UNICEF Awards 2012 for Gender sensitive Programs in T.V.

The Center for Media Studies in collaboration with UNICEF held the Awards Function For the third consecutive year at  Hyderabad on 6th February 2012. Fifteen popular Telugu TV channels, reflecting their commitment to social concerns, focused 93 hours of their prime time with 702 programs on various issues of girl child.The Jury of experts finalized the selections after the CMS scanned the recorded programs.The recommendations  by one of the Jury Members, Dr. Mamatha  were already given in the earlier Blog of Tharuni.
UNICEF through these awards, is keen to highlight the issues of girl child on different channels, so that it will have an impact on the minds of he people.
Tharuni congratulates all the Telugu T.V. channels for their wholehearted efforts to bring out problems of girl child before the viewers. Let us hope this initiative of UNICEF may provoke all Media Channels of communication in all languages, to relay the issues as well as the  solutions for the better status of the girl child. Tharuni's appreciation to the Center for Media Studies for their dedicated efforts to make the program a grand success.

UNICEF GIRL CHILD MEDIA – GENDER SENSITIVE AWARDS:

Suggestions for future media productions by our Executive Director, who was a Jury Member at the UNICEF Girl Child Media Awards:

It was an Honour for me to be a part of this Prestigious Project. Through out it was a Learning being the young member of the Jury and among so many 'Legends'. It was a really enriching experience to me as a novice to intricacies of TV Media Production. As a Child Rights Activist, I always looked at the Media Productions through the Rights perspective and use to argue with other members in most of the discussions. It was a Life time Memory for me to be part of this Noble Project in the cause of Girl Child. My submissions for the future Awards:

• There was lot of competition between the channels for telecasting Girl child related subjects. But except one or two no one has put an effort to show the ground realities. Most of the scenes were down loaded from You Tube or they have used forieng national photos for depicting the A.P. Scenarios. Hence, from next year onwards, we should give clear guidelines to all channels to not to show You Tube shots or downloaded pictures.
• Secondly, the Channels have taken up three or four major issues and showed only the negetivities. They had not shown any solutions to the problems. Media is an effective communication tool and can suggest solutions for the problems and save their lives. Next year we should tell them that proper research should be done on each topic chosen by them and suggest solutions / learnings for the viewers.
• There was no single nomination for well researched program this year as no entry was up to the mark. The channels should use external research agencies / individaul researchers for picturising such in depth topics. Next year CMS can plan a booklet with comprehensive details about Girl child issues to all channels well in advance. This booklet can also give the last year Award winning stories, so that it becomes a Guide for the new Producers & Directors.
• The Time period for this Awards can be extended to Six months so that it becomes a Habit for Media Cheannels to focus on girl child issues. The Time slot can be extended to six hours to capture all the programs which are gender sensitive.
• Most of the channels which are competing for the Awards do not reach people and only 3 or 4 channels can be viewed by the rural masses. Hence, recheability also should be a criteria for giving Awards as through this effort we want to reach masses with good messages on girl children.
• The Jury had observed negativism had become part and parcel of Media. They are not focusing the positive facts about the realities. Hence, awards were given to channels which are positive in attitude & Gave messages which are practical.

- Dr Mamatha Raghuveer,

Director, Tharuni.

U.N.I.C.E.F Girl Child Media Awards, Jury Meeting on 30/09/11 at Hyderabad

U.N.C.E.F.  conducted the Jury Meeting at Hyderabad on 30th August 2011, for the Girl Child  Media Awards 2012. Tharuni Director, Dr. Mamatha was selected as one of the Jury Members.