Mass Media and CommunicationsClass 12 Social Change and Development in India Notes

Mass Media and Communications

Introduction to Mass Media

Mass media refers to forms of communication that reach very large numbers of people, or mass audiences. This includes newspapers, films, magazines, radio, television, video games, and CDs. Because they reach such a wide audience, they are also called mass communications. Today, it's hard to imagine life without them.

From the moment many people wake up and turn on the radio or TV, check their phones, or read the newspaper, mass media is a part of daily life. It connects people in various ways:

• Service providers like plumbers and electricians use mobile phones to be contacted for work.
• People in cities keep in touch with family in villages over the phone.
• Indians living abroad connect with family back home through the internet and telephone.

There are several key aspects to consider when studying mass media:

1. A Dialectical Relationship: Mass media and society influence each other. The media is shaped by the economic, political, and cultural context it exists in, and at the same time, it has a powerful influence on society.
2. Formal Organisation: Unlike simple person-to-person communication, mass media requires large, formal organisations. These organisations need significant investment (capital), and complex production and management systems to function.
3. The Role of State and Market: Because of the need for large-scale organisation and investment, the state (government) and/or the market (private companies) play a major role in the structure and functioning of mass media.
4. The Digital Divide: Access to mass media is not equal for everyone. There are sharp differences in how easily different sections of society can use media, a concept known as the digital divide.

The Beginnings of Modern Mass Media

The first modern form of mass media began with the development of the printing press. This technology was first developed in Europe by Johann Gutenberg in 1440. Initially, printing was limited to religious books for a small, literate elite.

With the Industrial Revolution, printing technology improved, transportation became faster, and literacy rates grew. By the mid-19th century, newspapers could finally reach a mass audience. For the first time, people living in different parts of a country could read the same news.

This created a new sense of connection and belonging. The scholar Benedict Anderson argued that this helped the growth of nationalism. He suggested that newspapers helped create an 'imagined community', where people who would never meet felt a sense of togetherness and identified as members of the same nation.

In Colonial India:

• Nationalism and Social Reform: In 19th-century India, social reformers and nationalists used newspapers and journals to debate ideas and spread their message. The growth of Indian nationalism was closely tied to the struggle against British colonialism, and the nationalist press was crucial in shaping anti-colonial public opinion.
• Censorship: The colonial government saw the nationalist press as a threat and often tried to suppress it through censorship. Nationalist newspapers like Kesari (Marathi) and Mathrubhumi (Malayalam) often faced the anger of the colonial state.
• Pioneers of Indian Press:
  • Raja Rammohun Roy is credited with starting the first publications with a nationalist and democratic perspective: Sambad-Kaumudi (Bengali, 1821) and Mirat-UI-Akbar (Persian, 1822).
  • Fardoonji Murzban was a pioneer of the Gujarati press, starting the Bombay Samachar in 1822.
  • Other major newspapers founded during this period include The Times of India (1861), The Pioneer (1865), and The Statesman (1875).

Under British rule, radio was entirely owned and controlled by the state, so it could not express nationalist views. Newspapers and films, while not state-owned, were strictly monitored. Even though literacy was low and circulation numbers were small, the influence of the press was huge, as news was often read aloud and spread by word of mouth in markets, towns, and courts.

Mass Media in Independent India

The Approach

After India gained independence in 1947, the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, envisioned the media as a watchdog of democracy. The media was expected to be a partner in nation-building by:

• Spreading the spirit of self-reliance and national development.
• Informing people about the government's developmental projects.
• Fighting against oppressive social practices like untouchability and child marriage.
• Promoting a rational, scientific outlook for building a modern society.

Radio

Radio broadcasting in India began with amateur clubs in the 1920s and became a formal public broadcasting system during World War II. At independence, India had only six radio stations in major cities.

• Role in Development: All India Radio (AIR) was seen as a key partner in national development. Its programs focused on news, current affairs, and discussions on development projects.
• The Green Revolution: In the 1960s, AIR played a major role in promoting the Green Revolution. For over 10 years, it ran a sustained campaign to inform farmers about new high-yielding varieties of crops, broadcasting interviews and success stories from farmers who adopted them.
• Entertainment and Expansion: In 1957, AIR launched Vividh Bharati, a channel dedicated to entertainment, primarily broadcasting Hindi film songs. It became hugely popular and generated significant revenue through advertisements.
• The Transistor Revolution: In the 1960s, the invention of the transistor made radios much cheaper, portable (battery-operated), and accessible to a vast number of people, including those in rural areas. By 2000, two-thirds of all Indian households were listening to the radio.

