Monday Musings: NGOs Need to Draw Their Line Longer Than the Media

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By Amitabh Srivastava, Edited by Adam Rizvi, The India Observer, TIO: An innovative discussion organised by Prayas JAC Society and the India Habitat Centre on “Social Sector and Role of Media” in New Delhi turned out to be quite revealing.

The purpose of the session, as explained by Amod K. Kanth, Founder and Mentor of Prayas JAC Society, was to bridge the gap between the excellent work being done by the 1.5 lakh NGOs and CSOs registered on the Darpan Portal of NITI Aayog and their almost negligible coverage in mainstream media.

However, the discussion soon turned into a one-sided affair. Most media professionals—barring a few exceptions—chose to find fault with the “presentation” and “writing style” of NGO reports rather than acknowledging their content or impact.

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After nearly 90 minutes of debate, hosted by Dr. K.G. Suresh, media expert and Director of the India Habitat Centre, along with Amod K. Kanth and Amitabh Srivastava, senior journalist and social activist, the conclusion was both predictable and disappointing. Media houses and reporters, it was observed, are too preoccupied with their beats to devote time to NGO work. The advice given to NGOs was to prepare ready-made stories—about trauma, exploitation, or success—that reporters could simply publish under their own bylines.

But those familiar with how newsrooms function know that this “formula” hardly applies to political, crime, or entertainment reporting—where journalists, even senior editors, love to showcase their originality.

For NGOs already stretched thin—rescuing children from child marriages, trafficking, or forced labour, ensuring convictions, and meeting court deadlines to secure compensation—the expectation to craft “catchy news stories” is unrealistic. Many of these cases drag on for years, often ending without resolution.

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Under such circumstances, some veteran journalists suggested a pragmatic solution: NGOs and CSOs should build their own media and social media platforms instead of depending on the country’s 1.37 million print outlets to carry their message forward. 

In his opening remarks, Dr. K.G. Suresh had pointed out that the

corporatisation of media has made it increasingly difficult for NGOs to get their voices heard.

One of the participants, Sangeeta Sinha, a respected media personality and prolific writer, demonstrated how this could be done through her magazine Panchva Stambh (The Fifth Pillar), which consistently highlights issues overlooked by the mainstream press.

Avinash Singh, a veteran journalist and media trainer, advised Prayas to create its own website and YouTube channel, and even commercialise it rather than depend on newspapers to publish their stories.

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Sandeep Marwah, Founder of Marwah Studio and AAFT in Noida’s Film City, announced that his community radio channels were open for NGOs to use in spreading awareness and sharing their work.

There was a time, as some recalled, when editors at newspapers like Hindustan Times wielded such influence that even marketing heads dared not enter their rooms. Today, in many publications, it is the marketing department that decides the content.

The priorities are evident. When a celebrity like Deepika Padukone opens up about her depression, she becomes the Page 1 brand ambassador for mental health. Yet, if women in villages suffer from mental distress, they are often chained, beaten, or locked up by their families for months.

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In his concluding remarks, Amod K. Kanth affirmed that NGOs are as integral to Viksit Bharat 2047 as the media and the other three pillars of democracy—and that neither should be treated as a peripheral player.

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Curated by Humra Kidwai

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