Impact of Media on Socio-Cultural Values and Social Institution in Indian Society

The media, kn give as the fourth pillar of res earthly concerna, has a huge violation on the nightspot. The cause atomic g everyplacenment issue 18 of course, positive as well as nix. Media is such a bureauful with e rattling that it lit periodlly g e re each(prenominal)yplacens the direction of our decree at present. It is the moveler as well as the direction deliverr of the family. Opinions ignore change overnight and celebrities give the axe accommodate infamous with respectable integrity wave by the media. The emergence of media as an industry has accelerated over the past few somas with new gets such as videodisk and the internet ever-ever-changing the guidance we, the auditory perceive, consume and receive media.In an interdependent and planetaryized governmental land, the challenge of the media is to provide extensive coverage of global politics and to experiment the daze of these influences in proper(postnominal) demesneal contexts. The c oncourse media has a grapheme to influence socio- semipolitical and hea accordinglyish settings. Numbers of researchers boast been conducting studies worldwide to investigate what they index contri plainlye to an to a lower placestanding of the economic and former(a) incidentors that influence intensity media, and how the media in turn influence the political climate and the representative influence in in advance(p) democracies. nap media is considered virtuoso of the principal agents for societal developing, land and vertical governance. Media critics form of address that at ages mound media has non compete the fictitious character that it should consent played and eat up played in the hands of few vested have-to doe withs. The researchers oblige excessively pointed stunned that stack media influence vary from unc breakh to country depending upon socio-political and heathenish settings. in that respect ar ump teen different theories ab come on how jam media influence the great unwasheds attitudes, worldview, and demeanor.The mass media is considered to be the threatenb mavin of democracy that influences sociopolitical developments. just, thither is a evolution c formerlyrn that the mass media in m whatsoever countries is non receiveing these functions correctly overdue to inherent socio-cultural barriers. These twenty-four hour periods, there atomic number 18 already numerous types of mess Media. This includes Audio recording and educational activity (records, tapes, cassettes, cartridges, CDs), B highroadca convict Media (Radio, video, C fit) Film (Cinema, DVDs), Digital Media (the cyber spot, unsett take Ph angiotensin-converting enzymes, Satellite), Publishing or the Print Media (Books, Newspapers, Magazines) and Video games. instantly we ar going to talk over five types of media. They ar as follows 1. Newspapers 2. Magazines 3. lily-livered pages 4. Radio 5. Tele pot 6. net Out of these, Newspapers, TV, Radio ar tralatitious modes of mass media whereas Magazines, color pages and net income atomic number 18 ripe modes of mass media. Explanation of the different types of media with the advantages and di pitifulvantages Newspapers Newspapers be champion and only(a) of the traditional metiers used by businesses, both bighearted and diminished a standardized, to circulate their businesses.Advantages Disadvantages altogetherows you to fix a huge number of community in a give geographic argona You induct the flexibility in decision devising the ad size and placement within the newsworthinesspaper Your ad set up be as walloping as necessary to communicate as much of a boloney as you c ar to tell mental picture to your ad is non limited referees put forward go back to your cognitive content a pip and again if so desired. Free swear protrude in creating and producing ad copy is normally for sale Quick turn- nigh helps your ad gleam the changing commercialise conditions.The ad you decide to lock today can be in your customers hands in one to deuce days. Ad space can be expensive Your ad has to compete against the fix of new(prenominal) advertisers, including the giants ads run by supermarkets and department stores as well as the ads of your competitors deplorable photo re action limits creativity Newspapers atomic number 18 a price-oriented medium just ab go forth ads atomic number 18 for sales Expect your ad to deplete a condensed shelf life, as newspapers argon usually read once and and then discarded. You whitethorn be paying to send your message to a share of mountain who engineer probably never be in the market to demoralize from you. Newspapers are a highly visible medium, so your competitors can quickly react to your prices With the increasing popity of the nedeucerk, newspapers face declining readership and market penetration. A developing number of readers forthwith skip the publish v ersion of the newspaper (and and then the print ads) and instead read the online version of the human organismsation. MagazinesMagazines are a to a greater extent than focused, albeit much(prenominal) expensive, alternative to newspaper advertisement. This medium allows you to reach highly targeted sense of hears. Advantages Disadvantages Allows for remediate targeting of audience, as you can choose magazine human beingnesssations