Television

Television was introduced in India experimentally in 1959 with the goal of promoting rural development.

• SITE Program: The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), from 1975-1976, was a pioneering project that broadcasted educational programs directly to 2,400 community TV sets in villages across six states.
• Expansion of Doordarshan: By 1975, Doordarshan had stations in four major cities, and its programming included news, farmers' programs, and entertainment.
• Commercialisation: A major shift occurred with the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi, which brought colour broadcasting to India. This event, along with the rapid expansion of the national network, led to the quick commercialisation of television.
• The Rise of Soap Operas: The era of indigenous soap operas began with hugely popular shows like Hum Log (1984-85) and Buniyaad (1986-87). The broadcast of epics like Ramayana (1987-88) and Mahabharata (1988-90) attracted massive audiences and substantial advertising revenue for Doordarshan.

Print Media

After independence, the print media continued its mission of being a partner in nation-building, focusing on developmental issues. Journalism was often seen as a "calling," driven by patriotic and social ideals rather than just a profession.

However, the media faced its most serious challenge during the Emergency period declared in 1975, when the government imposed strict censorship. This period ended in 1977, and the restoration of a free press is considered a cornerstone of Indian democracy.

Globalisation and the Media

Until the 1970s, most media companies operated within their own countries. However, in the last few decades, globalisation and new technologies have transformed the industry. National markets have given way to a global one, and different forms of media (like TV, music, and internet) have begun to merge.

Print Media

Many believed that the rise of television and the internet would lead to the decline of newspapers. In India, however, the opposite happened, especially for Indian language newspapers. This is known as the Indian Language Newspaper Revolution.

Reasons for this growth include:

• Rising Literacy and Migration: An increasing number of literate people, especially those migrating from rural areas to cities, created a new readership base.
• Catering to Local Needs: Vernacular newspapers like Eenadu (Telugu) and Malayala Manorama (Malayalam) succeeded by focusing on local news, even creating special "district dailies."
• Advanced Technology: Newspapers adopted modern printing technologies, allowing them to create multiple editions and supplements.
• Marketing Strategies: Groups like Dainik Bhaskar used consumer surveys and door-to-door campaigns to grow their readership.

Television

The landscape of Indian television changed dramatically after 1991.

• Arrival of Satellite TV: The Gulf War of 1991, broadcast live on CNN, and the launch of Star-TV in the same year marked the arrival of private satellite channels in India. Zee TV, a Hindi channel, followed in 1992.
• Explosion of Channels: From just one state-controlled channel (Doordarshan) in 1991, India had almost 70 channels by 1998, and about 900 by 2020.
• Localisation Strategy: Initially, there were fears that foreign channels would harm Indian culture. However, transnational companies quickly realised that local content was key to success. [!example] STAR TV provides the most dramatic example of localisation. Its flagship channel, STAR Plus, was originally an all-English channel. It gradually introduced a Hindi programming block and, by 1999, had transformed into a completely Hindi channel, becoming one of the most-watched channels in India.
• New Programming: The result is a television industry dominated by 24x7 news channels, regional language channels, reality shows (Kaun Banega Crorepati, Indian Idol), and family soap operas. A soap opera is a continuous, serialised story where viewers become familiar with the characters and their lives over a long period.

Radio

The advent of privately owned FM radio stations in 2002 revitalised radio, especially in urban areas.

• Focus on Entertainment: Since private FM channels are not allowed to broadcast news, they focus on entertainment, primarily playing popular music to attract listeners.
• Corporate Ownership: Most popular FM channels are owned by large media conglomerates. For example, Radio Mirchi is part of the Times of India group.
• Potential for Local Radio: There is a growing demand for local news and content. The story of Raghav Mahato, a young man in a Bihar village who built his own low-cost FM station to serve his community, shows the immense potential for local and community-owned radio. His station played local music and broadcast public interest messages, becoming incredibly popular with villagers.

Conclusion

Mass media is an inseparable part of modern life. As a social institution, it is complex and dynamic. It is shaped by its relationship with the state and the market, its internal organisation, and its connection with its audience. Understanding the media means looking at both the constraints it operates under and the powerful ways it affects our society and our personal lives.