UNIT-2

Mass Media- Print, Radio, Television and Film. Functions and role of mass

media in society- Providing information, Education and entertainment. Media

and Social change and Social responsibility.

MASS MEDIA +

Mass media denotes a section of the media specifically designed to reach a very large audience such as the population of a nation state. The term was coined in the 1920s with the advent of nationwide radio networks, mass-circulation newspapers and magazines. However, some forms of mass media such as books and manuscripts had already been in use centuries. The term public media has a similar meaning: it is the sum of the public mass distributors of news and entertainment across media such as newspapers, television and radio.

To educate to inform and to entertain are the three major roles assigned to mass media. Mass Media constitute a powerful and pervading force in our lives. We are exposed daily to a bombardment of media messages. Most of the news we receive about our community our state, the nation and the world comes to us through newspapers, magazines, TV and Radio now a days internet. The information and views communicated through these media have great impact on our attitudes towards people events and problems. Due to mass media the range and amount of information available to the people has vastly increased.

Mass media can be used for various purposes:

Advocacy , both for business and social concerns. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication.

Entertainment , traditionally through performances of acting, music, and sports, along with light reading; since the late 20th century also through video and computer games.

Public service announcements

Negative characteristics of mass media The manipulation of large groups of people through media outlets, for the benefit of a

particular political party and/or group of people. Marshall McLuhan , one of the biggest critics in media's history, brought up the idea that

"the medium is the message." Bias, political or otherwise, towards favoring a certain individual, outcome or resolution

of an event. "The corporate media is not a watchdog protecting us from the powerful; it is a lapdog

begging for scraps."

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DIFFERENT FORMS OF MASS MEDIA

PRINT MEDIA

Print media in India has undergone revolution in last 20 years. Their role layout visual display and reading material have advanced and this has resulted in to becoming more challenging and competitive in nature. It has grown enormously in quantity and variety. Consequently the print media in regional languages has also developed.

There is marked advancement in printing, composing layout and visual display. With this advancement print media is constantly trying to compete with electronic media although their nature and characteristics are different. The various print media including Newspapers, Magazines, books, booklets, pamphlets other periodicals and so on.

Today’s print media face the challenge of educating and entertaining readers so that they can participate fully in the affairs of the country. A part from this they face the challenge of electronic media too. It is obvious that they can not compete with electronic media but they have an important role to play as a “social watchdog, social monitor, constructive critic and stimulator” of new ideas. Thus, they occupy a prestigious position among the media of today.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PRINT MEDIA:

The invention of print media has not only accelerated the culture of mankind but also brought in Cultural Revolution resulting in rapid scientific and technological advancements.

1. Educating the Masses:- it is expected that the use of print medium will increase significantly with the increase of literacy and purchasing power of the people. Media experts did fear that the print media usage will decline with the increasing use of TV as mass medium but it has proved wrong. Print media used for mass communication are powerful sources of bringing about attitudinal changes and motivating people for action. They have a unique place in their continuing education.

2. Provide place for debate: - Newspapers or print medium provides place for debate on various issues. For example: topics like political participation of women and civic affairs, discussed in series of articles in “The Times of India” provided a every effective plat form to debate on these topics by the people from a cross section of the society. These national debate in newspapers analyze and mould the culture and influence the government.

3. Role of watchdog:- print medium as newspapers, magazines, journals etc. also play a role of watchdog and present a true picture of the events to the people many times.

4. Enlightens the society:- Newspapers as mass media today do not just observe and report but ask, pursue, investigate, doubt and demand. It is true that they cannot compete with radio and TV as far as fastness of news is concerned, but they serve independently as a supplement to these media by offering details of the news with thorough reporting and coverage.

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5. Social vitalize: - Newspapers and magazines offer wider variety of reading material and viewpoints of many people and thus provide better comprehension of the affairs and issues. They provide space for expression of their views and grievances in reader’s columns. Thus providing for feed back component of effective communication process. Thus, print media serve as social vitalizer

It is observed that newspapers report tension creating news and their editorial keep on emphasizing harmony and need for cordial community relations. Newspapers try to show that they are with the people.

TYPES OF PRINT MEDIAThere are variety of print medium available for communication. Newspapers periodicals,

journals, books, booklets, pamphlets and newsletters are the various types of print media. Newspapers: - a newspaper is a complete package of news, comments, information and entertainment and combination of these contents varies form paper to paper. Most people choose daily papers to match their specific tastes and individual newspapers have developed in different ways to provide for these. The tabloids are the popular papers printed on half the broadsheet size.

Magazines: There was a magazine boom in India in 1980’s magazine publication grew in both English and major Indian languages. The trend started with the launch of India Today in Mid seventies and the new look of illustrated weekly of India under the editorship of Kushwant singh. Magazines are of two types

1. General Interest magazines: they attempt to cater to a wide variety of reading interest. These are basically news magazines but they include section on arts, culture, sports, films, business, politics, and industry environment and so on. There are more that 500 such general interest magazines focus on news and current affairs having large readership. Example: India Today, The week, Out look etc.

2. Special interest magazines: - These Magazines cater to the interest of a specific profession or group such as Business India or Business today, women era famine etc.

3. Activist Journals: the alternative press has emerged as a result of the need of some of the group such as feminists environmentalists ethnic minorities or political activists etc to permit their point of vies many such groups feel that their voice is not heard and mainstream press is complacent and biased . So they publish their own papers and newssheets many such newspapers have grown in to profitable journals. But many find it difficult to attract advertising or to have good distribution because of their radical views. They perform a valuable function in offering a platform for a wide e spectrum of opinion.

Advantages of Print Media:-

The multi channel television has not led to a fall in the number and circulation of Newspaper in the country. This is because of the special advantages of these media:

1. When compared to other news media such as radio, TV buying a Newspaper is extremely cheaper and provides a wide variety of information.

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2. These media are portable without causing any inconveniences and provide good company when traveling alone or on long distances.

