Role of Media free essay sample

Abstract: The role of media in a democratic system has been widely debated. India has the largest democracy in the world and media has a powerful presence in the country. In recent times Indian media has been subject to a lot of criticism for the manner in which they have disregarded their obligation to social responsibility. Dangerous business practices in the field of media have affected the fabric of Indian democracy. Big industrial conglomerates in the business of media have threatened the existence of pluralistic viewpoints. Post liberalisation, transnational media organisations have spread their wings in the Indian market with their own global interests. This has happened at the cost of an Indian media which was initially thought to be an agent of ushering in social change through developmental programs directed at the non privileged and marginalised sections of the society. Though media has at times successfully played the role of a watchdog of the government functionaries and has also aided in participatory communication, a lot still needs to be done. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Media or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Keywords: media, social responsibility, democracy, Indian media, Indian democracy, public sphere Introduction Democracy in general terms is understood to be a form of government which is subject to popular sovereignty. It is essentially a rule by the people which is in contrast to monarchies or aristocracies. One of the crowing glories of the democratic system is the freedom of expression and the space that is provided to views from different sections of the society. A democratic system can run to its utmost potential when there is wide participation on the part the general mass which is not possible without people getting informed about various issues. Reliable 1 information resources are an important constituent of any democratic society (Habermas, 2006). This is where media steps in. Mass media in its different forms have influenced human life in the present century. They have primarily provided information and entertainment to people across countries. Print media, being the leader over a considerable period of time has now got competition from Television, which is reshaping many of the social responses. Radio apart from providing news and views has also developed a flair for entertainment, thereby getting a lot of acceptance. There is also the new media with internet being its flag bearer. Internet has indeed made it possible to disseminate information and ideas in real time across the globe. However, among all these developments there is a cause of concern. Is media really fulfilling its social responsibility? Is a booming global mass media posing threats to the democratic way of thinking? In it posing challenges to a country like India where media has a greater role to play rather than merely providing information and entertainment? Media and Social Responsibility: The Normative Argument The normative view of the press argues that the conduct of the media has to take into account public interests. The main public interest criterions that the media need to consider include freedom of publication, plurality in media ownership, diversity in information, culture and opinion, support for the democratic political system, support for public order and security of the state, universal reach, quality of information and culture disseminated to the public, respect for human rights and avoiding harm to individuals and the society (McQuil, 2005). The social responsibilities expected from media in the public sphere were deeply grounded with the acceptance of media as the fourth estate, a term coined by Edmund Burke in England. With the formation of the 1947 Commission on the Freedom of the Press the social responsibility of media became a strong debating point. It was formed in the wake of rampant commercialization and sensationalism in the American press and its dangerous trend towards monopolistic practices. The report of the Hutchins Commission, as it was called, was path breaking on its take on social responsibility and the expected journalistic standards on the part of the press. The theory of social responsibility which came out of this commission was backed by certain principles which included media ownership is a public trust and media has certain obligations to 2 society; news media should be fair, objective, relevant and truthful; there should be freedom of the press but there is also a need for self regulation; it should adhere to the professional code of conduct and ethics and government may have a role to play if under certain circumstances public interest is hampered (McQuil, 2005). Democracy, Media and the Public Sphere Informing the citizens about the developments in the society and helping them to make informed choices, media make democracy to function in its true spirit. It also keeps the elected representatives accountable to those who elected them by highlighting whether they have fulfilled their wishes for which they were elected and whether they have stuck to their oaths of office. Media to operate in an ideal democratic framework needs to be free from governmental and private control. It needs to have complete editorial independence to pursue public interests. There is also the necessity to create platforms for diverse mediums and credible voices for democracy to thrive (Parceiro, 1999). It has already been discussed that media has been regarded as the fourth estate in democracy. Democracy provides the space for alternative ideas to debate and arrive at conclusions for the betterment of society. The publicly agreed norms are weighed over that of actions on the part of economic organizations and political institutions (Barnett, 2004). This is close in essence to the concept of public sphere where rational public debate and discourse is given importance. Individuals can freely discuss issues of common concern (Tsekeris, 2008). Media plays one of the crucial roles behind the formation of public sphere (Panikkar, 2004). However, Barnett is of the opinion that in modern times the true sense of public sphere is getting eroded with the media of public debate getting transformed to mediums for expressing particular interests rather than general interests which are universally accepted. This signifies that public sphere which is essential for a vibrant democracy can actually be channelized to serve vested interests rather than public good. Media and Indian Democracy The political system in India is close in spirit to the model of liberal democracy. In the constitution of India the power of the legislature, executive and judiciary have been thoroughly demarcated. The party system in operation is a competitive one with flexibility of roles of 3 government and opposition. There is also freedom of the press, of criticism and of assembly (Pelinka 2003). Indian democracy has always attracted attention worldwide and has made scholars to ponder over the secret of its success amidst considerable odds. In India diversity is almost everywhere and it is not a developed nation. The problems of poverty and inequality in distribution of income have been constant irritants. Nevertheless, till today democracy has survived in the country. The role of media in India, the largest democracy of the world is different