Media and Development : The Road Ahead

Development aims at bringing about qualitative changes leading to an upward movement of the entire social system. It is measured in terms of improvement in the lives of the people and strengthening of the individuals and thereby a nations capacity to deal with the rest of the world. Development is, therefore, interlinked with the entire social, political and cultural fabric of a society. This comprehensive approach to human development takes care of all other approaches such as the human resources approach; the basic needs approach and the human welfare approach. The slogan Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas aptly sums up the basic principles of this development model which aims at Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, i.e. let all be prosperous and happy. Both demographic explosion and terrorism pose a serious threat to development. Unchecked population not only slows down the pace of development but also accentuates the ecological crisis thereby preventing the benefits of development from reaching one and all. Terrorism reduces the scope, the magnitude and beneficial impact of development everywhere. This book is an incisive study of the dynamics of development. It combines both theoretical underpinnings and practical insights to enlighten the reader about various challenges on the path to development. Written by a journalist and a media academic, it is invaluableto both media practitioners and studentsin understanding the fine nuances of the current development discourse.