3. It is possible to read and re read them at one’s own pace and convenience4. As they export an item at any length people look for details of the event in news papers

even after watching TV or listening radio5. the production of print media is inexpensive as compared to production of programmes

on electronic media6. Newspapers provide publicity to the other mass media. By publishing the daily schedules

of radio, TV new books published in various areas fields as well as critical analysis of radio, TV programmes books and so on.

7. Newspapers and magazines carry advertisement as their important part many people by the paper to search through the classified advertisements for job and for other daily needs.

LIMITATIONS:-1. Half of the countries population is illiterate2. Increasing prices of papers and printing processes and advancement in printing

technology also made print media prices to go up.3. Only Newspapers have a good circulation compared with other print media.4. The content of print media like Newspapers and magazines go out of date soon.5. Lastly the mistakes in the printed materials can not be rectified immediately.

INVENTION OF PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Printing was invented by the Chinese somewhere around 600 A.D. They used wooden blocks to emboss characters/alphabets on paper. The modern print industry evolved after Johann Gutenberg invented the first printing system in the western world in the 15 th Century. After that the idea of printing spread rapidly and within fifty years over 30,000 books were printed. Printing procedures continued to be slow and cumbersome until 1800 when the French developed a machine that created paper in continuous rolls. And later in 1884 Ottmar Mergenthaler developed the linotype mechanized printing pressed that enabled mechanical type setting.

ORIGIN OF NEWSPAPERS

The first newspaper ‘Acta Diurna’ made an appearance around 59 BC in Rome under Julius Caesar’s rule. This paper included important social and political happenings in the state and it used to be put up as a notice on white boards outside the senate. In 8 th Century Chinese distributed the handwritten newssheets in Beijing. It was only after Gutenberg invented the printing press that the modern newspaper was born. Many countries had newspapers by the end of 17th Century. Germany had Relation (1605), France had Gazette (1631), Belgium had Niewwe Tjidingen (1616) and England had London Gazette (1665). Printing technology reached India in 1670.

ORIGIN OF PRESS IN INDIA - Before and after Independence

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First Newspaper in India/ Hickey’s Gazette/Bengal Gazette

English Newspapers were published by the British in India primarily to convey news from Britain and Europe to those residing here. The Christian missionaries were among the first to start a Newspaper in English. In those days the proprietors of the newspapers where those who had fallen from grace of the officers of the East India Company, so they were likely to criticize the operations of the company in the sub continent, in their papers. To this category belongs, JAMES AUGUSTUS HICKEY who takes the credit of having started the first English newspaper in British India in the year 1780. This was the first English newspaper in India and practically the first newspaper in India.

Hickey brought out the Bengal Gazette on January 29, 1780. He later renamed it as the Oriental Calcutta General Advertiser. It appeared weekly (every Saturday). Hickey attacked the East India Company rigorously through his paper. Finally when he indulged in casting aspersions on the wife of the Governor General Warren Hastings, he was forcefully deported on the Governor General’s order. A prominent merchant in the name of JAMES SILK BUCKINGHAM was another pioneer of English newspapers in India. He started the Calcutta Journal (Oct 2, 1818 – Nov 9, 1823) as is proprietor and editor. Buckingham was deported after the Chief Secretary of the Government announced his regulations on the free press by the way of compulsory press publication licensing. Other newspapers like Bengal Harkaru, Friend of India and Bengal Herald were quite popular in the beginning of the 19th Century.

Newspapers Years of First Publication State

Bombay Herald 1789 MumbaiMadras Courier 1785 ChennaiThe Times of India 1838 MumbaiAmrit Bazaar Patrika 1868 KolkataThe Statesman 1875 KolkataThe Hindu 1878 ChennaiThe Tribune 1881 Chandigarh

CONTRIBUTION OF PRESS TO INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE/ROLE OF PRESS IN INDIAN STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE

In 19th Century when just a few Indians were acquainted with the English language, some educated leaders ventured to publish English Newspapers and their efforts were successful as publications put across the majority of viewpoints to the British rulers and also initiated the British-influenced Indians into the freedom struggle. The struggle for freedom gained

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momentum in the last two years of the 19th Century. MK Gandhi who had regularly published “Indian opinion in South Africa” continued to bring out paper even after returning to India.

In addition, he started a publication called Harijan, with this Gandhiji exhorted the press in general to support the struggle for freedom and to continue to appear even in form of handwritten pamphlets in case the printing equipment was confiscated. In spite of the constraints, the English papers continued to criticize the British government fearlessly.

The anti-government statement by the papers was not tolerated by the British crown. The punishments were very severe and the penalties ranged from life imprisonment to fines. The man who becomes noteworthy victim of these new laws was Tilak, editor of Kesari. He was jailed many times. World War I introduced severe press laws the vernacular press suffered rigorous suppression for their nationalist attitude. The Swaraj party led by C.R Das, Vallabhai Patel and Motilal Nehru launched Bengal Katha in Calcutta. Hindustan Times and Basumati in North. During the ‘Quit India Movement’ and ‘World War II’ the press in India including the English language press in India including the English language press played a commendable role in reporting the struggle for freedom and opposed communal riots. Therefore it could be said that press played a great role in India’s victory to freedom.

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RADIO

Radio or Wireless telegraphy owes its invention to telegraph and telephone. Broadcast radio exploded on to the media scene in 1902. Guglielmo Marconi was the first person to demonstrate exchange of first radio signals in Italy in 1895. Nikola Tesla was the first person to patent the radio technology in 1943. The early development radio revolved around the perfection of point-to-point broadcasting as a substitute for transmission by cable or telephone lines.

Broadcast Radio in India

Broadcast radio in India was introduced by amateur radio clubs in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras and Lahore, though even before the clubs launched their ventures, several experimental broadcasts were conducted in Bombay and other cities. Times of India records that the first ever broadcast was transmitted from the roof of its building in August 20, 1921. However the first license granted for transmitting a broadcast was given only on February 23, 1922. The Radio club of Calcutta was perhaps the first amateur radio club to start functioning, followed by The Madras Presidency Radio Club which was formed on May 16, 1924. Due to financial difficulties, the clubs joined each other and formed the Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd. (IBC) in 1927. Englishman Lionel Fielden was appointed as India’s first Controller of Broadcasting.