from merely disseminating information and entertainment. Educating the masses for their social upliftment needs to be in its ambit as well. In a country where there is large scale poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment media has a responsibility towards developmental journalism. It has a role to play behind formation of public opinion which can force the political parties to address the core issues haunting the countrys progress. However, public opinion can be manipulated by vested interests to serve their own goals (Corneo, 2005). Media can conceal facts and project doctored ideas to influence the electorate and thereby the voting outcome. Values like objectivity and truthfulness in presentation of news and ideas can be totally done away with. In India public service broadcasting was given much importance after independence. It was used as a weapon of social change. AIR (All India Radio) and Doordarshan, the public service broadcasters in the country had the responsibility of providing educational programs apart from information and entertainment. However, it needs to be taken note of that the public service broadcasting system in the country was closely identified with the state. A monopolistic media structure under state control has the threat of becoming the mouthpiece of the ruling elite. The scenario was bound to change with the opening up of Indian economy in a bid to integrate with the global system. It signalled the emergence of a competitive market in the field of media with public service broadcasters getting challenges from private entities. This, however, had the seeds of a new problem of ownership. Ownership pattern of media across the globe and in India is a cause for concern. There are big corporate houses who own newspapers and television networks. A higher concentration of ownership increases the risk of captured media (Corneo, 2005). Media independence in such a scenario gives way to safeguarding the interest of the owners who may not serve social responsibilities. The space for plurality of ideas is eroded sending ominous signals for democracy. Bogart (1995) opines that in many democratic countries media ownership has 4 reached dangerous levels of concentration. He has cited the examples of News Corporations (owned by Rupert Murdoch) 37 % share in United Kingdoms national newspaper circulation and Silvio Berlusconis ownership of top three commercial television channels, three pay TV channels and various newspapers and magazine in Italy which act as his political mouthpieces. Transnational powerful media organizations are in operation in India post liberalisation. These are big multinational corporations who own a chunk of the mass media market ranging from newspapers, television, radio, book publishing to music industry. Five of world’s largest media conglomerates include General Electric, Walt Disney, News Corporation, Time Warner, Viacom and CBS. In India there are big players like the Times Group and ABP who rule the roost in the media arena. In a bid to open up the Indian market 26% foreign direct investment has been allowed in news publication and 74% has been allowed in non news segments by the Government. 100% foreign direct investment is available in the film industry. 100% FDI is also allowed in television software production subject to certain government norms. Cable networks and FM Radio networks have FDI limits of 49% and 20% respectively (FICCI and PwC, 2006). Research undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers has shown the FDI investment trend across mass media in India. Virgin Media Asia has a holding in HT medias foray into FM radio. Financial Times (Pearson Group) has an arrangement with Business Standard; AmericorpVentures, Mauritius has a stake in Nimbus Communications which deal in television and films and Reuters UK has equity sharing with Times Global Broadcasting, the Indian entity. Therefore, across mass media options have opened up for availability of transnational homogeneous content. The growth of media conglomerates and their powerful presence has raised fears of manipulation of ideas by a powerful few detrimental to the democratic fabric. The corporate giants have also engaged in severe competition among themselves dishing out news and content which is primarily dominated by sensationalization, sleaze and glitz to capture wider markets. The disturbing trend that has emerged in the present media scenario is the use of media in the battle between rival political groups (Coronel, 2003). In fact, this new phenomenon is in operation in India with newspapers and news channels taking sides while presenting facts. The same event can be presented in two contrasting manners in two newspapers or two television channels. Coronel argues that promotion of hate speech in place of constructive debate and creating an atmosphere of suspicion rather than social trust has the danger of making people cynic about the democratic setup leading to its breakdown. 5 While discussing the dangers associated with the developments in media it needs to be said that media in India has also undertaken roles which have strengthened democracy. The media as a watchdog of the democratic system has unearthed its various shortcomings. Investigative reporting in print and television media has helped in exposing large scale corruptions which have robbed the nation. The Commonwealth Games Scam, the Adarsh Housing Society Scam, Cash for Vote Scam and the Bofors Scam are the highpoints of the Indian media. Across newspapers and television channels voices have been raised when the bureaucracy, judiciary or other public functionary have crossed the laxman rekha. There have also been initiatives to promote community media for the citizens to air their concerns. This is a significant leap towards alternative media usage which is distant from the dominant structure. Here the importance lies more in participatory communication right from the grassroots rather than communication which flows top down. Various television channels have also given the space for ordinary citizens to air their views in the form of citizen journalists thereby promoting democratic participation. Newspapers have educated the masses by informing them of the developments in the field of science and technology. They have also expressed strong views against prejudices which harm the society. Much developmental news has also been aired through the medium of radio. Its comparative low cost and wide acceptance among poorer sections have made it a potent tool for expressing ideas beneficial to the public. Internet, a relatively newer entrant in the field of mass media, has proved to be more democratic than newspaper and television (Coronel, 2003). Internet has provided the opportunity for citizens who are conversant with the medium to express their views about a number of issues. In many cases groups have been formed by likeminded people who discuss and debate over a number of decisions on the part of the government and seek new ideas for way ahead. The power of the internet can be easily judged from the developments in Egypt in recent times. