Role of Media in Consumer protection
Role of Media in Consumer protection
Role of Media in Consumer protection
1. Introduction:
The press in India has always shown its solidarity with the socio economic problems of this country. There are no two opinions about the significant contribution that press, journalists, and the media people have done good work in bringing to light the major issues of social concern. The press in India has always been responsive in performing its duties so that those who are involved in the matters of policy making can give justice to their duties. There is no dearth example as to how the press has played a major role in unearthing certain scandals where people in the corridors of power were involved. It is not a singular matter for Indian media to take up issues, where a collective action, legislation, and policy decisions was an urgent need. Various legislations, administrative actions and even mass participations from different sections of society with divergent interest were possible only because of initiative and lead taken by media people. May it be a problem of national integration, social unity, and economic injustice, upliftment of down-trodden or educational and economic advancement.
Earlier the readership was the only criteria to assess the affectivity of media, as it was only print media that was its mark. The development of movies brought a big change. People now could see and listen what the communicator wanted to say? Literacy was no more a criteria to establish a link with audience and viewers. Multiplicities of communication media have brought a sea change in the psychology of people. People became more awakened, well-informed and cautious. They could know different views of the same problem; they could perceive, understand and analyze a situation well. Further advancement of media and mass literacy has also changed the composition of our society. Now, people are becoming conscious and logical thinking and rational bent of mind. The role of media has also broadened. It has undertaken many ventures, along with entertainment, education and enhancement of social structure. Thus, the new media is a mirror of modern society expressing its needs, aspirations, expectations and failures.
2. Objectives of the study:
To evaluate the response of media towards consumers' cause.
To find out whether media has considered consumer exploitation as a serious socio-economic evil.
To know, as to what kind of awakening is created by media towards social-evil of consumer exploitation.
To understand how media has come forward to create awareness about consumer protection and all such legislations.
To find out, whether media has offered a proper dias to the consumer to put forward their views.
3. Media and Consumers problems:
As a general rule, the problem of society, a social group or in some cases, the problems of individual are well expressed by no one else but media. Our civilization is characterized by impact of media on its structure, value system and outlook. Many socioeconomic problems, education of masses and social awakening can best be done by media. Media presently deals with problems of current importance. Where investigative journalism, reporting of pertinent and important facts and high lightening those events which otherwise cannot be noticed occupies prime position. Due to advent of T.V a large section of society is now influenced by media activities to a great extent. It has become a silent opinion maker and hence it is working on a larger plane than any other institution. In the current past, media has undertaken the job of consumer education and fighting against exploitation of consumers.
4. Suggestions for the major Media features to be considered.
Following are the major features of media that should be considered from the view point of promotion of consumer education.
1) Media works more effectively than any other institution to form rational and appropriate opinions. It can change an existing belief, can confirm existing view point, support a particular preposition or condemn an ideology. The good olden days are gone where individuals matter more than formation of opinion due to availability of multiple media.
2) Media is a dias where all can come together, express their views whether similar or divergent and still need not be the follower of particular ideology or school of thoughts. Media permits diversity of opinion and at the same time it can continue its functioning on one particular ideology. Grievances of different parties, dimensions of different problems, arguments, counter arguments on the particular issue can rightly be reflected by media alone.
3) People often call press as a fourth column of democracy. The position can be extended to all forms of media because only print media is not influencing opinion of public, on the contrary electronic media, in terms of its coverage is more exhaustive and effective.
Considering these aspects, problems of consumers can rightly be expressed by media, whatever may be the form. In explaining consumers' problems, atrocities against consumers, educating consumers and making them aware of their problems. Earlier it was presumed by a good citizen as an essential aspect of sound democracy. Today it is rightly said that a good consumer makes a good citizen and ultimately a good democrat. Promoting awareness by spreading information is the primary task that media can perform towards development of consumerism. Information is the asset. Exploitation of consumer is due to absence of this vital role by providing right information at right time to consumers. Ignorance regarding prices and price-behavior changes market structure and fluctuations in economy is not understood by ordinary consumers and hence they fall prey to exploitation and malpractices.
Exploitation of consumers is done in various forms. Improper advertisements, exaggeration of claims and misstatements are the ways to exploit consumers. Media can raise these issues and resist against the unscrupulous practices of marketers. Public utility services, hospitals, transports and communication are the areas where consumers have their grievances in great magnitude. But the nature of services is that a consumer finds useless to fight against complaints or authorities. Such malpractices can rightly be brought to light by media.
5.How Media Promotes Consumer Movement?
Presently people have faith in the press more than any other institution. The impartial, truthful and bold militant press has protected interest of consumers in many cases. People prefer to believe in the reports published in press than official proclamation of government. The issues of public interest as handled by press have no parallel. This is more so in case of matters of consumers interest. The poor fate of affairs in service sector, the low quality products, adulterates food grains, rampant corruption; bureaucratic tendencies of Government officials, nepotism in high places, black marketing, smuggling and artificial scarcity of goods are carefully highlighted by media alone. Because of this, media is accepted as champion of public cause.
