Corporate Social Responsibility

What comes to mind today when we think of prime channels on television in their prime showtime hours?
Is it only the saas-bahu serials gifted by our very own ‘K’-queen to the Indian Society? Or it is only about small and big children (who have just about discovered that Goddess Saraswati has showered blessings onto them) are trying to become future Kishore Kumar’s and Sonu Nigam’s, or Lata Mangeshkar’s and their parents pressuring them to return home only with the trophy in hand? Or about such reality shows where people are put together inside a house refrained from the luxury of worldly possessions, and given a platform and coverage to bitch about each other, so as to boost to the TRP’s for the channel?
Well amidst all this, I feel someone has finally realized how to use television as a medium to give a social message across the population of India; India which is still backward in spite of the IT revolution, the FDI inflows, the increasing purchasing power of the people reflected in the sales figures of innumerable malls. Yes! I’m talking about “Balika Vadhu”, featured on Colors; the story of small children married at the tender age of eight-ten, and forced to give up their childhood to fall prey to old customs and traditions that make them bear the repercussions for the rest of their lives.
Finally somebody has realized the sense of responsibility towards society, and still cares what our fellow sisters are undergoing in our remote neighborhoods. I guess the owner’s of television channels must make it mandatory for producers to come up with at least one such sensitive social issue, and use the most extensively reach of the medium such as television, to create a sense of awareness about basic human rights.
At least some broadcasting channel has taken the first step towards Corporate Social Responsibility; after all not only Doordarshan, but all channels are accountable for the same. Hats off!!