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter were used to garner support against the regime of President Hosni Mubarak (Kuwait Times, 2010). Internet has been used by various public service organizations and N. G. Os to inform people about their objectives and also to make them aware of various initiatives on the part of the government as well as non government organisations for social upliftment. In internet the barrier to communication is minimal which helps in the formation of a participative environment. There is also greater empowerment of the users through higher level of interactivity and flexibility in choice of media outlets. The potential of 6 the medium lies in its ability to be more personalized by offering user-created content (Flew, 2009). Nevertheless, there is the threat of advertising revenues influencing media outputs. Those who control considerable wealth have the opportunity to sway public opinion in their favour with the help of mass media. In the 2G scam the Radia Tapes controversy brought in focus the journalist, politician and industrial conglomerate nexus (Jebaraj, 2010). Developments like these are a threat to democracy and undermine the media fraternity. Advertisements in newspapers, television, radio and at times the internet have become a part of the present election campaigns. Candidates with better funds have the edge over others in being voted to office because they can buy newspaper space and considerable air time (Coronel, 2003). Conclusion In Indian democracy media has a responsibility which is deeply associated with the socio economic conditions. The present scenario is not quite encouraging and certain areas need to be addressed. Media organisations, whether in print, audio visual, radio or web have to be more accountable to the general public. It should be monitored that professional integrity and ethical standards are not sacrificed for sensational practices. The freedom of press in the country is a blessing for the people. However, this blessing can go terribly wrong when manipulations set in. The self regulatory mechanism across media organisations need to be strong enough to stop anomalies whenever they occur. Agencies like Press Council of India need to be vigilant to stem the rot. Big media conglomerates are a serious threat. To counter this problem pluralistic media organisations which are financially viable need to be encouraged. Community participation is a goal that the media should strive for in a country like India. References

Greco essays

Greco essays Amid several 16th century works of art, the painting Toledo by El Greco (the Greek) is exhibited in the H. O. Havemeyer Collection, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This piece is somewhat of small size and brushed in on a canvas with oil paint. Its small size and unrealistic dimmed colors make it a prominent piece in the divergent brightly decorated gallery. The exhibit is composed mainly of large black and white paintings; almost all of them Spanish of origin and made sometime in the late 16th to early 17th century. El Grecos painting is located in the middle of the corridor surrounded by two other pieces of rather large size. The position of the canvas serves as a focal point for the whole collection, however one might expect it to be placed somewhere else, due to the unpopularity of the piece. Similar to other pieces, at its right, in the wall is the sign that states the artists life span, 1541-1614; along with the following description :The painter's given name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos. In Toledo, where he lived for nearly forty years, he was known as "El Greco" (the Greek). This view is the only independent landscape by the artist that survives. He has imaginatively reconfigured the city, showing the cathedral not in its actual position but to the left of the Alczar palace. The cathedral seems to be the focus of the painting as it stands in the middleground and to the right. The city skyline is so abstract its almost symbolic, the buildings themselves however have been done with an enormous amount of detail, giving it a very familiar aspect with strong realistic features. The cathedral stands tall, almost centered on the storm cloud behind it. Its long narrow windows with pointed arches span nearly to the top of the tower, while the crockets atop the buttresses, line the soaring spire. The use of many shades of gray and shadows for the corner walls shows El...

5 Ways to Use Article Writers for Hire to Improve Your Studies

5 Ways to Use Article Writers for Hire to Improve Your Studies 5 Ways to Use Article Writers for Hire to Improve Your Studies No one ever said that college is easy. Sure, there are likely a number of classes which you excel at – the things that you’re passionate about – but when you’re expected to master a wide range of subjects, keeping up with everything can be a real challenge. That’s because going to class, studying, and fulfilling all of your other social, professional, and academic obligations, it’s easy to find yourself running out of time on a regular basis. But while some students begin to fall behind from all of their responsibilities, others seek out article writers for hire to help provide the extra boost they need to stay on top of their classwork. How exactly can these professional article writers help you learn? Here are a few great examples: Assignment Topics For many students, the most difficult part of any writing assignment is getting started. If you have an important project due but don’t even know where to begin, you may be surprised to find out that you can hire article writers to help you brainstorm unique and innovative topics to write about. Essay Types and Structures Wouldn’t it be easier if all college essays followed the same format and structure? Regrettably though, there are numerous types of essays and as a student you’re often expected to know them all. From argumentative to narrative, if you need someone to explain the different essay types and structures, consider an article writer for hire. Model Paper Writing Maybe you need even more guidance – or perhaps you’re in a serious last-minute time crunch. Whatever the case, article writers for hire can come up with model papers for you to use as a basis for your own papers. They aren’t writing your paper for you, but they are providing a fully comprehensive example to help you along your way. Academic Writing Style Boost Nothing is more frustrating than writing an amazing paper but having points taken away because you didn’t properly follow academic-style writing guidelines. If a little assistance helps you convey more of an academic tone in your essays, there are plenty of article writers ready to help. Proofreading Services No matter how good of a writer you are, everyone makes mistakes. Even if you’ve created excellent content and followed the style guide every step of the way, your grade is going to suffer if your writing contains grammatical errors. Hiring an article writer to proofread your papers gives you an extra set of eyes to catch any minor errors before turning your assignments in. If you’ve been tackling all of your writing assignments on your own, it may be time for you to step back, take a break, and ask for a little assistance. Too often, students think that article writers for hire are just there to write sample papers for them – but that couldn’t be further from the truth. They can help you improve your school work in a number of different ways, from assisting you in coming up with topics to proofreading your final work once it’s done, and just about everything in-between.