Following are the different activities that different media have undertaken to promote consumer consciousness. The electronic media have started campaigning for consumer education by regular social communication by regular social communication starting constitutional rights of consumers as well as when and how they should use it. The regular advertisements regarding how a consumer should launch his complaint and with whom this should be launched are very useful.
Press: Press is playing a dominant role in promotion of consumer movement in this country. Different ways and means have been adopted by this fourth estate to protect consumers. Publication of weekly column on consumer issues has now become an established practice. This column deals with the problems, rights and duties of consumers and how the consumers can effectively exercise their rights. Some newspapers publish leading case events and major disputes between consumers and marketers. The Economic Times publishes a column titled Caveat Emptor' which solely deals with current problems and grievances of consumers against marketers. Consumer education is another sphere of activities. Do's and Don'ts as a guide to consumers are also published by newspapers. Some tell about when to buy, how to buy and from where to buy. The fallacies of claims by marketers, distorted to notice by newspaper correspondents. While educating consumers, many newspapers tell about the false claims in advertisements, the hollowness of sales and bazars and other sales gimmicks.
Rural consumers, women, children are often targets of marketers. They are easy to deceive and have less information. Some newspapers have undertaken campaigns to safeguard these consumers by publishing special news items or by way of introducing special columns. Profiles of consumer activists, their commendable jobs and consumers association helps consumers in particular region are the issues which are given importance. Thus press has played a major role in promoting consumer movement in every part of the world. Clarity of thoughts, easy accessibility and higher degree of reliability are the reasons why press has come forwarding in consumer movement. The significant contribution of press cannot be undermined when one thinks of consumer movement.
6.Means of Publicity of Consumer Movement through Print Media:
Print media especially newspapers can give lot of publicity to the activities of consumer movement by making effective use of various columns and news forms. The news regarding consumer affairs usually appear in following ways in the newspapers.
Editorials: Many newspapers often express views of society in general through their editorial columns. Usually these views indicate a general opinion about how a Government policy, decision or any verdict has been accepted by the society. Sometimes these editorials offer suggestion/recommendations regarding steps to be taken to resolve issues of consumer agonies and to deal with sufferings of consumers.
News stories: Some newspapers often publish stories on the matters of consumers' interests or grievances or some leading incidents related with consumer problems. Such news stories generally are designed after considering the news worthiness of an event.
Consumers Column: A good number of newspapers publish a weekly / fortnightly column on the matters of consumers' interest. This column attracts readers as consumers because it contains news items and articles of common interest. The consumers are attracted towards this column because many problems and sufferings are rightly expressed in this column.
Letters to Editors: Consumers, consumer activists and many other conscious citizens prefer to express their views through newspapers. The best dias for this purpose is Reader's column, Opinion of consumers on certain important issues, their grievances and suggestions to the public authorities often appear in the column. Some newspapers maintain a separate column to publish consumers' grievances. Investors' grievances, suggestions to Municipal Corporation, State Electricity Boards, Post and Telegraph are often published in this column.
7.Opinions of readers regarding articles of consumers' interest:
The research has made a survey as to, whether readers refer articles of consumer interest. The major observations in this connection are as follows:-
A majority of consumers read the articles regarding consumers' interest. However, the frequency of reading these articles on a regular basis is not very high.
The readership of these articles is limited and irregular which indicates that, there is a limited and lukewarm interest in the issues of consumer concern.
The expectation of consumers in connection with consumers' column varies. However, most of the consumers prefer to read matters regarding consumers' interest and legal decisions and Government policies affecting consumers' interest. This indicates a purposive and limited interest of readers in the consumers' movement.
There is a general disinterest to read about issues related with consumer movement and activities of the local consumers' associations.
Most of the consumers feel that these articles do help them to know about consumers, right and about consumer movement.
8.Conclusion:
Media in all its form, print or electronic, is a mirror of the times and society we live in. It connectsus to the world and the world to us. Media is an integral part of our life. In today's world, where one's social circle is mostly just workrelated, based on some or the other selfish motive, we tend to believe and depend more on the media forevery type of information. Media thus has tremendous impact on the way a society conducts itself in thepresent, as well as the shape it would take in the future. It influences people of all age group. Media also plays a very useful role in setting up good or amicable relations between traders and buyers. The promotions of fair trade practices, establishing code of conduct for businessmen are the task that media alone can shoulder. The concept of ethics in the economy relates to "morality, ethics, professional and organizational ethics" (Isaac quoted in Bergadaa '2007). Each industry has its own guidelines for the ethical requirements. But on the four main requirements for marketing communications are legal, decent, honest and truthful. Unfortunately, in a society that is the way the company intended to profit from the use of marketing communication messages targets "can be a form of social pollution from potentially harmful and unintended effects of the consumer may have the decision represented" (Hackley and Kitchen, 1999). The words of Bernstein (1951), said fifty-six years ago are still very much a question of present interest: "It is not true that if we 'save advertising, we save all,' but it seems reasonable to assume that if we do not save advertising, we might lose all."
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