Role of mass media in providing information to masses about environmental pollution

The present study was particularly focused on the role of media in providing information to masses about environmental pollution and to investigate the extent, which the respondents were utilizing the different sources of media in order to get awareness about the causes and consequences of environmental pollution. The universe of the present study was limited to the urban areas of Faisalabad. Three areas were randomly selected in order to conduct the research. A sample of 120 respondents was comprised in such away that 40 respondents were selected from each selected arca through systematic random sampling technique. About sixty five percent of the respondents belonged to the age group of 20 to 30 years. Majority of the respondents were married and educated. About 24% of the respondents were businessmen or shopkeeper or shopkeeper. The monthly income of forty-percent respondents was above 7000. Majority of the respondents having knowledge about environmental pollution and considered environmental pollution as problem. Majority of the respondents having the facility of sewage system in their houses, using Tap water for the purpose of drinking and unsatisfied with the quality of their drinking water. They have knowledge about that the poor quality of drinking water is injurious for health. It was found that majority of the respondents were not giving any treatment to the drinking water before use. Majority of the respondents about seventy seven percent were using sui-gas as a fuel and for other purposes in their houses. It was found that majority of the respondents i.e., fifty four percent were hawing the radio set listing the programmes like drama, advertisement and experts discussion about the environmental pollution and getting maximum information about environmental pollution through the programmes broadcasting by radio. It was found that majority of the respondents having TV set watching different programmes on TV about environmental pollution and getting maximum information about environmental pollution, from documentaries, advertisements and dramas telecast by television. It was found that majority of the respondents about eighty four percent read the newspaper and getting some information about environmental pollution through newspaper. It was found that a large percentage of the respondents about fifty eight percent were unsatisfied with the information provided by the media sources. Television was ranked the best source of media in providing information about pollution by sixty five percent respondents. Newspaper was ranked as second best by thirty seven point five percent of the respondents. Radio as third best by twenty eight point eight percent respondents. Advertisement as fourth best was ranked by twenty four percent of the respondents. Lecture was ranked as fifth best by twenty two point seven percent of the respondents. Seminar as fifth best was ranked by the twenty five percent of the respondents and it was also found that twenty nine percent respondents ranked group discussion as the seventh best source of media in spreading information about environmental pollution.