Otis-Lennon School Ability Test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 33

Otis-Lennon School Ability Test - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Roger has always managed to achieve an above average grade in Physical Education and Shop and even achieved a C grade in both subjects when he failed all other subjects in the first year of the 8th grade. In his second year of 8th grade, Roger achieved a B in both subjects which are quite an achievement considering he only barely passed all other subjects. Roger has demonstrated a progressive improvement in his Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) going from below average to average by the 9th grade. The OSLAT is very important for teachers because it informs of each student’s potential. On the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), a test used to measure academic achievement and to predict the student’s performance in college, Roger scored an 8.3 in his last two sittings which demonstrates an improvement over the previous year where he scored a 7.5. What can be discerned from these achievements is that Roger has an innate ability to improve as he was able to successfully repeat the 8th grade and was able to improve on his SAT scores with each retake in successive years. His interests in sports and mechanical aptitude are reflected in his consistency in better than average achievement in physical education and shop in school and the fact that he achieved his highest score in Mechanical on the Differential Aptitude Test. In planning his sophomore program Roger is advised to focus on those subjects that he has a greater chance of succeeding in and using in the future. For example, Roger has always done well in physical education and shop. He might want to focus on those areas in his sophomore year as he appears to do well in those subjects. He is interested in sport and appears to have a natural ability in the shop. Since he demonstrates a greater ability in Mechanical and has an opportunity to pursue a career in mechanics having inherited his grandfather’s tools, Roger might want to take every opportunity available t o him to pursue this subject in his sophomore year as well.

International Humanitarian Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Humanitarian Law - Case Study Example It is clear that the fighting in Ruritania may not be considered as conflicts of an international character. However, the facts of the case clearly states that the element of the crime as defined above is satisfied. The civilian guards did not take part in any hostilities such that they fall within the ambit of the above-mentioned provision. It is worthy to note the Report of the Preparatory Committee on the establishment of an International Criminal Court on the Draft Statute for the International Criminal Court, addendum 1, UN Doc. /CONF.183/2/Add.1, p. 21. The employment of children to support the front line, or activities at the front line itself, would be included within the said provision. In the instant case, Samba (13 yrs) and Yade (14 yrs) were chosen as personal bodyguards of Guru X because they are the strongest 'junior Panthers. This act clearly violates the above-stated provision. In the case of Prosecutor v. Lubanga, Decision on the confirmation of charges, 29 January 2007 the ICC pronounced that Articles 8(2)(b)(xxvi) and 8(2)(e)(vii) are applicable even if children are employed to safeguard the physical safety of military commanders (Par. 263). It might be argued that the recruitment taken by the Black Panthers is not covered under the purview of conscription and enlistment. In this regard, the disquisit ion in the same case is illuminating thus: "The Rome Statute prefers the terms "conscripting" and "enlisting" to "recruitment". In light of the foregoing, the Chamber holds the view that "conscripting" and "enlisting" are two forms of recruitment, "conscripting" being forcible recruitment, while "enlisting" pertains more to voluntary recruitment. It follows therefore that enlisting is a "voluntary" act, whilst conscripting is forcible recruitment. In other words, the child's consent is not a valid defence." (par 246-247). Hence, whether or not the enticement of the children to join the Black Panthers was done through force or by the voluntary acts of the former, the same is prohibited by the Statute. Although the plan of Guru X to forcibly compel the captured prisoners of the Black Panthers to join them were not followed by his second in command-Tutu, the setting up of recruitment centers in safe places within Ruritania, taking into account the fact that the Black Panthers did not even bother to ascertain the ages of the recruits, clearly violated the Statute, even though the conflict in the country is not international in character. Looking now into the individual

Tourism Tech and Innovation Preliminary Report

Tourism Tech and Innovation Preliminary Report Tourism Tech and Innovation Preliminary Report This tourism tech and innovation preliminary report is about Top Shots Fun Park in Sunshine Coast in Australia. This is considered to be a full fledge package for family entertainment and serves as an attraction to a large population. The amusement Park has many different activities and individuals can choose from a variety of different games and activities that are available there. The Park has indoor rock climbing, 18 hole minigolf courses, turn and spin, cannon ball blaster and various other activities for lovers of water sports. There are many arcade games which are operated through coins. In addition to this, there is also a fast food cafà © on site to cater to the needs of individuals who feel hungry during their visit. Moreover, there are a variety of different packages that can be chosen from if someone wants to book a party place for young kids. Innovation refers to applying new and novel solutions in order to be able to meet challenges in a better manner so as to cater to the existing market needs. The scientific field related to innovation has introduced the concept of technological innovation in order to provide an explanation of the rate and nature of innovation due to technological change (Ryan, 2013). Therefore, a dynamic network which consists of various agents who interact together for making greater utilization of technology along with its diffusion and generation is known as the technological innovation system. The new wave of technological innovation focuses on using social networking services in order to better