Maratha Mandirs Babasaheb Gawde Institute Of Management Studies

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:A CASE OF NDTV

Vhankate Bharat S Associate Professor & Vice-Principal, M.E.S. Garware College of Commerce Pune.,bsvhankate@gmail.com Mrs.Vhankate Pradnya B, Associate Professor, M.E.S. Ness Wadia College of Commerce Pune,vhankatepb1@gmail. Introduction: Any organization, be it social or commercial, always depend upon the society. Its all kind of resources come from the society upon which the prosperity of the organization takes place. If we eliminate the society from the organization, the very existence of the same will cease to exist. Considering this kind of importance, the organization is expected to share some of its resources with the society. Normally, may be in the initial stage organizations by virtue of compulsion may discharge some kind of Social Responsibilities, but as the organization grows, slowly and by convenience, many organizations do neglect this issue. Interestingly, the organizations who discharge the social responsibility as a commitment, never go into negativity rather they prosper with record break balance sheet figures. NDTV is such kind of an organization, which is dealing with the issue of Social Responsibility as a inseparable social commitment. It has shown the ways to many such organizations to accept it as an integral part of organization.

Objectives of The Study:

To study and compile the information about Corporate Social Responsibility; To compile the information about the Corporate Social Responsibilities discharged by the NDTV Channel. To disseminate the information collected above through the current article to number of people ; To encourage and appeal to large number of people to donate for such noble cause.

Brief History of NDTV:

Entry of the Star TV channel in India was the break through and historical moment for the Indian Television Industry. But since its programme were in English language, even after taking all the efforts, channel was unable to survive. After all the efforts went in vain, at a particular moment of time, the decision was taken to close down the Indian office permanently and move out of India. In such scenario, few staff members like Shri. Pranav Roy stepped forward and suggested to come up with the new channel in Hindi language. This concept so clicked that, within no time, the channel got highest TRP. But due to the difference of opinion, a small team under the leadership of Mr. Pranav Roy, left star TV group and started their own TV channel named New Delhi Television, commonly known as NDTV. First of all they started with the general news channels both in Hindi and in English languages. Thereafter, NDTV entered in the business segment in the name of NDTV Profit and for the entertainment they came up with the channel named NDTV Good Times. On the one hand while covering the news items ranging from local to global and from entertainment to business, they have deliberated put on efforts to give wide publicity to the social issues, on the other hand the channel started in coming up with social issues which are dealt hear in :0|Page

Maratha Mandirs Babasaheb Gawde Institute Of Management Studies

Social Responsibility of NDTV 1. Mission save tiger : Throughout the world, when the population of the tiger is diminishing day by day, all the eyes and hopes are from Asia in general and India in particular to saving the life of the existing tigers on the one hand and increasing the population on the other hand. In the commercial world, so called development is taking place where in new and new industries, towns etc. are set by constructing concrete jungles. Due to such kind of deforestation and due to the hunting / killing of tigers, the sspopulation of tigers is decreasing day by day. The environmentalists, the governments of the various states and countries and UNO have raised the issue number of times, they have taken some kind of important decision, but, the ground reality differed as usual. Hence, considering the importance of the issue, The NDTV came up with this mission with following objective ; To create world wide awareness about the issue of the tiger; To convey the current facts and figure; To communicate the causes and possible remedies to come out with the solutions; To take participation from the various sections of the society and government; To raise the fund for the projects related to save the tigers etc. With the above mentioned objectives, the channel first of all started broad- casting the news covering the facts and figures, causes of decreasing the tigers etc. Gradually by increasing the momentum, the organization launched a decisive programme called Telethon for Mission Save Tiger. In this programme, from 11.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. well know personalities from all walks of life ranging from Industry to Bolleywood, from Sports to Politics, participated in this telethon. The personalities like Mr. Amithabh Bachhan, Mr. M.S. Dhoni, Mr. Vijay Mallya, Shri. Ashok Chavan, etc. participated personally or through the video conferencing in this telethon. Throughout the day the issues of causes, remedies, action plans etc. were discussed and corpus of around Rs.5 cores was generated to look of after the projects related to conservation of tigers. Up till now, 9,95,360 people have extended their support to this project by various means. Though there was wide media publicity to this programme, it was more admired just because of its path breaking initiative and that to first of its kind, not only in India, but in the world. After this success, the channel got motivated and tried the second venture. 2. Donate blanket : This time the issue was of humanity. Instead of getting just publicity and admiration from the public, it was direct help to the needy people. In the last winter season the channel went through the footpaths, Slum area and the remote area like leh & ladakh to offer the shelter of warm blanket to protect from the winter. In this initiative also, the channel did not gave the blankets to few selected people and make the news item like the politicians. But they sought the help of the general public. Continuously they use to blink the appeal to donate the blankets on their TV channels. Once they started receiving the blankets, they showed on the TV about the status. The collected blankets were distributed randomly to shelterless people sleeping on the footpath, the people, staying in the slum, and they did not restricted themselves only to the urban area, but they went into the heart of the winter i.e.in the Himalayan Valley, where they went to leh, ladakh and helped the tribals, who are continuously moving from owe place to another in search of life. After discharging such responsibility the channel undertook the activity of giving proper publicity to the real icons of the society. Though this activity is year on year basis, the channel has kept its newness in organizing such routine activity also. 1|Page

