ROLE OF MEDIA IN CREATING AND REINFORCING SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
What is Social Integration?
Media is one of the most influence platform now a days. Everyone is influenced by the media. Media plays a very vital role in shaping the society whether it’s good or bad but the impact is definitely there. It has both the negative and positive impacts on society depending on the content it is producing. It influences and changes society. So before starting to discuss the effect of social integration cause by media we must understand what is social integration? Social integration is the process during which newcomers or minorities are incorporated into the social structure of the host society. Bringing together various ethnic groups irrespective of language, Caste, Creed, etc., without losing one's identity. In a broader view, social integration is a dynamic and structured process in which all members participate in dialogue to achieve and maintain peaceful social relations.
Media is very much responsible for creating and reinforcing social integration and social development of society. If we talk about social media than it is a platform for people all over the world to communicate without any discrimination on the basis of religion, color, cast and creed. It creates social integration through their content too. As Pakistan has different cultures civilizations and people of different think tanks and linguistic appeals, the collaboration of all the diverse nations under one flag as a single nation is known as national or social integration. A country, if it is to survive, must have national unity, cohesion and integration. Social integration is a process of achieving national cohesion, stability, prosperity, strength and feelings of being united as a nation. So we have understood that social integration is very much important for a country to lead to the prosperity. Now what role media is playing in reinforcing the social integration in our society? Media is considered as a forth pillar of any society. Media has a really strong influence on every single unit of society, people of all classes living in a society has impact of media and they use some sort of media whether It can be print media ,broad cast media or social media. A great deal of media attention is focused on the seemingly major differences that divide people and nations by showing content against each other’s. These differences can be overcome by paying a little attention to them and working on it. Social integration is a very sensitive issue for a nation like Pakistan as we are a third world country and facing many extremism issues on the bases of religion and cultural diversities. Media unfortunately is not as much literate as it should be. Our media houses are totally focused on how to earn better TRP’s and generate bigger revenue. Social values are not in agenda of media to permute. Social integration’s enforcement via media is at a very rear amount. A serious global discourse must be taken to explore the use of existing technologies and media platforms to faster hope and promote social integration and social development in Pakistan. Media can create content for awareness of people about integration but unfortunately its unseen. National exploitation in societies of Sindh and Balochistan is on peak, media only get a news and publish it to the nation not telling full story or making any content about how to end these problems.
A most important beginning will be to eliminate stereotyping based on religion, culture, gender, race, class, nationality, ethnicity from media programming and producing that sort of effective content. Then by focusing on constructive and cooperative undertakings, the media could demonstrate capacity to work together and meet the various challenges if will face.
But unfortunately not a media person nor a media house even think about how much we are affected because the lack of integration. Media even elaborate and present different cultures and different people in negative opinion towards other , As we can notice Pathans are shown by media as extremists and terrorist in many content, Sindhi are shown as diverse and ugly. This should be controlled and media have to work in a positive way towards Social integration other wise we will be facing some more worst time.
What is Social Development?
Social development is about improving the well-being of every individual in society so they can reach their full potential. The success of society is linked to the well-being of each and every citizen. Social development means investing in people. It requires the removal of barriers so that all citizens can journey toward their dreams with confidence and dignity. It is about refusing to accept that people who live in poverty will always be poor. It is about helping people so they can move forward on their path to self-sufficiency.
Media is the sword arm of democracy. Media acts as watchdog to protect public interest against malpractice and create public awareness. Today when politicians are taking full advantage of their positions, an evil nexus of mafia and crime syndicate is making the life of the common man miserable, taxpayer’s money is siphoned out for the personal gain of the influential and ordinary people are a mere spectator-media has a grater responsibility As the fourth pillar of democracy along with judiciary, executive and legislature, media of today has an all embracing role to act against the injustice, oppression, misdeeds and partiality of our society.
If people are educated by media about every aspect and problem of society . the society automatically get developed when people found better mind maping to solve any issue. Media has this power that it can entertain ,infotain ,educate ,guide and give ways to public to perform good as a part of society. So the social development will not remain difficult to do. The media has played a major role in positive developments like the fight against racism, gender bias, poverty, and spreading awareness about the need for a peaceful world.
However, with its many positive aspects, the negative role of media seems to be rapidly increasing. In its fight for higher ratings media’s, media seems to have forgotten its true role. Glamour has taken over substance. They cross all limits and its difficult to see TV programs with family. Simplicity is diminishing due to more materialism. Generation gap is increasing. Our religious and cultural values are being corrupted due to over excessive coverage of the foreign content on our national media.
Conversely, Pakistani media has a much bigger responsibility than any other media in the world. It has to work and educate the masses about the importance of religious harmony and the concept of coexistence. It has to inculcate the importance of pluralism in the minds of the people. Media could easily achieve this goal and bring this social change provided that it directs its full attention towards this issue.