help businesses in reaching their target market and increasing their customer base. The use of social networking services is growing in use and it can prove to be helpful for Top Shots Fun Park. Top Shots Fun Park has many attractive activities and has a good website to provide information about the business. The website is quite detailed and gives information regarding the opening and closing times of the Park and information about different rides and their prices also. However, the business could possibly make use of more social networking services to enhance its service level and make the business better. This would in turn lead to an increase in turnover for the business as the message would reach a larger audience and more people will visit the Park on a regular basis. A social networking service primarily provides a platform which helps in building social relations and social networks among individuals who are involved in the activities of the business or have real life connections with the business. There are many services that come under social networking which include platforms like Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, smartphone applications, email marketing, online live chat, social media advertising and promotions (Hoult, 2012). Top Shots Fun Park is already making use of promotions to make their business better and to increase their clientele. The website of the company provides information related to free gift vouchers and discount vouchers which can be availed under certain conditions. The prime purpose of using this technique is to attract more customers to visit the Park which would lead to an increase in revenue for the company. The company can also make use of promotion by giving surprise gifts to visitors or giving gift hampers on the purchase of a certain amount of tickets from the Park. Moreover, promotional campaigns can be held on different days of the week to attract more people to visit the Park during those days. These promotional campaigns can include various activities that might be of interest to the target market for the company (King, 2013). Social media platforms like twitter, LinkedIn and blogs can also be used for advertising the business and creating awareness about it in the market. The company should have an individual twitter page where all updates should be tweeted in a timely manner. The twitter updates should also inform followers about the latest promotions that are being offered at the Park and must also advertise any new or existing rides or activities (King, 2013). Top Shots Fun Park should also host an individual LinkedIn profile where professionals can directly contact for information and other services. Additionally, the company should start a new blog of their own which would cover the promotional campaigns that are being run in the Park as well as any changes in prices or additions to activities or rides in the Park. One of the best strategies that the company can use to make its services better is development of smartphone applications to supplement the activities and games found in the Park already. For instance, the 18 hole minigolf game that is found in the Park could be transformed into a game that can be downloaded in the form of an application in a smartphone. Once people start getting addicted to the game in their smartphone, the likelihood of them visiting the Park to play it in real will also increase. Smart phone applications can also be developed for the purpose of catering to users of the application who can keep a track of all the updates regarding the Park. This application could provide notification related to latest promotional campaigns and latest activities that are going on in the Park (Timonthy, 2010). In addition to this, the application should also allow users to make advance bookings using the application by signing into their member account which would be provided within the smart phone application (King, 2013). However, there are also some disadvantages to using smart phone application by the business. Firstly, the development of the application will cost the company a lot and this initial investment on developing the application will require a high budget but the benefits gained from it will eventually outweigh the cost. Secondly, individuals who do not use smart phones will not have access to the services provided through this new smart phone application. Another important way of using social networking services to bring an improvement to the business is through the use of email marketing. The company can make use of email marketing in order to advertise their existing services and making customers aware about the upcoming activities and promotions that the customers can avail. This email marketing would be done by initially using market segmentation. The segment of the market that the company is trying to cater to will be targeted accordingly and email marketing campaign will be designed in order to cater to their tailored needs (Ryan, 2013). The success of any business depends on after sales service. The Top Shots Fun Park should make use of this technique in their business also. There should be online hand held terminals installed at the exit of the premises along with a counter where customers would be required to digitally submit their feedback about the Park and the services provided along with any suggestions that they would like to make in order to make the quality of services and products better. The feedback should then be recorded in the online database which would be reviewed and amendments must be made accordingly (Smith, 2013). It is also highly important to have online live chat. This is something that the company website lacks. There should ideally be one section on the main page of the company website which would allow the users to reach live support with the help of using online live chat. The purpose of having this service for the customers is to provide the customers with convenience for getting information and proceeding with any queries that they might have (Ryan, 2013). Social media advertising campaigns should also be used to increase awareness about the amusement Park and create a strong level of brand loyalty in existing customers. There are various types of social media advertising which can be used. This includes advertising on Facebook, twitter and various other social media networking platforms to reach the targeted audience in a better manner. Hosting social media events can also help the business grow by keeping the fans of the business engaged in online activities related to the company. The company should keep weekly quizzes on social media and distribute gift hampers to winners of the game or activity that the social media event is all about. To conclude, it can be said that Top Shotss Fun Park is doing quite well and has a large amount of clientele that is attracted to the activities for family entertainment that are provided at the Park. However, there is always room for improvement and the business can make use of various social networking services in order to provide better services and products to the consumers and also improve the working of the business as a whole. References Hoult, K. (2012). Strategic planning and social media marketing. Social Media Conference, WWU. King, C. (2013). 