11 Television for Rural Development

T. Radha

Television

Television was introduced in India in 1959 primarily to impart education and to promote rural development. At present with its vast network throughout the country, It is covering about 58 per cent of the population spread over 36% of the geographic area and has emerged as a very powerful medium of communication. However, it is mostly viewed as a medium for entertainment. Television is fast reaching among the public in both rural and urban areas.

In the nineties foreign programmes like CNN followed by Star TV and local channels such as Sun TV entered and Zee TV entered in to Indian homes. DD is very popular and accepted to all kinds of audience.

The role of television in rural development is extraordinary and its function covers political, social, cultural, education and health. The television set the public requirements and serves as a porter of community issues. It performs a very effective role of telecasting development programmes.

When STAR TV began broadcasting into India in 1992, it was at the front line of an global television networks trying to spout into one of the world’s largest consumer markets. Television in India has been in operation for more than four decades now. For the first few years, it spread haltingly and broadcast was mainly in black & white. The thinkers and policy makers of the country, which had just been liberated from centuries of colonial rule, frowned upon television, looking on at it as a comfort Indians could do without. In 1955 a Cabinet decision was taken disallowing any foreign investments in print media which has since been followed religiously for nearly half a century. Sales of television sets, as reflected by licenses issued to buyers were just few thousands until 1977.

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.

Since eighties color television was introduced by state-owned broadcaster Doordarshan (DD) timed with the 1982 Asian Games which India hosted.

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.

Television and social development- few instances

Consider this example in a highly popular Indian television series opera, “Hum log” (We people), a Police Inspector loses his eyesight in a bomb explosion while attempting to save a child. At the end of the episode, an epilogue by yesteryear film star Ashok Kumar encourages audience members to sign eye donation cards. In the two weeks following the programme some 200,000 people signed eye and organ donation cards, including one youth club member who personally recruited more than 900 donors.

This example clearly brings home the point that television is indeed a powerful medium of social change. By bringing in entertainment and education media strategies, television can be effectively used for social change.

Indian media, especially Indian press and Public Service Broadcasting units like Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) have been making important contributions towards social development.

Television programmes cover appropriate programmes or in developmental issues in the regional languages
Promotes awareness on social and health issues, national harmony and empowerment of women
Focus in the field of education, spread of literacy, rural development, agriculture and allied activities, environment, health and family welfare, and science and technology.
In spite of troubles like funding and manpower issues bogging down Prasar Bharti, both Doordarshan and AIR continue to work towards the holistic social development of the country.

Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE):

Doordarshan and AIR have made major contributions to the cause of social development in India. SITE is one such initiative aimed at social development. SITE is one of the most widespread educational and social research projects ever conducted in mass mediated communication.

The usefulness of TV as a medium for educating the masses in rural areas was emphasized by this experiment. With the help of NASA, UNDP, ITU and UNESCO the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in launching SITE on August 01, 1975.

Programmes on topics generally considered development oriented like agricultural modernization through hybrid seeds, better farming methods and management, family planning, public health, social and educational improvement of women and children, better learning and teaching methods were transmitted through the satellite to community TV sets in 2,400 villages in 20 districts spread across the six Indian states viz.,

Television is considered one of the important tools in all the countries and one of the tool in teaching. Television is used for school education and out of school education. The significance of Television is disseminating various useful information to the public for their welfare.

Television helps to also continues to advantage the urban and rural masses by making them aware of the environment, rights, duties and privileges. Role of television is neither unchanging nor easily touchable and measurable.

The media, with exact reference to the communal unit of newspapers, radio, television and the electronic media play a very vital role in development. Television helps to bring the changes in economic, political and social lives of the people.

The media has its great impact in the society to change the attitude of the people and bring the hidden factors in to lime light.

Media is very powerful, useful and entertainment media for development.

Electronic media play a very important role in development process. It helps to improves various dimensions and spheres of people.

Farm Telecast

According to a report compiled by the Research and Reference Division of the Ministry of Information and broadcasting (1984) . Each selected village was provided with a Direct Reception Set (DRS) and to cater to the aneletrified villages battery operated sets were installed.

The government recognized the important role imperative role of television in bringing about the desired social change and established in April 1, 1983, the Government took up programme under INSAT for promotion of agricultural productivity. With increased capability of satellite communication and TV transmission of India, telecast of agriculture and rural development programmes are being organized in a big way .