Maratha Mandirs Babasaheb Gawde Institute Of Management Studies

3. NDTV Indian of the Year Award : This programme is basically to widen the publicity of the thoughts of the persons who have marked the newness, achieved unmatched records and who have done something historical for the benefit of the Indians. This year, apart from the various leaders from the various field, like sports, industry, bollywood etc, the award of NDTV Indian of the year was conferred on Mr. Nitish Kumar. He is person who has demolished the kingdom of fodder scam fame Shri. Lalu Yadav. He not only came into power once, but he did it second time also and that to by increasing the number of seats in the assembly. He could do so only because of his progressive decisions and actions. He started appealing the Biharies to stay in Bihar and help him progressing the Bihar. His appeal was well endorsed by the general public of the Bihar and elected him for the second time as a Chief Minister, to strengthen the path of progress. By organizing this programme, the channel has showed ways to all other politicians, and channels that, if you look the benefits of society, society will definitely pay you back very positively. 4. Support my school: Marching ahead and making the commitment of social responsibility stronger, the NDTV this time entered in the field of education. In association with Coca Cola and by taking participation of the legend of the Indian cricket, Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar as a brand ambassador, the organization extended support to the needy students. Since this activity has been launched recently, the main follow up programme is upcoming in the months of June July, wherein like the mission save tiger throughout the day for 12 hours live programme will be carried out to create an awareness, to seek the support and to raise the fund for this noble cause. Through this activity a strong and constructive step is taken not only to create literate but educated citizens of future India. This work is very much important, especially when then government is slowly stepping out of the responsibility. To touch the new hall mark of the social responsibility, the ignited minds of NDTV has taken up the Indian Coast. Under the banner of Save Our Coast, the channel will come up with various environmental and social issues relating to coasts starting from Gujarat to West Bengal. This kind of initiative is again new and the first of its kind.

Suggestions/ recommendations:
All the programmes mentioned above are broadcasted on the channels of NDTV, hence viewership is restricted to the people watching these channels only. Therefore it suggested to give extensive publicity to these programmes through electronic and print media. It will help not only to publicise the programme and increase the viewership, but it will also help to raise the support and fund for the activities.

Conclusion: TV channels today are running after the TRP. To increase the TRP, they are coming up with the reality shows; serials etc to torcher and do in real sence, Emotional Attyachar on the viewers. Under these circumstances, NDTV has accepted a different path of social responsibility not as a compulsion, but as a choice. The endeavor which they have undertaken will definitely be beneficial to we all Indians. No doubt such programmes have increased the TRP of this channel, but more than that, it has extended helping hand to we all. Now its our turn to extend our hand to help such efforts.

Bibliography:
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Maratha Mandirs Babasaheb Gawde Institute Of Management Studies

1.

Cherunilum Franmcis ,(2001), Business Environment and Policy, Third Edition, Mumbai, Himalaya Publishing House. 2. Prasad L.M, (2005), Principles and Practices of Management, New Delhi Sixth Edition Sultan Chand & Sons. 3. Various Corporate Social Responsibility related programmes telecasted on NDTV 247. 5. http:social.ndtve.com/saveourtigerscampaign.(Accessed on 28th Feb,2011.) 6. http:social.ndtve.com/indianoftheyear. .(Accessed on 2nd March, 2011. ) 7. http:social.ndtve.com/supportmyschool. .(Accessed on 2nd March,2011 ) 8. http:social.ndtve.com/saveindiascoast. .(Accessed on3rd March, 2011)

Dr.

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