that cater to your specific audience or whose editorial content specializes in topics of interest to your audience. High reader involvement message that more financial aid will be salaried to your advertisement Better quality paper permits breach color reintersectionion and full-color ads The smaller page ( ecumenicly 8 ? y 11 inches) permits til now small ads to stand out Long lead eons mean that you ware to make plans weeks or months in advance The slower lead sentence heightens the risk of your ad acquiring overtaken by events There is limited flexibility in detriment of ad placement and format. Space and ad layout cost are high Yellow Pages There are several forms of Yellow Pages that you can use to promote and advertise your business.Aside from the traditional Yellow Pages supplied by phone companies, you can in like manner check out specialized directories targeted to specific markets (e. g. Hispanic Yellow Pages, B wishings, and so forth ) interactive or consumer search databases Audiotex or talking yellow pages Internet directories containing national, local and regional listings and opposite go classified as Yellow Pages. Advantages Disadvantages Wide avail force, as nearlyly eitherone uses the Yellow Pages Non-intrusive Action-oriented, as the audience is literally dateing for the ads Ads are reasonably threepenny Responses are easily tracked and measured Frequency Pages can look cluttered, and your ad can easily get lost in the clutter Your ad is placed together with all your com petitors Limited creativity in the ads, given the need to follow a pre-determined format Ads slow to reflect market changes Radio Offers a wide throw up of creationity possibilities. It is a mobile medium suited to a mobile wad.It reaches the bedroom and come apartfast table in the morning and rides to and from movement in the car, lulls us to tranquillity at night and goes along to the beach, to the woods and on fishing trips, a flexibility no early(a) medium can match. Advantages Disadvantages Radio is a universal medium enjoyed by good deal at one time or another during the day, at home, at pull in, and even in the car. The massive array of receiving set program formats abides to efficiently target your advertising dollars to narrowly defined segments of consumers most likely to respond to your offer. Gives your business someoneality through with(p) the creation of campaigns using sounds and voices Free creative help is a lot acquirable Rates can generally be negotiated During the past ten days, radio rates return manipulaten less inflation than those for other media Because radio listeners are spread over m all billets, you may maintain to advertise simultaneously on several stations to reach your target audience Listeners cannot go back to your ads to go over central points Ads are an interruption in the entertainment.Because of this, a radio ad may affect bigeminal exposures to break through the listeners tune-out factor and ensure message retention Radio is a background medium. Most listeners are doing some social occasion else while listening, which means that your ad has to work hard to get their attention. Television A medium that permits the use of the printed world, verbalize countersign, pictures in motion, color, medicament, animation and sound effects all blend into one message, possesses immeasurable potency.Television has depart a dominant force, the primary source of news and entertainment and a powerf ul soapbox from which citizens protests can be communicated to the nation and the world. This medium has greatly altered national election campaigns and has diminished the fibre of the political parties. Events make liberal by TV shape worldly concern opinion worldwide. Advantages Disadvantages Television permits you to reach large numbers of multitude on a national or regional level in a short period of time Independent stations and cable offer new opportunities to pinpoint local audiences Television being an sign-building and visual medium, it offers the ability to convey your message with sight, sound and motion Message is temporary, and may require multiple exposure for the ad to raising above the clutter Ads on network affiliates are hard in local news broadcasts and station breaks Preferred ad times are lots sold out utmost in advance Limited length of exposure, as most ads are exactly thirty seconds long or less, which limits the amount of info you can communi cate Relatively expensive in terms of creative, production and airtime costs Internet The Internet or the World Wide t complete is indeed a wonderful and abominable addition in our lives. The Internet can be bedn as a shape of global meeting place where people from all parts of the world can come together. It is a service uncommitted on the computer, through which all(prenominal)thing under the sun is now at the fingertips of whatsoeverone who has access to the Internet. Advantages Disadvantages E-mail E-mail is an online rest system. With e-mail you can send and receive instant electronic messages, which work like writing letters. Your messages are delivered instantly to people anywhere in the world, unlike traditional mail that takes a lot of time. Access discipline The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of study. Any kind of info on any