Introduction:

Despite the onslaught of television, radio has its place as a medium of communication. Before the invasion of television into our living room, radio was a bright major, rational, general audience medium. Radio was the most effective form of mass communication until early 80s. In the zeal of the government to promote television in the 80s, radio had been steadily neglected.

In the rural areas, radio has still remained a medium for information and development. It is still a popular medium in rural areas and lower strata of the urban society. It is argued that radio has lost its opportunity for good, but Britain has shown that television does not kill radio. In fact, there is plenty of evidence to show that after the initial onslaught by television, radio re-established itself very firmly.

Growth and Development of All India Radio

The first radio program in India was broadcast by the Radio Club in Bombay in June 1923. It was followed by setting up of a broadcasting service that began broadcasting in India in June 1927 on an experimental basis at Bombay Kolkata simultaneously under an agreement between Government of India and a private company called the ‘Indian Broadcasting Company Limited’. In 1930, Indian Broadcasting Company handed over Bombay Station to the government and it was renamed as the ‘Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS). It was renamed All India Radio on 8th June 1936 and came to be known as Akashwani from 1957.

When India became independent the AIR network had only 6 stations located in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Lucknow and Thiruchirapalli with a total complement of 18 transmitters, 6 on the medium wave and the rest on the short wave, confined to urban limits of

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the above mentioned cities. As against a mere 2,75,000 receiving sets at the time of Independence, today AIR has a network of 215 broadcasting centers including 77 local radio stations with 144 medium frequency, 54 high frequency (SW) and 139 FM transmitters.

The coverage is 91.42% of the area, serving 99.12% of the people in the largest democracy in the world. AIR covers 24 languages in 146 dialects in home service, in external services, it covers 27 languages, 17 national and 10 foreign languages. According to AIR 1995, there are 104 million estimated radio households and 111 million radio sets.

Before 1976, television constituted a part of All India Radio. After that, it was separated from AIR and constituted into a new body and under a new banner Doordarshan. Now AIR is also called Akashvani like television is called Doordarshan. Radio is one of the media units of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Today 77 local stations, 3 Vividh Bharathi Broadcasting Centers and 3 relay centers and one Auxiliary center.

The phenomenal growth achieved by AIR through decades has made it one of the largest media organizations in the world.

Radio as a Mass Medium

Radio is widely used mass communication medium and has a great potentiality in dissemination of information as radio signals covering almost entire population. More than 215 broadcasting centers, covering 91.42% of the area, serving 99.13% of the population in the largest democracy of the world.

Radio being a convenient form of entertainment caters to a large audience with the advent of transistors this medium has reached the common man in urban and rural area of India, though the utilization of radio is more among rural elites. It has advantages over the other mass media like TV, and newspapers in terms of being handy, portable, easily accessible and cheap. It is the most portable of the broadcast media being accessible at home, office, car, buses, street or beach, virtually everywhere at all times.

Radio is effective not only in informing the people but also in creating awareness regarding many social issues and need for social reformation, developing interest and initiating action. For e.g. in creating awareness regarding new policies, development projects, programmes, new ideas etc. It can help in creating a positive climate for growth and development.

In India, radio with its penetration to the rural areas is becoming a powerful medium for advertisers. It gets 3% of the national advertising budget. Radio is still the cheap alternative to television, but is no longer the poor medium in advertising terms. Since radio listening is so widespread it has prospered as an advertising medium for reaching local audience.

As far as audience is concerned radio does not hamper person’s mobility. As a vehicle of information for masses it is still the fastest. For instance it would take less time for a news

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reporter for radio to arrive on the spot with a microphone and recorder than the same for TV along with shooting team and equipment.

Another important feature of radio as a mass medium is that it caters to a large rural population which has no access to TV and where there is no power supply. In such places, AIR programmes continue to be the only source of information and entertainment. Moreover AIR broadcast programmes in 24 languages and 146 dialects in home service.

Arora says, “Radio should be treated akin to newspapers in view of the fact that it is local, inexpensive, linked to communities, has limited bandwidth and operates through simple technology.”

It can serve as a stand alone medium of information dissemination or a support medium for curricular learning jointly with print material or with field work.

Kapoor, Director General of AIR (1995) said, “Radio is far more interactive and stimulating medium that TV where the viewer is spoon-fed. Radio allows you to think, to use your imagination that is why nobody ever called it the idiot-box”.

Objectives of the AIR

The AIR aims at providing information, education and wholesome entertainment keeping in view the motto, “Bahujan Hitya Bahujan Sukhya” i.e. Benefit and happiness of the large sections of the people. These are the objectives of AIR –

To uphold the unity of the country and the democratic values enlisted in the constitution and promote national integration.

Present a fair and balanced flow of information of national, regional, local and international interest, including contrasting views, without advocating any opinion or ideology of its own.

To promote the interest and concern of the entire nation ensuring that the programmes reflect the varied elements which make up the composite culture of India.

To produce and transmit varied programmes designed to awaken, inform, enlighten, educate, entertain and enrich all sections of the people.

To produce and transmit programmes relating to development activities in all their facets including extension work in Agriculture, Education, Health, and Family Welfare & Science and Technology.

To serve the rural population, minority communities, women, children, illiterate as well as other weaker and vulnerable sections of the society.

Current broadcasting policy is based on the AIR Code of 1970 which sets down that broadcasts on All India Radio will not permit –

Criticism of friendly countries Attack on religion and communities

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Anything obscene or defamatory Incitement to violence or anything against the maintenance of law and order. Anything amounting to contempt of court. Aspersions against the integrity of the president, governors and judiciary. Attack on a political party by name. Hostile criticism of any state or centre. Anything showing disrespect to the constitution or advocating a change in the

constitutional way should not be debarred. The broadcasting of the news of the death of high dignitaries such as the president, the

vice president, the Prime Minister and few others can be done only after it has been cleared by the Home Secretary.

