Image for the purpose of representation only.
| Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K
Members of civil society and media institutions on Thursday came together to deliberate on ways to give a stronger voice to the social sector in mainstream media.
At a special discussion on ‘Social Sector and the Role of the Media’, organised by NGO Prayas in collaboration with allied organisations and the India Habitat Centre here, experts underscored the need to harness both mainstream and alternative media for greater visibility of social issues.
Former police officer and founder of Prayas, Amod K. Kanth, said the “social sector has to be part and parcel of media work today when we are at this juncture of India’s development”.
Mr. Kanth added that voluntary organisations form the fifth pillar in a democratic setup, after the executive, legislature, judiciary, and media. “They can’t be overlooked. They constitute a very important section of India’s society,” he said. The intersection of civil society and media, he noted, offers significant potential to accelerate India’s progress towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
Journalist and Director of the India Habitat Centre, Prof. K. G. Suresh, said the social sector plays a critical role but lamented that mainstream media has reduced the space for such issues. “Another important issue is the absence of training among young journalists on how to cover the social sector. A very important sector which includes health and education has been totally neglected and no training has been provided for them,” he said.
Mr. Suresh added that while some are doing commendable work in the field, others are not. “But that does not mean that you do not differentiate between the good and the bad,” he said. He also questioned why mainstream media could not take up social issues with the same seriousness as alternative platforms and called for sensitising editors and managements so that the social sector is not ignored.
Amitabh Srivastava, Governing Body Member of Prayas and a veteran journalist, said collaboration must come from both sides. “NGOs should be keeping a budget for media, while media training institutes have to train on social sector. Journalists should also take an active interest in story pitches,” he said.
Published – October 16, 2025 10:32 pm IST
