NEWSPAPER CAMPAIGNS - A SOCIAL MARKETING STRATEGY OF THE TIMES OF INDIA

NEWSPAPER CAMPAIGNS - A SOCIAL MARKETING STRATEGY OF THE TIMES OF INDIA

For the past few words, newspaper campaigns have become the buzz word in the field of print media, which major media houses starting various campaigns targeting social issues. The campaigns of The Times of India, especially Lead India, Teach India and Aman Ki Asha, are some of the most prominent among them. These campaigns dealt with pertinent issues in today??s society like illiteracy, corruption, accountability among citizens and Indo-Pak relations. However, in the light of recent controversies involving the media and excessive importance being given by them to advertising, the role of newspapers as watchdogs of the society is being questioned. The researcher, thus, seeks to understand whether these campaigns are genuine initiatives for social changes or a tool by the newspaper to increase readership. This study will analyze the impact of the campaigns on the readers of The Times of India. Through quantitative research using questionnaire, this study will also gauge the opinion of the readers on whether newspapers of today are capable of being agents of social change. The methods of research will include quantitative analysis by questionnaire method to understand how people perceive the newspaper campaigns of The Times of India and in general, the potential of newspapers to bring about social change. A sample size of 100 Times of India readers was selected using the stratified random sampling technique. The study revealed the intentions of the campaigns of The Times of India as well as potential of newspapers in bringing about social change as perceived by the readers of The Times of India.

Belman Rao Aishwarya

Media Studies