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And all they want is world peace? The 'beauty pageant' simile is
not too far stretched if one accepts the criticism hurled at the
"cosmetic nature" of the efforts mass entertainers engage
in when "doing their bit" for society. Indiantelevision.com
poses some questions to the channels to ascertain whether the cut-throat
entertainment television business really does allow for a kinder,
gentlar side to surface.
Maybe
it was a more a bid to plug new premiere title, but Zee Cinema's
on ground event to celebrate children's week wasn't just your usual
promotional splash. The channel organized a week long festival,
inviting street kids for a variety of games and contests and the
grand prize included a chance to interact with Tarzan - the Wonder
Car's young leads Ayesha Takia and Vatsal Seth.
It
is a 'do-good' terrain that Sony is quite familiar with. Just recently,
Sony along with their client Colgate, organised a songwriting contest
on the occasion of Oral Health Month. The channel used the show
Hum 2 Hain Na as a platform to create awareness among kids
to send in their entries.
 Conducted
in over 210 schools, the programme was meant to be a direct school
contact through fun-filled activities for the kids. Javed Akhtar,
who penned the lyrics for the 'Spread A Smile' song captured the
essence of 36 chosen entries. The song, reciting the importance
of dental hygiene and how it can improve one's life, was transformed
into a music video and aired on both Sony and Max.
Prior
to this toothy venture, Sony had also been associated with select
causes and coming up with inventories to promote public awareness
about certain issues.
"As
a socially responsible corporate, we have associated with various
social initiatives. But we are not aligned with any particular organizations,"
offers SET's executive VP Sunil Lulla. Loathe to offer financial
details, Lulla said the channel's social initiatives were more or
less driven by the on-air promotions.
The
public service initiatives are generally divided into two arenas,
occasion driven and generic. "We often conceptualise, in association
with our clients like P&G, public messages during festive times
and to create awareness about hygiene, Aids, child abuse. Just recently,
we launched one with P&G about primary education - the Shiksha
initiative," Lulla added.
The
leader of the pack, Star Plus points to the overall management objective
being to give back to society and they hand pick initiatives and
find funding to do it.
 When
quizzed about its efforts, a Star Plus spokesperson offered, "We
have constantly used our shows to educate viewers, like one where
the leading ladies of (Plus' flagship show) Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhie
Bahu thi, Tulsi and Baa, tell audiences how ORS should be administered
to babies. The same was done this year in Sanjivani at the
time of World ORS Day, where the story had an important segment
where the viewers were told about the importance and timely use
of ORS to babies.
Although
not as public as Sony's social initiatives with Cry and Akansha
in its shows like Meri Biwi Wonderful and Boogie Woogie,
Star Plus had recently organised a fund-raiser for underprivileged
children on its show Kyun Hota Hai Pyarrr. That apart, the
spokesperson pointed out that in soaps like Kumkum, Kabhi Aaye
Na Judai, Sonpari, Karishma Ka Karishma, some episodes were
focused on educating underprivileged children and the girl child.
These messages are very intricately woven into the storyline.
Earlier
this year, Star Plus had organised a signature campaign (message
to the brave men) to promote their Air Force-based show Saara
Akaash. For each message Star India contributed Rs 1, which
was collected and given to the Air Force Officers' Wives Welfare
Association.
But the on air initiative apart, Star Plus' corporate social responsibility
initiatives as a part if the network include academic partnership
initatives. A set of scholarship programmes initiated this academic
year with two institutes engaged in Media education --- Indian Institute
of Mass Communication and AJK Institute of Mass Communication. The
network is looking at extending it to MICA and the Pune Film Institute
too in the next year.
The
channel selects two students per institute on the basis of a competitive
examination and an interview for this scholarship programme. The
selected students are paid a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000/ - in addition
to reimbursement of expenses like fees, books and periodicals etc.
On completion of the programme, the students are offered a one year
internship at Star.
As
a part of its cultural social responsibility, Star Plus in a bid
to protect and promote cultural heritage, sponsors Classical Music
and Dance concerts by eminent musicians. The third initiative is
donation of air time for Public Service Announcements. "We
endeavour to donate up to one minute of commercial time for every
hour of programming for deserving social, health and economic causes.
Of course these donations are subject to availability of inventory,"
the spokesperson avers.
The
third channel to complete the big players of the general mass entertainment,
the Subhash Chandra promoted Zee, does not believe in talking about
its social initiative though. When quizzed, Zee's corporate communications
head Ashish Kaul offered, "We at Zee recognise the fact that
an important part of being successful is to be socially responsible.
But we would rather not tom-tom about what we do."
 For
the record, Zee has a special band created Zee Touch India initiative,
which enables corporations to air films on the Zee network focusing
on social causes without paying for the airtime. The free airtime
across the Zee Network is extended to the public service ads / fillers
like campaign on breast cancer, campaign for the visually impaired,
campaign for HIV/AIDS for the International Aids day, Aids awareness
campaign by Mukti Foundation and a campaign on Pulse Polio
Additionally
the network has been closely working with NGO's like Taleem, Vipasana,
and Braintrust of India foundation. The network also claims to have
sponsored over 100 schools to support primary education.
 The
big guns apart, even SET's sibling Max has shouldered the network's
social responsibility diktat. Besides airing regular features, the
cricket and movie channel also spared some air time for the efforts
of its in house talent, marketing executive Siddharth Tewary, who
created a one minute film 'Be Human' promoting basic human values.
Some
might say it still isn't enough, but at least it is an effort and
it's worth lauding. Also what makes it deserving of some kudos is
that it is a completly pro-bono effort and there is no government
binding.
Here's
to mass entertainers, for having heart….
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