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CMS ENVIS Centre -- acts as a Coordinating Body

CMS ENVIS Centre acts as a co-ordinating body and provides forum for advocacy.

In liew of the scattered efforts by media community to promote the concept of environmental conservation, CMS ENVIS Centre organised two meets of SENIOR Electronic Media Executives.

At the instance of ENVIS Centre at Centre for Media Studies (CMS) and Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the television channels including the private channels met on January 12, 2000 at Doordarshan Bhawan and on June 5, 2000 at Discovery channel to discuss how best the Television channels could reflect the environmental concerns of the country in their programmes. The meeting was attended by senior officials of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Doordarshan, Discovery Channel, Start TV and other senior electronic media executives for discussing the problems and prospects for more active role for television channels. The meeting aimed at working out a plan of action for enhancing the quality and quantity of programmes dedicated to environment.

The points of discussions on January 12, 2000 were:

• To work out a plan of action for enhancing the quality and quantity of programmes dedicated to environment.

• That are the possibilities of telecasting environmental public service messages and other environmental programmes on national and regional channels?

• Integrating or mixing environmental messages or reflecting environmental concerns in various other TV programmes.

• Is it possible to create environmental awareness during prime time? v) Private as well as government owned channels should also promote environmental programmes on immediate relevance.

• What are different and alternative formats for interactive programmes for children and for the youth?

• How best video films provided by Ministry of Environment and Forests can be availed?

• What role Ministry of Environment and Forests could play in providing support to TV channels?

• What are the policies in various channels towards increasing environmental sensitiveness?

In continuation of its efforts as an ENVIS Centre and as a follow up of the first meet of the senior media functionaries held on, Centre of Media Studies organised a second meet on the World Environment Day, i.e., June 5th 2000 between 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. at the New Delhi office of the Discovery channel. The aim of the meeting was to assess the development in the field and what has been the actions taken on the decisions of the meeting held on 12th January 2000.

Points for discussion:

1. To work out a mechanism to sustain media support

2. To discuss the Role of Ministry of Environment and Forests, advertisers, advertising agencies, TV channels

3. Formulating a strategy/plan of action for a more proactive and Eco-friendly role of TV channels.

4. Utilisation of educational channel

5. Attract Sponsors

6. Schedule for airing the environmental programmes

7. More live and interactive programmes on radio and TV.

8. Public interest campaigns on TV channels

9. Utilisation of films commissioned by the Ministry

10. Resources and research inputs to film producers/TV channels.

11. A network of channels and film producers -- for environmental advocacy.

TV channels came forward and some of the TV channels allotted at least half an hour for environmental programmes. Ministry of Environment and Forests sponsoring Earth matters (exclusive programme on Environment and wildlife) coming up NEAC DDI ns DD News on request of Doordarshan.