16 social media marketing tips. Retrieved 23rd March, 2014 from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/ Top Shots Fun Park. (2014). Retrieved 23rd March, 2014 from http://www.TopShotssFunPark.com.au/ Ryan, F. (2013). Growing importance of technology and social networking services. New York Times. Smith, T. (2013). 40 ideas for your 2013 social media marketing plan. Exact Target Marketing Cloud Timonthy, R. (2010). Impact of smart phones on business. Journal of Marketing

World Bank Report Concept Of Water Security Environmental Sciences Essay

Water security implies low-cost entree to clean H2O for agribusiness, industrial and household use and is therefore of import portion of human security. Water along with nutrient and energy signifiers a critical portion of ‘new security docket ‘ and redefines the apprehension of security as a footing for policy response and long term planning. 23. Water security for India implies effectual responses to altering H2O conditions in footings of quality, measure and uneven distribution. Unheeded it can consequence relationship between South Asiatic states. Water security has been recognized as being of import plenty to be enshrined in UN human rights declaration and is now a basis of UN ‘s millenium development ends[ 1 ]. Water insecurity is all permeant in South Asiatic part, seeable in struggles and tensenesss break outing within and across states. Therefore, the demand to incorporate H2O security as a cardinal constituent of human security is important. 24. Water Availability & A ; Consumption. Planet is covered largely by H2O but merely 3 % of it is fresh H2O and out of which 2 % is frozen in ice caps and glaciers. Mere 1 % is in signifier of lakes, pools, rivers, watercourses, swamps, marshesand bogs is readily available for human ingestion. By 2030 it is believed that demand for H2O will be 40 % more than its current demand and 50 % higher in most rapidlydeveloping states that include India and China[ 2 ].As per the estimations, by 2030 universe population is projected to make 7.5 billion ( low estimation ) and 9 billion ( medium estimation ) by 2050 from the current degree of 6.7 billion people.The majority of the population addition will be in states already sing H2O deficits. The of all time spread outing spread between demand ( in footings of turning population & A ; economic system ) and supply ( in footings of handiness ) will potentially do H2O a serious issue in the coming decennaries peculiarly in dumbly populated states . 25. Union Ministry of H2O resources has estimated the states H2O demands to be around 1093 BCM for the twelvemonth 2025 and 1447 BCM for the twelvemonth 2050. With jutting population growthof 1.4 billion by 2050, the entire available H2O resources would hardly fit the entire H2O demands of the state. In 1951 the one-year per capita handiness of H2O was 5177m, which reduced to 1342m by 2000. The facts indicate that India is expected to go ‘water stressed ‘ by 2025 and ‘water scarce ‘ by 2050. Harmonizing to the UNEP. ‘water emphasis ‘ occurs when demand for H2O exceeds the available sum during a certain period or when hapless quality restricts its usage. Water emphasis causes impairment of fresh H2O resources in footings of quality and measure. A state whose renewable fresh H2O handiness on an one-year per capita footing, exceeds about 1700 centimeter will endure merely occasional or local H2O job. Below this threshold states being to see periodic o r regular H2O emphasis. When fresh H2O handiness falls below 1000cm per individual per twelvemonth, states experience chronic H2O scarceness, in which the deficiency of H2O Begins to halter economic development, human wellness and good being. When renewable fresh H2O supplies fall below 500 centimeters per individual, states experience absolute scarceness. 24. Six billion people of planet Earth use about 30 % of the universe ‘s entire accessible renewable supply of H2O. By 2025, that value may make 70 % . Yet at present one million millions of people lack basic H2O services and 1000000s die each twelvemonth from H2O related diseases. Some believe that fresh H2O will be critical restricting resource for many parts in the close hereafter. About one tierce of te universe ‘s population lies in states that are sing H2O emphasis. In Asia, where H2O has ever been regarded as an abundant resource per capita handiness declined by 40-60 % between 1955 & A ; 1990. Projections suggest that most Asiatic states will hold terrible H2O jobs by the twelvemonth 2025. 25. Water Security. Water security is an elusive construct, but consensus is get downing to emerge in the universe community as to its dimensions, its parametric quantities, and the best attacks for its accomplishment. The Second World Water Forum Ministerial Declaration ( 2000 ) , endorsed that H2O security implies the followers: – Human entree to safe and low-cost H2O for wellness and wellbeing. Assurance of economic and political stableness. Protection of human populations from the hazards of water-related jeopardies. Equitable and concerted sharing of H2O resources. Complete and just rating of the resource. Sustainability of ecosystems at all parts of the hydrologic rhythm.Dimensions of Water Security26. The issue of H2O security has several dimensions such as viing utilizations, debasement of quality and scarceness. World Bank defines it as a combination of increased productiveness and lessened destructivity of H2O. In the yesteryear, the competition for H2O has triggered societal tensenesss and struggles between water-use sectors and states as the domestic demands for H2O has forced authoritiess to be after and put in expansive H2O undertakings such as the River-Linking Project by India and Three Gorges undertaking by China. The H2O profile of the part with complex mutualities implies that internal kineticss within a state may now progressively manifest itself in an inter-State dimension. 