Objectives

To telecast need based programme based on the village requirements
To project rural people especially farmers in particular, to teach the procedures of farms practices and results
To create awareness about rural development and agriculture programmes
The television station is in charge of the agricultural and rural programmes

There are various programmes like training, seminar, symposium, workshop, campaign, field day exhibition etc are generally covered in the programme.

Video for Rural development

Video is a 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.

Advantages of Video

It helps the viewers to see the object
It enable to preserve the valuable learning experience for use in future learning situation
It provides gives an opportunity to record performance, procedures and behavior that can be evaluated or shown to others after the event
The information reaches the audience both to the ears and eyes simuuntanueously
The information reaches huge audience
To compare other medium, television is one of the best media to gain knowledge
The video programmes can be prepared in such a way that they provide entertainment along with education.

Video and rural development

Video is the most effective method of rural development.

Video rural programmes may be based on local situation such programmes will have great impact on the audience
Video clubs may be organized for group viewing which should befollowed by discussion for taking action
Services of artistes and folk singers need to be used to make the programmes more realistic and entertaining
For extension workers training in video and television should become an integral part
Video production facilities should be provided in Universities and colleges and selected institutions
Extension workers may project important video lessons among the rural masses for building connection
Video programmes should be based on arousing the interest among the public especially programmes on education and awareness programmes should br considered with short stories.
Voluntary agencies can also promote community viewing at village level by operating video clubs
Voluntary agencies can also promote community viewing at village level by operating video clubs for educational and developmental purposes.
Video has the great potential for educating the rural masses and can play a significant role in transfer of agriculture technology

Role of Television and Video

To create awareness and pass out the information and sharing of knowledge, television plays a significant role

Educator and Entertainer

Television is one of the best visual media to attract the attention of the audience Television is the indoor as well as domestic entertainment media. The salient features of television is to spread the information among the huge masses about education, entertainment and politics etc…
Television can be viewed by different catogeries of people like higher class, middle class, and lower class there is no caste, creed and religion difference. The programme also based on various aspects covering all age groups.
Television and television programmes which would contribute in a significant way in the process of empowerment of the rural and urban people

Capturing their information

The various subject covers in TV like health care facilities like health care tips, Yoga , Meditation, child care, pregnancies etc.. Social issues like awareness programmes, legal issues, their rights and responsibilities among the rural poor. It will attract the audience and know the information about the specific issue. It will improve the knowledge level of the viewers. More programmes should be made in dialect and regional languages

Video films

Rural people are not well informed about development schemes like JRY, SGSY etc As results localc leaders play a important role in the selection of beneficiaries like real needy persons or families in the respective areas.
Rural people that they are not well informed of the provision of various programmes and the legal and official procedures involved in availing themselves of these services.
Short films/documentary films can be huge help.
Doordarshan video programme can be organized in the village at this when the potential beneficiaries are available in the community. This can be easily linked up with local community.
The activities of various rural organizations like youth clubs, mahalir mandals, kisan mandals and farmers association etc will have fruitful discussion organized by the extension worker with the prior permission of BDO/Local Development Officer or community organizer from an NGO
Follow up of the programme plays a important role and integeral part of telecasting programmes. This will certainly make the rural poor enhance their awarenes on various problems related to economic and social issues leading to their cooperation support and participation in the development schemes.People should realize the importance and benefits of the schemes and programmes and come forward to avail the opportunities
Awareness creation and dissemination of information can be an essential component in the efforts towards capacity building among the rural poor. This information helps the rural poor to know their opportunities, sensitivity on their own problems without which empowerment of the rural masses cannot be achieved.
The role of television in promoting the campaign of mass literacy especially in the rural India needs to be explored.

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

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

Media is the powerful tool to highlight the current events, opportunities, various issues, community welfare, and happenings in and around the world. They provide a forum to discuss about the situation of the country. They explain about the meaningful thought and ideas, awareness programmes for the betterment of their life.

you can view video on Television for Rural Development

Web links

http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/71581-Television-Its-Advantages-Disadvantages.aspx
http://www.publishingindia.com/manthan/6/the-impact-of-tv-programmes-on-agricultural-rural-development/114/887/
http://www.unesco-ci.org/ipdcprojects/content/role-radio-and-television-broadcasting-development-rural-areas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_development