topic under the sun is available on the Internet. The search engines on the Internet can help you to chance upon data on any subj ect that you need. Shopping Along with getting information on the Internet, you can also shop online.There are umteen online stores and sites that can be used to look for products as well as buy them using your credit card. You do not need to make your house and can do all your shopping from the convenience of your home. Online chew the fat There are umpteen chat rooms on the sack that can be accessed to meet new people, make new friends, as well as to stay in touch with old friends. D confessloading software system This is one of the most happening and fun things to do via the Internet. You can transfer innumerable, games, music, videos, films, and a host of other entertainment software from the Internet, most of which are free. Personal Information If you use the Internet, your personal information such as your name, address, etc. can be accessed by other people. If you use a credit card to shop online, then your credit card information can also be stolen which could be a kin to fully grown mortal a blank check. Pornography This is a very salutary issue engageing the Internet, situationly when it comes to puppylike children. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the Internet that can be easily found and can be a detriment to letting children use the Internet. Spamming This refers to sending unsolicited e-mails in bulk, which run no purpose and unnecessarily clog up the integral system. These are the different types of raft Media in this 21st blow, the global generation era where digital globalization is taking place perpetually, and the forms of Mass Media is increasingly widespread and expectantly procreating. M edia technologies are becoming an key aspect of todays society. Each and every day, people interact with media of many different forms. Media is commonly defined as being a channel of colloquy.Radio, newspapers, and idiot box are all types of media. It is im fall uponable to assume that media is do up of completely unbiased information and that the media companies do not impose their own sway upon the information being supplied to media users. Since many people use media very frequently, it is open-and-shut to assume that it has affects on people. According to the text book Media Now, media effects are changes in knowledge, attitude, or behavior that issuing from exposure to the mass media,. This leaves us with many unanswered principals about media and its influences. piece resurgent India ensurems to be high on the global media agenda, powered as it were by the economic boom, the national media too has witnessed exponential growth. Tracking this growth in a momentful sentiment is imperative since its spread and reach subscribe to been mired in socio-political and cultural barriers. The complexities that limit the growth of the Indian media story are based on a heady mix of poverty, bias, economics, and the inherent trappings of a unearthly philosophy that find echo in the fatalistic sup mail services of Hinduism.With minimal conflict to change the state of the nation, the barriers that come in the way of the free turn tail of information need to be tackled with more alacrity and awareness, lest the growth gets sucked into the twist of its own limitations. The advertisement-driven consumerist mooring that is propelling the flawed Indian info-age communication story check up onms to be a pointer in this direction. Medias adjoin on society can be judged from three perspectives amicable, economic and political. Social jolt ) Generating awareness on motley social evils like dowry, womanly foeticide and infanticide etc. this has led to the decline in the incidence of them 2) Bringing into focus any atrocities faced by weaker sections of the society. This has brought in a sense of security to the weaker sections. mass assemblys fear to do any harm to them. In the long run this will bring peacefulness and tranquility among communities. 3) Generating aware ness on good practices like wellness, hygiene, nutrition etc thereby improving the active standards. ) Media is liable for the achievement of green revolution in India during 60s by popularizing the usage of high grant varieties, fertilizers, pesticides and other furthermostm management techniques. Green revolution has improved the living standard of poor by enhancing their incomes. Many new entrepreneurs from weaker sections of the society emerged. This has enabled them to rise in the social ladder and stay on par with the so called upper castes. 5) Media is responsible for generating pan India individuation and enabling people to make relaxed their parochial and narrower identities. ) Media has been showing in new occupation opportunities that are available in the market. This has enabled a common man with requisite skills to grab them. 7) Media is responsible for sensitizing our administrators on various issues. 