VIVIDH BHARATI

The Vividh Bharathi was started on 2nd October 1957, as a service if light entertainment. Within no time the Vividh Bharathi proved to be a popular channel in every household. The service provided entertainment for nearly 15-17 hours a day. It presented a mix of film music, skits, short plays and interactive programmes. Some of the old popular prorgammes of Vividh Bharathi are – Sangeeth Saritha, Bhoole Bisre Geet, Hawa Mahal, Jai Mala, In Se Miliye, Chhaya Geet etc. are distinctly recognized by the listeners. From time to time new programmes were introduced like Bioscope ki Baatein, Sargam ki Sitare, Celluloid ke Sitare, Hello Farmaish.

All these programmes are produced centrally at Vividh Bharathi service Mumbai, and uplinked to the the satellite. 40 Vividh Bharathi stations across the country down linked these programmes through captive earth stations provided at each of these AIR stations some local programme windows are also provided at these stations to give regional flavor to the listeners. These 40 Vividh Bharathi stations are known as commercial Broadcasting service stations and are located at all major and commercially vibrant cities covering 97% of the Indian Population. In 1999 Vividh Bharathi service proved its success connecting Indian soldiers posted on remote border areas to their family members through a special programme entitled Hello Kargil through which not only family members of the soldiers but even laymen including young and old conveyed their best wishes to the soldiers to keep up their morale.

Eminent actors, playback singers, renowned writers, lyricists, directors and music directors have found way to express their opinion through Vividh Bharathi. A special programme entitled Ujaale Unki Yaadon Ke takes listeners into the world of nostalgia dipping in to the memories of the artists of yesteryears.

On the other hand, debate continued on broadcasting film music on AIR. Earlier AIR had banned film music on its programmes for the reason that it felt that film music was too cheap and vulgar to be broadcast on AIR. But later AIR started broadcasting film music for it was popular on radio and fetched good ad revenue.

Recent Innovations in AIR/ FM RADIO

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Frequency Modulation (FM) Broadcast – In FM radio signals from transmitting station travel into space without hindrance. There is no reflection of signals by the upper atmosphere. It is just sufficient that the reception set is within the area of the station. It is often called FM radio station. Some stations are referred to as clear channel stations, which refer to powerful station broadcasting to wide area without any reference.

It is eventually a local channel with a reach of 70km radius from the place of transmission. Owing to its crystal clear operation it has traditionally been used for broadcasting music, often intercepted with local news and whether forecasts. FM was introduced in 1977 but it was not really activated. The hours of FM Broadcast increased from 6hrs to 12hrs a day. All metros Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai have a 24hr-FM service.

FM radio is the key to the comeback of radio. The local music talents, who have earlier been wholly dependent on music festivals and New Year parties, now have FM to turn for promotional help. It brings local artists to the force thus; FM radio has scope for its growth as a powerful medium.

CHARACTERISTICS OF RADIO:-

To succeed in highly competitive market place where television lifestyle magazines, Newspapers, cinema, theatre, videos and CDs jostle for the attention of a media conscious public the radio programme must first understand the strengths and weaknesses of his medium.

1. Radio makes pictures: It is a blind medium but one which can stimulate the imagination so that as soon as a voice comes out of the laud speaker the listener attempts to visualize what he hears and to create in the mind’ eye the owner of the voiceRadio speaks to millions: Radio is one of the mass media. The very term broadcasting indicates a wide coverage of every home village town city and country within the range of the transmitter.

2. Radio speaks to the individual: Radio is much more a personal thing coming direct to the listener. Unlike television where the viewer is observing something coming out of a box over there the sights and sounds of radio are created within us and can have greater impact and involvement.

3. The speed of radio: This medium is enormously flexible and is often at its best in the totally immediate live situation. No processing of film, no waiting for the printing. A report form a correspondent overseas, a listener talking on the phone, a sports result form the local stadium, a concert from the capital are all examples of the immediacy of radio.

4. Radio has no boundaries: Books and Magazines can be stopped at national frontiers but radio is no respecter of territorial limits its signals clear mountain barriers and cross ocean deeps. Radio can bring together those separated by geography or nationality- it can help to close other distances of culture or status.

Advantages of Radio:

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Local reach

Low cost

Easy for access

Greater Audience reach

Limitations of Radio:

It’s one way channel of communication

Only audio medium visual effect is missing

Not suitable for all types of commercials

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TELEVISION

DEVELOPMENT OF TV IN INDIA

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF DOORDARSHAN

Television came to India on Sept 15, 1959 with experimental transmission from Delhi. It was a modest beginning with a makeshift studio and a low power transmitter. The objective was to find out what it can achieve in community development and formal education.

In 1961 television programmes for teachers were started. A daily one hour service with news bulletin was started in 1965 including entertainment programmes. In 1967 rural programmes like Krishi Darshan were started for farmers in 80 villages with teleclubs in Delhi and Haryana.

In 1972, TV services were extended to a second city Mumbai. By 1975 Kolkata, Chennai, Srinagar, Amritsar and Lucknow also had TV stations. In 1975-76 the Satellite Instructional TV Experiment (SITE) bought TV to 2,400 villages in the most inaccessible and the least developed areas for one year. From 1976 television was separated from AIR and constituted under a new body under the new banner called Doordarshan. At present it is one of the media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

At present, DD telecasts programs on 19 channels. These channels supplement and complement each other. DD 1 is the primary channel, the flagship of Doordarshan. The programmes are addressed to the entire country. There are three components in these programmes – National, Regional and Local. The National and Higher education TV programmes are relayed by all territorial DD-1 transmitters

DD-3 is a composite service and telecasts three feature films each day, covers sports in the evening and puts out a composite programme on culture, current affairs and business news in prime time.

DD-11 and DD-13 channels are regional language channels. Each channel telecasts two types of programmes, the regional service and additional entertainment programmes. DD-CNN1 is the channel that telecasts news and current affair stories.

Prasar Bharathi (Broadcasting Corporation of India)

The year 1997 was the landmark year which saw far reaching measures to free broadcast media from the shackles of Government control. 50 years after independence it was the first instance of a government voluntarily bringing legislation to free the media from its control which may set in motion a chain of events in the country bringing revolutionary changes in the field.