27. Water is arguably one of humanity ‘s most valuable resources and that is why all antediluvian civilisations grew along rivers be it the Indus or the Nile. It has come under increased demand due to rapid population and economic growing and may go a changeless beginning of struggles both within the states every bit good as between states. South Asia is an disposed instance survey of H2O both as a beginning of cooperation and every bit good as struggle. The concern for H2O is more pressing in the South Asiatic mainland dwelling of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Nepal. The China factor and impact of its H2O policies has added another dimension to the job. 28. Water scarceness is a serious and turning job throughout the universe, and the twin force per unit areas of ‘Population Growth ‘ and ‘Climate Change ‘ will merely escalate this job. The United Nations estimates that â€Å" the figure of people populating in water-stressed states will increase from about 700 million today to more than 3 billion by 2035[ 3 ]. The underdeveloped universe entirely will be home to 90 % of the 3 billion people expected to be added to the planetary population by 2025. 29. It is estimated that by 2025, over half of the universe ‘s dwellers will be straight affected by H2O scarceness. Most of them will populate in either China or India. China has entree to about 7 % cent of the universe ‘s H2O resources, but is place to around 20 % of the planetary population, while India possesses about 4 % of H2O resources with merely a somewhat smaller public[ 4 ]. Both states, along with eight other Asiatic states and 47 % of the universe ‘s people, are to a great extent dependent on the Tibetan Plateau for H2O. Any H2O policies for the part hence will hold a multinational impact. 30. Measured by conventional indexs, H2O emphasis, which occurs when the demand for H2O exceeds the available sum during a certain period or when hapless quality restricts its usage, is increasing quickly, particularly in developing states like India and China. Harmonizing to the 2006 Human Development Report[ 5 ], about 700 million people in 43 states live below the water-stress threshold of 1,700 three-dimensional metres per individual. By 2025, this figure will make 3 billion, as H2O emphasis intensifies in China, India, and South Asia.Factors Determining Water Security31. The graduated table of the ever-present social challenge of accomplishing and prolonging H2O security is determined by many factors, of which three stand out. First there is the hydrologic environment, the absolute degree of H2O resource handiness, its inter- and intra-annual variableness and its spacial distribution, which is a natural bequest that a society inherits. Second, there is the socio-economic environ ment, the construction of the economic system and the behaviour of its histrions, which will rei ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ect natural and cultural bequests and policy picks. Third, there will be alterations in the hereafter environment, with considerable and turning grounds that clime alteration will be a major portion. These factors will play of import functions in finding the establishments and the types and graduated tables of substructure needed to accomplish H2O security.The Hydrologic Environment32. Relatively low rainfall variableness, with rain distributed throughout the twelvemonth and Perennial River i ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ows sustained by groundwater base i ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ows, consequences in hydrology that is comparatively â€Å" easy † to pull off. Achieving a basic degree of H2O security is straightforward and requires relatively low degrees of accomplishment and investing ( chiefly because H2O is sufi ¬?cient, widespread and comparatively dependable ) . â€Å" Difi ¬?cult † hydrol ogies are those of absolute H2O scarceness ( i.e. comeuppances ) and, at the other extreme, low-lying lands where there is terrible i ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ood hazard. Even more difi ¬?cult is where rainfall is markedly seasonal or where there is high inter-annual clime variableness. With progressively â€Å" difi ¬?cult † hydrology, the degree of institutional rei ¬?nement and substructure investing needed to accomplish basic H2O security becomes signii ¬?cantly greater. Not coincidently, most of the universe ‘s hapless face difi ¬?cult hydrologies. 33. A bequest of trans-boundary Waterss, hydrologic and political or a â€Å" trans-boundary † hydrologic bequest can signii ¬?cantly perplex the undertaking of pull offing and developing H2O to accomplish H2O security owing to inter-jurisdictional competition both within and between states. While this is clearly evident in federal states with some province sovereignty over H2O, it is peculiarly acute in the instance of international trans-boundary Waterss. Rei ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ecting this complexness, the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses was under readying for 20 seven old ages prior to acceptance by the UN General Assembly in 1997 and has non been entered into force. Many of today ‘s trans-boundary basins are the consequence of twentieth Century colonial boundary lines that cut across water partings and created international rivers, peculiarly in South Asia.The Socio-Economic Environment34. Water Infrastructure and Institut ions. Investings in H2O substructure and establishments are about ever needed to accomplish H2O security. States with â€Å" difi ¬?cult hydrology † will constantly necessitate more substructure and stronger establishments, with the development of each of these being greatly complicated where Waterss are trans-boundary. In about all societies, semisynthetic assets have besides been developed, from simple small-scale cheque dikes, weirs and bunds that became the foundation of early civilizations, to, at the other terminal of the graduated table, investing in bulk H2O direction substructure typically developed by industrialising states, such as multipurpose dikes for river ordinance and storage and inter-basin transportation strategies. 