7 Power of Media, Role and Functions of Media
T. Radha
GENESIS
Years ago, when print medium has been the primary source of information, an eminent political personality in Tamilnadu made an observation which may hold some interest to media evaluators of today.
He spoke thus: ‘ If, by chance or design , I am pronounced dead by a newspaper even while am alive, I am virtually dead to the world for the day; until I am redeemed to existence through retraction by the same newspaper the next day morning’.
Nothing could briefly bring forth the unassailable reach and credibility the newspapers enjoyed then than this anecdote.
But one may wonder whether the same can be said about the sanctity of media in today’s changed world where the multiplicity and clutter of media give rise to credibility crisis. The market economy has gradually but subtly caused shifting of roles of media from being tools for social causes into overtly business ventures.
Media are essentially meant to communicate to the masses on issues of public importance, thereby shaping and churning their opinions towards collective responsibility in a democratic system of governance. The diverse formats of media available now – newspapers, journals, magazines in the print, the electronic media of satellite/cable TVs and the digital era media of internet, social media network – have widened their reach in fulfilling this larger social objective, no doubt.
But the mute question that haunts media experts is how far the collective media or the mass media have marched towards fulfilling the task of fair and unbiased coverage of news and current affairs or leading the public towards informed decision making.
The exploding information technology has precipitated the exponential growth of multi-media but it has also brought in its wake the crucial questions regarding fair practices by the media houses in presenting facts for the consumption of end users, namely the readers or the viewers as the case may be.
Tracking India’s media history a bit
Making its beginning with Print medium about 180 years ago, the media legacy in India, like its political, administrative and institutional frame work building, bears its colonial background. This colonial hang-over has given them the ‘English’ and the ‘regional/vernacular’ media tag. One can see this language divide running across all formats of media as they are prevailing today.
A peep into the origin of Indian press, newspapers began to appear in 1840-50s as information sheets in the form of weekly journals/newspapers (in the name of gazette in those days)started by the Englishmen for the benefit of Englishmen in India. Soon Indians too began to take interest in launching journals and newspapers thus sowing the seeds for Indian journalism. In the course of development and growth of Indian Press, an harmless divide in the Print media has occurred as Anglo-Indian newspapers (supporting the British government) and the national newspapers supporting the cause of Indian freedom movement.
This element of fact has gone in to turn early on the Indian press being essentially patriotic and vociferously anti-British. One can also perceive the fact that the tone and content of the Press in India even today heavily leaned towards reporting politics and politicians’ speech orientation and opinionated speeches, besides paying greater attention to government announcements. The surge of newspapers in post Independent India gained momentum with the free Indian government setting in motion successive development plans.
Evolution of media:
By the middle of last century the strident growth of media invited interesting comments and probing on the role of media from media watchers and experts. One such luminary in the field of media studies was Marshal McLuhan (1911-1980),the Canadian media stalwart who coined the famed expressions ‘medium is message’ and the concept of ‘Global Village’ through his pioneering works on ’Understanding Media’. The convergence of media as it has happened nearly half a century later has gone to strengthen McLuhan’s views and insights on the media evolution , especially the internet/world wide web ,about which, it is said, he predicted almost 30 years before the WWW made formal presence.
His insight, according to media pundits, has been that a medium affects the society in which it plays a role not just by the content delivered over the medium but by the characteristics of the medium itself.
Perhaps instances of reports one may come across these days on the television and the webcasting make one conscious about the relevance of McLuhan’s observation on the impact of media on the society at large. To sight the instances, the repetitive broadcasting /streaming of footage of unimaginably violent incidents over the TVs and the sharp but unverified comments on social media/web pages repulsively reminds the extended ‘thought’ of the modern media. This excessive coverage whose pernicious impact may be in the form of social unrest can be traced to the very characteristics of the medium, an inherent danger.
On the positive side the same analogy could be brought up to focus on the beneficial impact too. The way the digital media responded during the testing times of the 2015 Chennai flashfloods and the ensuing human sufferings witnessed during the calamity was a classic example. The social media rose to the occasion and extended succor to the affected people by mobilizing volunteers in sharp contrast to the government’s arms lying in limbo failing to respond adequately. Similar successful media campaign for unity – largely attributed to internet/social media messaging – during the youth uprising in the Jallikattu protests in Tamilnadu in January 2016, has made the media watchers turn to new emerging realities on the social front.