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For over three decades beginning with Chanda Committee report in 1966 and continuing through reports of the Verghese committee (Akash Bharathi) in 1978 and the Joshi committee report in 1985 – expert committee set up by the government made a case for organizational restructuring of Broadcasting so as to give it greater autonomy.

As a result, the Prasara Bharathi Act 1990 was formed by the government. It was kept idle for seven years. In July 1997 it was activated after being notified and came into force on Sept 22, 1997. Then came the amendments to the Act which were widely seen as ushering in a regime of full autonomy to AIR and DD. The Prasar Bharathi Board has been formed with an executive member and six part-time members pairing the way for granting autonomy to DD and AIR.

The objectives of the Prasar Bharathi Bill were –

To confer autonomy to Akash Vani and DD there by ensuring that they function in a fair, objective and creative manner

To uphold of both unity and integrity of the countryUpholding of the democratic & social values enshrined in the constitutionTo look after the safeguarding of the citizen’s right to be informed freely, truthfully, and objectively.

Mehta points out that the Bill has to be in harmony with the basic approach of broadcasting policy as laid down by the Supreme Court, which stated in a recent judgment that “air ways or frequencies for transmission of electronic communication are public property and should not be the monopoly of the government or anybody else. It should offer a plurality and diversity of news and views”. Also the policy has to take cognizance of the rapid changes in the electronic media technology”.

Commercial Service in DD/ DD through 70s and 80s

Commercial service in TV started in 1976. A code of conduct for advertisers was framed. Advertisements have to be in accordance with the code without hurting the moral, aesthetic and religious statements of the people. In 1976 AIR was separated from DD under the leadership of Verghese Committee the Janatha government worked for Autonomous National Broadcasting Trust for television. The trust would be responsible to the parliament and would provide a link between the trustees and Broadcasting organization the programmes of dance and music were started in 1981 as the aim of TV was to provide information, education and entertainment and included in it was preserved and promoted our culture and heritage.

In 1982 DD took to color television and the major events like Asian Games and Non Aligned Movement (NAM) were broadcasted in India and abroad in color, the launching of INSAT 1 satellite in 1983 has made it possible to Broadcasting TV programmes to a wider section of population, It also improves the quality of reception of Broadcasting.

The year of 1984 was very important in the history of TV. The first sponsored social ‘HUMLOG’ was on air in July. The inspiration for serials was from Mexico. The series Humlog

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was sponsored by food specialties that launched Maggi Noodles in the market. The sale of Maggi Noodles increased enormously in urban areas. Higher education TV, which was produced by the University Grants Commission, was also started as an attempt to educate adults. Educational TV started in 1961 was meant to broadcast for science teachers and students of higher secondary education. Several audio-visual research Institutes and Educational media research centers were set up in different parts of the country to produce programmes. The programmes were meant to supplement old and formal methods of education.

Characteristics of TelevisionTelevision is an Audio-Visual Medium: It has both sound and sigh. A TV broadcast is always unique. So the first characteristic of TV is being an audio-visual medium it effect tow senses simultaneously those of hearing and seeing so it can have greater influence on viewer than the radio broadcast. TV has more potential to have greater impact because the eye absorbs much more than the ear in the same time and the image remains for a long time.

Features from other media: The TV has borrowed certain features form the earlier media of communication like the stage, the film and the radio. For example: From the stage it has borrowed movement, from the film the camera, from the radio the microphone which are integrated together forming uniquely new media.

A glamorous medium: with glittering personalities, events, international conferences sports meets fashion shows, interviews with world leader’s etc. The great convenience of watching the TV sitting under four walls of the room adds to its glamour almost round the clock. TV is called as a Magic box a toy with which adults get fascinated. Some critics have also called it as “Idiot Box” because it shows only those events where the programmes behind the camera in their wisdom think those events should be shown.

A medium of the close up: TV is a medium of close up because of the small screen which is ideal for close up human faces. It is an ideal medium for expressing reaction and interaction in a tele drama interview or discussion. The camera can take full, half or quarter close up of character of a man.

A living room medium: TV is a medium of entertainment and information at home the whole family or some members sit together and watch TV which increases the interaction between all members of the family. TV brings theatre and cinema to the living room. It allows them to sit and enjoy the programme under the home conditions. Thus, TV is creating intimate human relationships in the society.

A democratizing medium: TV is available to all as a medium of mass communication which deals with the problems of all sections of the society. It democratizes the information. And educate inform in a dramatic version.

As TV cannot choose its viewers most of the programmes are for the common people. But TV is a medium in a hurry. It has to telecast almost a 24hrs a day. So the quality may not be uniformly high the producer make’s experimentation and tries to touch the hearts of people.

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A medium of immediacy: TV captures the events even as they are happening yesterday’s news is no news on TV It will make TV look out dated TV is a supreme reporter because it reports the events.

Advertisers Influence: TV is the great sales man of modern times. It is more effective to reach out to a vast number of potential and actual customers than the newspapers. TV reaches millions of people. No news paper can ever dream of such large number the advertiser or the sponsor is interested in selling his goods and services. He is not responsible in his advertisements in their content and presentation. But a code can be prescribed by the TV medium for tasteful advertisements which do not offend the weather and morals of the viewers.

ADVANTAGES OF TELEVISION:

Attracts the attention

Sight, Sound and motion Medium

Breaks the barriers of illiteracy

Entertains, Informs and educates the masses

Most exciting and efficient means of communication

Live Programmes

DISADVANTAGES OF TELEVISION:

Lack of electrical supply

Expensive mass Medium

Miss use of technology

Tele addiction

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FILMS

INTRODUCTION

Cinema has become the most influential are from of 20th century from its marginal beginnings. India holds eminent position in film making in the world. It produces highest number of films every year. What ever may be the quality of the film they continue to be the popular mass media. Earlier, cinema was a simple means of mechanical recording, preserving and reproducing moving visual images. With the development of film technology the art of cinema developed a language of its own.

