities, transparency by the governments, equity, rule of law and consensus orientation. Responsible and credible media, if it wishes, can promote all these values.

Media should effectively use ICT4D, which has spread rapidly, to actively campaign for achieving MDGs targets. But to use ICT4Ds, first we will have to concentrate on infrastructure development, that too in rural parts, and to generate funds for the same. On the other hand we should also look for low- cost technologies. On capacity building front, we should train journalists on ICT applications to promote MDG agenda. Training and skill development of journalists should include awareness and attitude change.

As additional efforts media and civil society organisations should form a common platform to have synergy and work together. Lot of information that media collets but does not use, can be shared with civil society organisations (CSOs). Media and CSOs together can create credible data which is essential to measure the progress and success at every stage.

But, the million dollar question is whether media and journalists understand and recognise the responsibility that has descended on their shoulders? Do they have any estimation of its magnitude?

Historically, journalism has been interested in sensations, wars, cyclones, tsunamis, accidents, deaths and destructions. Its taste for such a diet has increased to an alarming level over the years. But journalists should realise that there is enough sensation in MDGs stories also. Non-implementation of MDGs is amounting to 100 jumbo jets crashing every day and a tsunami hitting each week as every year 10 million children die before they reach the age of 5, eight hundred million people suffer from hunger and poverty claims more victims than war does.

Media can play an important role in influencing the policy for MDG implementation. It can demystify the technical policy goals and framework, by presenting it in common, non-technical parlance, and making it accessible to everyone. As all these goals are ultimately aimed at the betterment of the downtrodden they need to be communicated to the stake holders in their language, to incite them to demand their rightful share. This is a challenge for the journalists.

As professionals, journalists should strive hard to ensure that the suppressed voice of the marginalized gets space, which is shrinking rapidly within the media. At the same time journalists should play a role of citizen activists by coming out of their cocoon of inaction which they have masked under the garb of impartiality. Lack of awareness and political commitment is leading to absence of public pressure and political will to turn the MDGs into reality. Journalists should play an important role in building public pressure to ensure political commitment and will.

Journalism can play a historic role in the path towards the achievement of the MDGs. Unfortunately, journalism has not only forgotten its social agenda, but caused by rampant commercialization of media “business”, it has also lost the very purpose for which this very noble profession works. It is a deliberate and conscious replacement of social agenda by commercial agenda. It is showing a poverty of purpose. And how can we expect a profession to help in eradicating poverty when that profession itself is facing poverty of purpose?

(The term “Poverty of Purpose” has been borrowed from an article of well respected Filipino journalist Malou Mangahas)