Instant messaging services like Whatsapp, Twitter and Face book, the extended arm of modern media, have proved a world of difference in reaching real time information to the users sitting in their drawing room. The interactive nature of these media has given the users the hope and confidence that they have somebody at the other end live to listen and interact with them. This element of spontaneity has forced the print medium and TV broadcasters to reinvent themselves to the new environs brought in by the internet world and also adopt the internet culture in their domains too.
News is sacred; but market is merciless:
The print medium as the forerunner of information/communication disseminator has all along been credited with adhering to ethics by remaining uncompromised in the matter of factual reporting of news and current affairs. The much touted adage in the old newspaper establishments has been the ‘News is Sacred, while Comments are free”. This has been an unwritten code in the media of bygone era. This phrase is virtually drowned now in the din of modern media adopting themselves to the business models which weigh heavily on profitability. The main income for the media as a whole is of course, the advertisement which in fact helped the newspaper management in cross subsidizing their selling (cover) price.
The last millennial close saw India’s traditional media houses facing winds of changes that swept them in tatters. It brought in with full force the emergence of the new media, the Electronic and digital media. Commercial TVs began to take roots and assert themselves as strong contenders in the arena of news gathering and dissemination. The new medium too began to grab its slice of advertisement revenue in the market place which till then remained the main domain of print medium. It is not just the end of it. Even as the satellite TV channels rose strongly across the media horizon, the advent of internet which began as a trickle in the information highway at the beginning turned into a deluge to be felt widely in the media world in the form of technological changes. This tectonic shift in communication technology has also unnerved the established old media houses causing uncertainties in their business fortunes.
Ethical aspect of media coverage:
Is the so called free media or the objective coverage of information a fact or myth? Can a media house stick to the fact and yet survive in an era where vested interests reign supreme in every sphere of human activity. Is the freedom of the media really for a free media or for the freedom of the promoter of the media? These are certain vital issues that confront the media which is faced with the prospects of losing out their edifice as a professional body into the evolving culture of jobbing enterprises or businesses.
It is not a small measure to say that even to fend its freedom to provide objective information to the society, any media house should first ensure its financial viability so as to sustain and survive itself in the market place. The fight for viability quietly on, media have begun to engage themselves in the gambit of adjusting to the newer competition and protecting their turf. The strategies to beat competition are manifold. If raising the bar of quality is one aspect, blunting the competitors’ edge in the market place is another. But where the issue really blows out is the method adopted to achieve this end.
Too much reliance on advertisement rather than subscription as main revenue model is the crux of the conflict both within and outside for the media today. The media watchers are of the view that when news content fails to sustain the readership/viewership growth and thereby ceases to increase revenue, media try to leverage it as direct source of income through advertisement. This, according to them, has created in pernicious situations like ‘paid news’ in which materials of advertisement in nature get passed as news.
Biased news reporting goes on unchallenged prompting media to resort to, what the industry calls, “sunshine journalism” where the focus will be on glass that is ‘quarter full’ rather than that which is ‘three quarter empty’.
When media highlight is one-sidedly on brighter side of life and goes with the tide of those vested with discretionary spending power and their causes, the former’s role as defender of public interest is relegated to the background.
Significance of newspapers
Newspapers play an important role in human lives. Newspapers act as a platform to get information from all over the world. It brings the disseminated information to our doorsteps. It plays a crucial role in the empowerment of rural communities. It has many abilities which the modern inventions like radios, televisions, computers and networks do not have.
Source of awareness
Newspapers act as a great source of awareness. The newspapers give information about health, finance, gold rate, job opportunities etc. Newspapers also create awareness about the environmental issues like global warming, green house effect, the threat of plastics etc. Some newspapers create awareness among the women about the importance of breast feeding. The people who read the newspapers follow the awareness which they gained from the newspapers in their regular lives. Thereby their standard of living improves. In this way, newspapers play a significant role in the development of the status of people. Especially the people of the rural areas learn most of their lessons from the newspapers.
Television is used effectively for providing vital information for the farmers and the rural people.
Television makes the character unique attracts viewers attention and makes them glued. The combination of visual amplification, sound amplification, zooming, fading processes, are more effective and has great impact on the viewers then other extension teaching methods.
Television is an electronic gadget with audio-visual medium with the combination of words and sounds effects. This medium is absolutely used for mass awareness. This can be deal with topical problems and provide solutions. Television is strong in providing / creating impact among public and covering huge audiences.