Cinema and films are used interchangeably but there is a difference between these two terms. Cinema has specific means to crate imaginary time and space and utilization of these means defines how cinematic a film is. Imaginary time can be crated through movement by means of montage, camera movements and movement with in the frame and through sounds of human voice, music and noise. Space can be created through image with the help of size of shots, camera angle, depth of field, montage and through sound ‘off screen’. Films are made of stories dance, music, drama, photography, painting, architecture and many other things that we call as cinema. Films mean the particular movies that we see with all the elements they contain and cinema means the use of the mean made possible only by film technology which distinguish cinema from the other arts. The greater the number of imaginaries of time and space the more the film will be.

DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN CINEMA India is the leader in film production. It produces meanly 800 films in a year. Indian

cinema has yielded 28,000 feature films and thousands of documentaries so far. The first exposure to motion picture was received by India in 1896.

“Dhunraj Govind Phalke, more generally known as Dada Saheb Phalke was responsible for the production of India’s first fully indigenous silent feature film “Raja Harish Chandra” which heralded the birth of the Indian film industry. After stepping in to 1920, the Indian cinema gradually assumed the shape of a regular industry. The Industry also came with in the purview of the law.

The first Indian talkie “Alarm Ara” produced by the imperial film company and directed by “Ardeshir Irani” released on March14 1931 at majestic cinema in Bombay. The talkie had brought revolutionary changes in the whole setup of the industry. The year 31 marked the beginning of the talkie era in Bangal and south India.

The decade of wrld war II and Indian independence was a momentous one for cinematorgraphy all over India. Some memorable films were produced during the 40’s such as V.Shanara’s Dr.Kotnis ki Amar Kahani, Mehboob’s “Roti” Abbas’s “Dharti Ke lal”, Raj Kapoor’s “Barsat and Aag”.

The first International film festival of India held in early 1952 at Bombay had great impact on Indian cinema. The big turning point came in 1955 with the release of Satyajit Ray and his classic “Pather Panchali”

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In 1953 the first color feature , Jhansi Ki Rani was made Mother India (1957), Mughal-e-Azam(1960), Ganga Jammuna(1961), Sangam (1964), Bobby(1973), Sholay(1975) have been some of the successful films at the box office and trend setters in the commercial cinema.

In 60’s mediocre films were made mostly to please the distributors and to some extent, meet the demands of the box office, such as Mugal-e Azam(1960) Sahib Bibi Aur Gulam, Aradahana etc..

Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal sen were the founding father of the new cinema in India. Ray was fortunate enough to present his film in almost all the leading film festivals of the world. The national and international awards won by Ray are numerous.

In 70’s the trend for new wave cinema started in India with the release of “Mrinal Sen’s” Bhuvan Shome (1969). This boosted the production of small budget film with simple plots but rich in resonance. It was followed by Sara Akash, Rajnigandha, Chhoti Si Baat, Chitchoor, Swami and Arth.

Reginal cinema also developed almost simultaneously in 30’s in Gujarat, Maharastra, Kerala, Bengal, Karnataka, Assam, Tamil Nadu and AP.

FILMS AS MASS MEDIA:Film is means of creative expression. It performs the functions of Mass Media. Such as

information education entertainment and transmission of culture. Films are widely popular and their audio visual nature provides them a pervasive power for social influence. There fore, they have the potential to play an important role as a medium of entertainment information and education and as a catalyst for social change. Films are popular because they entertain.

Almost every person of the society has participated in the activity of going to cinema hall and enjoying a film. According to Jovett and Linton, “Obviously there is still some thing unique and inherently appealing about going to the movies and this is clearly different from other mass media experiences.

Films draw heavily from reality portraying situations that have resemblance to the everyday stresses and aspirations of viewers lives. The movies recognize the link between their lives and films in both general and specific terms. The ease of comprehension helps the viewer to assume the role of the characters and to identify with them quickly and effectively. Films appeal to their primary emotions and sentiments films provide photographic realism, vivid visual presentation in which the images are already fully established easily identified and followed.

Thus film leave lasting impression of the message for example film like mother India, Awara have their message still fresh in the minds of the people.

Films combine visuals, movement sound theatre music all in one. There fore they are able to communicate effectively and create impact which can not be created by any other media. It is due to this characteristic of films masses form all levels are attracted to go to cinema.

Since it is a powerful audio-visual medium social cultural political communal problems can be projected well before the masses. Despite the growth of television and availability of other means of entertainment films have remained the most popular medium of entertainment for the masses which is basic necessity.

Thus films can work as a social monitor. Films have been effective in projecting social evils. For example the film “Yeh Aag Kub Bujegi” well presented the evil of dowry, corrupt politicians in film like “Inquilabb”and Kissa Kursika and so on. Films have been exposing under world elements black marketers etc.

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Types of Films

When we talk about cinema there are two major forms generally known by people1. Commercial cinema: it primarily aims at providing entertainment to the people. It

includes the ingredients of popular cinema star system, high budget, abundance of music, song and dance. It mostly resorts to fantasy to provide entertainment to people.

2. Art cinema: it is more realistic and relevant to the needs of the people and society. This form is not very popular. It is also called “parallel cinema” alternative cinema or new wave cinema these new trends films are made at low cost outside the main stream of commercial cinema. National Films Development Corporation provides institutional aid for the production of these films. Satyajit ray, Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani are some of the known art cinema proponents.

3. Feature films: Feature films mean a full length cinematograph film produced wholly or partly in India with a format and a story woven around a number of characters where the plot is revealed mainly through dialogue and not only through narration animation or cartoon depiction and does not include an advertisement film. The main objective of these films is not so much to convey a moral but firstly to entertainment. FF could be commercial or Art films. These films have the elements like comedy, drama suspense, science fiction, detective or horror.

4. Documentary films: Documentary dramatizes an idea or theme. It uses the factual material in order to dramatize its idea it tells its simple story in terms of human beings and human interests. Sometimes it uses professional actors in some scenes. Of late documentaries also have acquired a reputation for artistic merit.