35. Macroeconomic Structure and Resilience. The construction of economic systems plays an of import function, with more vulnerable economic systems necessitating more investing to accomplish H2O security. Historical investings in H2O direction establishments and substructure, the economic system ‘s trust on H2O resources for income coevals and employment and its exposure to H2O dazes will all be relevant. 36. Hazard and the Behaviour of Economic Areas. In the poorest states, where endurance is a existent concern for big parts of the population and there are few functional societal safety cyberspaces, economic histrions tend to be highly risk averse, puting merely after there is signii ¬?cant presentation of returns. States with â€Å" difi ¬?cult † hydrology, such as India and Pakistan may good confront the highest hazards ; yet have the most risk-averse populations, the lowest substructure investing and the weakest establishments.Climate Change37. Climate alteration is doing H2O security harder to accomplish and prolong. Global clime alteration is likely to increase the complexness and costs of guaranting H2O security. Overall, climate alteration is expected to take to decreased H2O handiness in the states that are already H2O scarce and an addition in the variableness with which the H2O is delivered. This combination of hydrological variableness and extremes is at the bosom of the challenge of accomplishing basic H2O security. The H2O security challenge will hence be compounded by clime alteration and it will necessitate signii ¬?cant version by all states. This will peculiarly be the instance in hapless states which lack the establishments and substructure to pull off, shop and present their H2O resources and where clime alteration will be superimposed on bing and in some instances utmost exposures. 38. Harmonizing to assorted scientific studies, by 2050 Himalayan glaciers will hold receded by 27.2 % . Slow depletion of these glaciers would greatly cut down the river H2O flow particularly to India, escalating bing jobs of H2O scarceness and competition. Similar alterations will impact the 11 Asiatic states to which Himalayan Waterss flow[ 6 ]. A 2009 Purdue University survey, predicts an eastern displacement in monsoon circulation caused by the altering clime, which today causes more rainfall over the Indian Ocean, Bangladesh and Burma and less rainfall over India, Nepal and Pakistan. This displacement raises serious concerns for the states anticipating reduced rainfall. Summer monsoon rainfall provides 90 % of India`s entire H2O supply and as the effects of clime alteration become more marked, agricultural populations in India and Pakistan dependant on monsoons and glacial thaw for irrigation will be deeply affected.International Conventions on Water Sharing39. Water knows no b oundaries and flows in maintaining with the ballad of the land, necessitating Riparian International Water Laws to regulate the non navigational usage. The 1815 Law for the Navigational Use of International Waters secured the critical sea lines of communicating between the western states and the colonial powers. Ironically, no such Torahs were created for direction of the river classs. 40. United Nations General Assembly Convention. In 1966, the International Law Association adopted the Helsinki Rules, which provide a set of guidelines for ‘reasonable and just ‘ sharing of common waterways. In 1970, the United Nations General Assembly commissioned is ain legal advisory organic structure, the International Law Commission ( ILC ) , to analyze â€Å" Codification of the Law on Water Courses for Purposes other than Navigation. † The first formal effort to pull off the riparian Waterss was the 1997 Draft United Nations Convention, which is yet to be ratified by the needed figure of states. 41. The convention has been criticized as it is practically impossible to hold one convention that would integrate all possible scenarios, as besides a specific convention would be unacceptable to all members of the UN as demands and demands defer from part to part and state to state.Generalized Principles of Trans-boundary Water Allotment42. Water has become a important beginning of struggle and has led to differing perceptual experiences between assorted provinces such as the Arabs and Israelis, Americans and Mexicans, and among all 10s Nile basin co-riparians. The generalised rules to extenuate jobs of H2O allotment include Absolute Sovereignty, Absolute Riverine Integrity, Limited Territorial Sovereignty and Economic Criteria[ 7 ]. These can be summarized as under: – ( a ) Absolute sovereignty is based on hydrography and implies one-sided control over Waterss within a state ‘s district while the philosophy of absolute riverine unity emphasizes the importance of historical use, or chronology, and suggests that every riparian has a right to the Waterss that flow through its district. ( B ) Limited territorial sovereignty reflects the right to reasonable and just usage of international Waterss while bring downing no important injury on any other co-riparian while the rule of economic standards uses the market to apportion H2O among viing users in an economically efficient mode.Approachs to Water Security43. In seeking to understand the assorted histrions and their attacks on the issue of H2O, it is of import to recognize at the beginning that there are plurality of histrions in the H2O sector-the province which includes authoritiess, bureaucratism and the province machinery, who can besides be termed the â€Å" directors † and the market ; civil society administrations and groups ; H2O communities or H2O users ; and knowledge establishments. Each group is characterised with its ain schemes and attacks, and within each group there are differences and fluctuations. 44. Technology Solutions. As the demand for this scarce resource additions daily, it has become an pressing necessity that H2O should be conserved and wastage of this scarce resource should be minimized. Some of the of import techniques such as rainwater harvest home, recycling, infrared or pes operated spigots, drip irrigation method etc save the use of H2O but there is a demand to germinate engineering solutions to this crisis. 45. Drain Basin Approach to Water Security. Drain basins are an indispensable, if non the lone factor in cut downing H2O emphasis. They have besides been historically of import for finding territorial boundaries, peculiarly in parts where trade by H2O has been of import. It is hence natural to pull off H2O resources on the footing of single basins because the drainage basins are consistent entities in a hydrological sense.