Television creates more impact due to flexibility and less time taken record and telecast programmes and wider coverage compared to radio. television has however less impact in rural India. Television costs more than radio. There are various programmes telecast in television entertainment, awareness programme and education programmes etc.
Radio
Radio is a good source of communication of ideas to the rural people especially in countries like India. They give news bulletins special programme for rural people, housewives and children. This is a good source of dissemination of agriculture information formers. Formers are now organized under the joint our spices of the All – India Radio and the state community development departments. The all – India radio stations public their journals “Akashvsni”. This gives the meters and frequency in kills cycles on medium and short waves.
Video
Videoisa very powerful tool as an education, as well. The main advantage of video is that it can be used to produce development programmes at a cheaper rate as compared to films. Video equipment are easy to carry and flexible even in remote areas. The programmes can also be recorded in the field while interacting with the community Video films recording can be done locally, viewed, erased and re-recorded to suit the objectives and the needs of the audience.
Rural radio can be used to disseminate agricultural research in the following ways:
1. Research findings can be distributed through radio to:
a) Nongovernmental organization dealing in agriculture
b) Extension workers
c) Farmers themselves
d) Academic institutions
2. Rural radio can make the link between researchers and extension workers by offering information on:
a) Where research can be obtained and used
b) How to pass it on to users
c) Communities feedback regarding research
3. Rural radio can be used to collect feedback from communities
a) Through programmes, farmers give their responses to research
b) Farmers share experiences on use of research
c) Rural radio airs out farmers views/ recommendations on how to improve the research
d) Communities provide alternatives depending on their experiences
4. Radio can also be used to announce processes of research by extension workers
a) Give venues for meetings with extension workers
b) Advise on where to get inputs/services
c) Advise on where to get technical support
How to use video and television for rural development
Television plays a major role in transferring latest agricultural technology to the rural people. Since the beginning television relays various programmes related to rural development.
Special programmes known as Krishi Darshan was started in January 1966 and today this has become a regular feature of telecast in each and every TV center.
This programme covers various aspects of rural development. In remote areas electronic shortage is very common since television sets are bit costly. So that reason using television is less when compared to radio .
The programmes should be made in vernacular languages reflecting the socio- economic milieu of the village.
TV programmes provides social awareness among the rural poor. Enhancement of awareness will generate new outlook and sensitivity among the rural poor of their own problems without which their empowerment cannot be achieved.
Rural Development programmes in Television
- When television was introduced in India in 1959. Television was to be used as the medium of education. Television is the instrument to support programmes of socio – economic development.
- Television is a powerful tool/ weapon to bring social awareness among public especially in the rural areas
- It would pay a major role in cultivating social consciousness and respect of law and order of social awareness
Cable Television
Ø In recent era cable television telecast various development programmes, in particular, cable television can suit the local needs of the people. The government can steadily amend the law governing cable TV to facilitate its use in rural development.
Films
Ministry of information and broadcasting some agencies such as private fertilizer or agricultural machinery manufacturers and voluntary organizations has also made films in rural areas. Numerous films have been produced on the variety of themes related to rural development. For communicating film has the ideal medium it has paradoxically been a medium of non-communication as far as rural audience are concerned .Film fraternity make some documentary exclusively for rural and neo-literate audiences.
Films as the power of attracting all sorts of audiences and disseminating the information among the public on various social issues
Conclusion:
Indian media is basking on burgeoning domestic market which has thrown open opportunities for them to expand. The country is witness to media convergence where major broadcasting companies have set their foot in Print medium and big newspaper chains have sought to expand into electronic medium, particularly satellite TVs with a view to grab the market pie opening up in news and entertainment sectors. In the last decade, newspapers have begun expanding to newer areas/cities. This gives opportunity for more area of operation in news gathering as well as attracts local advertisement.
But the question often one hears in the social platforms with regard to media management is whether the Indian media has chosen to be rich instead of good in so far as delivering its social responsibility. Do they accommodate as much space to issues like public health, education, environment in their coverage as they do for entertainment? Should the media be just satisfied by themselves in saying that they should give only what the readers/viewers want or should they have to give what the readers/viewers need to be better informed about important issues of public interest.
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References and Web links
- Selvam S. 1996. Awareness enhancement in rural India: Role of Television, Kurukshetra, 44(4&5): 42- 43.
- Rao B S S. 1992. Television for rural development. Concept publishing company, New Delhi.
- https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/power_of_media
- https://www.google.co.in/amp/amp.weforum.org/agenda/2014/08/measure-power-of-media