5. Sponsored films: many commercial organizations produce films as part of broad advertising and public relations programme on their products, achievements, approaches to this production etc...To attract the consumer, financiers and excellent professionals as well as to compete in fast advancing market system.

6. Educational films: these films are produced with instructional objectives only. Example: films on details of geography or history, moon light atmosphere, non formal education in slums ideal school and so on. These films can be used as part of a main lesson or supplementary information. Some of the documentaries also can be used as educational films. In India educational films have not been used widely.

ADVANTAGES OF FILMS

Similar as Television:Films as mass medium have similar advantages as television as far as motion and

manipulation of time are concerned. Motion is essential for comprehending certain concepts and messages. For example, Science experiments, operation of machines or industrial plants can be shown effectively with motion both the media show few hours long event in few minutes.

Emotional impact:

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The emotional impact left by films helps in shaping personal and social attitudes. They present the situation in dramatic recreation, from which brings reality also and assures the involvement of the viewer and leaves emotional impact.

Versatile medium:Film is a versatile medium. It lends itself of instructional use in both large and small

groups and for individual study. Technically film allows a wide range of colors than video, further more the colors vary more in terms of hue and portray a greater range of contrast than television. This holds viewers attention better than video or television.

Variety of purposes:Films can be used for variety of purposes such as entertainment, education, persuasion changing motivation and opinions. The messages conveyed through films are retained better due to its reality element. They allow for a creative production approach. It is possible to make different language and cultural version of a film.

Disadvantages:

1. It is very difficult to define the limits of what is “controversial” in films. For example: the film “Aandhi” was banned during the emergency period in India. It was labeled as controversial film. When released people did not find any thing controversial or objectionable in the film.

2. The commercial films are made with the audience’s preference in mind but there is hardly any feed back mechanism.

3. The production of film or a replication of a film are costly and require huge amount of finances. It requires highly sophisticated equipment for production as well as projection.

4. Film production also requires trained personnel such as director, photographer, sound effects expert, musician editor etc... Once the film production is complete it is very expensive to make any changes in the film.

5. Each film require individual distribution network which requires investment of large amount of money and time.

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Functions of Mass Media in society- Providing Information, Education and EntertainmentMass media perform a variety of roles in our life, but we can identify five as the most important functions of Mass Media

Inform: The primary function of the media of communication is to inform people about what is happening around them. All the mass media be it TV, Print, Radio or Internet bring to people news from around the world and help them stay ‘informed’ about the situation around and beyond them.

Educate: Mass media can play a very important role in education and socialization of media consumers. With some exceptions, they play a minor role in formal education by which we mean structured programs of learning within an institutional framework. Media like academic journals, internet, special interest magazines, certain TV programs and radio programs, movies, documentaries play a minor but significant role in formal learning. However mass media’s real educational function is in informal education or socialization, the process by which people come to identify themselves as members of a social group and to learn group norms. Mass media hold up a mirror to society and show its members how they relate to each other, what is socially acceptable, what is normal and abnormal, what is good and evil, and what is true and false.

Entertain: Entertainment, although perhaps not mass media’s most important role, has nevertheless become its dominant function. Today’s mass media are saturated with entertainment in order to attract readers, viewers, and listeners. Entertainment is not news but news is often entertaining. All mass media, even most newspapers, TV, radio and internet are probably used readers and audiences to entertain themselves more than anything else. All can inform and educate and whereas some do this more than others.

Sell: Mass media, especially in a free market economy, also serve the function of promoting and selling, of telling us what is for sale, and convincing us to buy, usually through advertising. By doing so, media keep the wheels of industry turning and help the free market economy prospering, while also earning revenues that make them viable businesses. Most mass media couldn’t operate without advertising income. Many media owners depend on income they receive from advertising, but advertisers depend on mass media to distinguish their products from their competition and get their message out to the potential customers.

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Role of Media in Society

For a society to exist, certain communication needs must be met. These needs existed long before Gutenberg bolted together his printing press and Morse started sending dots and dashes. Primitive tribes had sentinels who scanned the environment and reported dangers. Councils of elders interpreted facts and made decisions. Tribal meetings were used to transmit these decisions to the rest of the group. Other members of the tribe may have been storytellers and jesters who functioned to entertain the group. As society became larger and more complex, these jobs grew too big to be handled by single individuals. With the advent of technology that allowed the development of mass communication, these jobs were taken by mass media.

Media has phenomenally changed our lives. The mass media bring to us news from every nook and corner of the earth. The evolution of mass media has shrunken the world so much that now we can afford to call the world a global village with almost all information being just a few minutes or hours away thanks to the wide range of newspapers, radio stations, television channels, websites etc. The time when the man walked on moon and the time when a man rammed his airplane into the twin towers – people watched it all on TV even though they were miles away! Media has a huge cognitive impact on the people in a society. It keeps them up with what the government is doing; it helps them understand what is going on in the world around them. Apart from keeping them informed, the media also satisfies their curiosity about various things that they would care to learn about, help them learn about how to do things that they must have never done before and by giving them a variety of new ideas by widening their scope of knowledge and cognition media helps in making the society wiser.

Media also helps fulfilling the basic need for diversion in human beings. Diversion would mean stimulation or seeking relief, relaxation and escape from boredom or the routine activities of daily life. Several surveys have shown that many people report that they watch TV read books or listen to music when they feel bored or when they have to pass time. When there is nothing else to do people fill up their idle time with media content simply because it’s better than being bored. Media with different programs on TV, Radio or even cinema can stimulate a bored and tired mind.

Media can also relax the mind. There will be certain forms of music on the radio that will help relax the fatigued mind, or when you watch a comedy film with your family you will feel relaxed and refreshed by the emotional release of laughter. Many shows of TV (especially soap operas) and different genres of cinema (like melodrama, horror, comedy etc.) will bring about catharsis i.e. the release of pent up emotion or energy therefore relaxing the people.

However, media can have ill-effects too. It is always good to view media objectively and not rely on them completely for cognition, stimulation and relaxation. Let yourself regulate the role of media in your life and not the media regulate you and your behavior. As they say, too much of anything could be bad for people and the society.

MEDIA AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

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Theories of Press

The original three theories of press/media are i)Authoritarian Theory, ii) Libertarian Theory, iii) Social Responsibility Theories. Each of these theories suit particular political and economic circumstances and focus not so much on the relationship between the press and readers as on the relationships between the press and the government.

AUTHORITARIAN THEORYAccording to this theory, the press and the other media are expected to respect the authority of the state and the ruling classes. They should always be sub-ordinate to established power and authority and therefore avoid offending the majority or dominant moral, political and economic values. Heavy censorship prevailed and it was justified on the ground that the State must always take precedence over an individual’s right to freedom of expression. It needs to be noted that both dictatorial and democratic regimes resorted to such authoritarian control of the media.

FREE PRESS THEORY/ LIBERTARIAN THEORYIn contrast with the authoritarian theory, libertarianism is founded on the fundamental right of an individual to freedom of expression. The First Amendment in the American constitution is an embodiment of this theory: it flows from an individual’s right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The individual and not the State or society is supreme and popular will is given importance over the power of the State.The free press is seen to be essential for a free society and the dignity of an individual. In practice, however, the theory provides the prerogative of free speech only to the rich and powerful elites of the society. Media merchants and media monopolies exploit that freedom to expand their empires. The theory thus protects media owners rather than the rights of editors and journalists or of the public.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THEORYThis theory suggests that freedom and power without social responsibility will do the society more harm than good. This theory coined by The Hutchins Commission of Freedom of Press in (1947), founded by Henry Luce of Time Magazine, asserted that media must remain free of government control, but in exchange media must remain free of government control, but in exchange media must serve the public. The core assumptions of this theory are: -

Media should accept and fulfill certain obligations to society. Media can meet these obligations by setting high standards of professionalism, truth,

accuracy and objectivity. Media should be self-regulating within the frame work of law. Media should avoid disseminating material that might lead to crime, violence, or civil

disorder or that might offend minority groups. The media as a whole should be pluralistic reflect the diversity of the culture in which

they operate and give access to various points of view and rights of reply. The public has a right to expect high standards of performance and official intervention

can be justified to ensure the public good. Media professionals should be accountable to society as well as to their employers and

the market.

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In rejecting government control the media, social responsibility theory calls for responsible, ethical industry operation, but it does not free audiences from their responsibility. People must be sufficiently media literate to develop firm yet reasonable expectations and judgments of media performance. But ultimately it is practitioners through the conduct of their duties, who are charged with operating in manner that obviates the need for official intrusion.

Bengali Newspapers  

Ananda Bazar Patrika  (50806 hits) Dainik Suprovat  (29653 hits)  

English Newspapers  

Asian Age  (22811 hits) Assam chronicle  (12629 hits)

Assam Tribute  (15486 hits) Business Line  (16898 hits)

Daily Excelsior  (9996 hits) Deccan Chronicle  (53753 hits)

Deccan Herald  (46173 hits) Dinakaran  (48122 hits)

Gomantak Times  (23046 hits) Greater Kashmir  (7048 hits)

India Daily  (19819 hits) Indian Express  (50303 hits)

Kashmir Herald  (4535 hits) Kashmir Observer  (4451 hits)

Kashmir Times  (6655 hits) Malayalam Times  (34484 hits)

Nav Hind TImes  (33038 hits) Oherald  (27072 hits)

Pragativadi  (76413 hits) Samaya  (78035 hits)

Telegraph India  (24790 hits) The Bihar Times  (26599 hits)

The Hindu  (74618 hits) The Northeast Tribute  (11953 hits)

The Poineer  (13612 hits) The Sentinel  (12858 hits)

The Times Of India  (120261 hits) The Tribune  (75715 hits)  

Gujarati Newspapers  

Akila Daily  (417542 hits) Divya Bhaskar  (656014 hits)

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Gujarat Samachar  (512164 hits) Sambhaav Online  (103461 hits)

Sandesh Online  (471804 hits) The Bombay Samachar  (184166 hits)  

Hindi Newspapers  

Dainik Bhaskar  (223989 hits) Dainik Jagaran  (214368 hits)

Hindi Milap  (61741 hits) Nai Dunia  (74676 hits)

NavBharat  (112267 hits) Rajasthan Patrika  (84421 hits)  

Kannada Newspapers  

Kannada Prabha  (600529 hits) Kranti  (64581 hits)

Praja Vani  (478830 hits) Sanjevani  (279418 hits)

Udaya Vani  (293316 hits)  

Malayalam Newspapers  

Deepika  (914876 hits) Deshabhimani  (319684 hits)

Kerala Express  (133398 hits) Kerala Kaumudi  (724997 hits)

Malayalam Manorama  (1157836 hits) Malayalam Manorama  (966329 hits)

Mangalam Daily  (712308 hits) Mathrubhumi  (1505319 hits)  

Marathi Newspapers  

Daily Kesari  (52723 hits) Dainik Aikya  (57436 hits)

Lokmat  (227809 hits) Maharashtra Times  (345430 hits)

Pudhari  (180219 hits) Sakal  (307587 hits)

Tarun Bharat  (74312 hits)  

Oriya Newspapers  

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Dharitri  (119659 hits) Orissa Sambad  (126850 hits)

The Samaja  (96427 hits)  

Punjabi Newspapers  

Ajit Jalandhar  (472683 hits) Sanjh Savera  (79231 hits)  

Tamil Newspapers  

Ananda Vikatan  (121784 hits) Daily Thanthi  (236223 hits)

Dinakaran  (202318 hits) Dinamani  (194770 hits)

Kumudam  (92234 hits) Thinaboomi  (78912 hits)  

Telugu Newspapers  

Andhra Bhoomi  (126513 hits) Andhra Jyothi  (194056 hits)

Andhra Prabha  (82347 hits) Eenadu  (302687 hits)

Praja Sakti  (65440 hits) Vaartha  (126748 hits)  

Urdu Newspapers  

Inquilab  (137622 hits) The Munsif Daily  (112772 hits)

The Siasat Daily  (100182 hits) The Urdu Times Daily  (91647 hits)  

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