8) Media is responsible for spreading in current fashion vi sa-a-versa fertilisation style, cosmetics, hair styles etc. Variation of Music India is made up of several dozen ethnic groups, speaking their own terminologys and dialects as a result, folk music plays an inborn role in marriage people of the resembling dialect group who may be far apart geographically.An example is the folk music of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Bhojpuri music. It serves as a means of communication as the lyrics of the songs often cover juvenile cultural changes and events as well as religious content. Television & Drama The idiot box and print revolutions consecrate granted access to these forms of media to the masses crosswise India. Villages often have their own newspapers and access to video is readily available to the majority. Bollywood cinema is not restricted to the urban community and is in fact highly popular with the countrified masses.Changes in forms of media & communication Cassette & Compact Disks In Cassette Culture, Peter Manuel tells how a n ew mass medium, the portable cassette player, caused a major upheaval in popular straightlacedty in the worlds second-largest country. The advent of cassette technology in the eighties transformed Indias popular music industry from the virtual monopoly of a item-by-item multinational LP manufacturer to a free-for-all among hundreds of local cassette producers. The result was a revolution in the quantity, quality, and variety of Indian popular music and its patterns of spreading and consumption.Impact of Television- It is nearly impossible to establish the precise number of people with access to a picture set in the poor world , as James Murdoch, chief executive of STAR TV throng told a cable conference in India due to the fact that single(a) cable subscribers sometimes pass on the service illegally to an entire neighborhood. Moreover, in parts of the maturation world, large numbers of people often crowd into one house or cafe to watch telly, a factor that is hard to quantif y. Caste Line-Caste lines have been addled in the quest to gain access to information which in itself is not a disadvantageously thing. Television watch, especially in the agrarian areas has sprain a communal event and it is not uncommon for TV owners to position their tv set sets such that they are facing the open door allowing members of other caste groups to sit outside the home and enjoy the shows . Similarly, in hamlets where there is one common, government-provided television set, members of the village gather around to watch communally.This is especially the case for religious programs as well as those related to agri polish. Indian Norms- Other than changing the social structure and norm, the media revolution has also contributed to the putrefaction of so-called Indian norms. Movies such as Monsoon Wedding are an beau creative thinkerl demonstration of the culture shock faced by many girlish Indians today. There is a chasm between traditional values of chastity an d get dressed conservatively and the TV values of stylish and often skimpy dressing and more lightsome values, including dating before marriage and other occidental norms.Differences between Culture and the Dominant Social Paradigm- Culture, exactly because of its great scope, may express values and ideas, which are not necessarily unchanging with the dominant institutions. In fact, this is usually the case characterizing the arts and literature of a market economy, where, artists and writers have been given a significant degree of exemption to express their own views. Just as traditions have gone out of fashion, it seems that many beliefs have beginnere so as well.Television has reached a stage where even religious discourse is broadcast, negating the need for temple visits and religious-social gatherings. fundament and the mass media influenences that it has brought with it have raised a culture where person to person fundamental interaction has nearly stopped. Information is relayed to us through media transmit, radio, television, books and newspapers. Lack of Credibility The graduation exercise inherent barrier is the lack of credibility on the part of mass media in putting up veritable(prenominal) examples of life style, consumerism and public behavior.By subtly promoting and supporting the me, mine, myself culture, the mass media have managed to alienate themselves from the bulk of society. The expectation of any major impact of mass media messages on the society at large is futile. Media technologies are becoming an main(prenominal) aspect of todays society. Each and every day, people interact with media of many different forms. It is impossible to assume that media is made up of completely unbiased information and that the media companies do not impose their own control upon the information being supplied to media users. Philosophical disregard of moralsThe general Hindu Indian philosophy makes people believe that salvation lies at some fra me level, and practicing daily prayers, rituals, fasts, penance, attending religious discourses etc. can help people atone for whatever wrongs they have done or are perceived to have committed. Mass media are still not central to peoples inwrought behavior but remain an external influence, never internalized and experienced. Mass media are perceived as an entity doing its job (of spreading information, news, messages, entertaining and so on) whereas people in general go about their lives.Impact on Agriculture and Family cooking Movement On the agriculture front, the mass media impact played a significant role in taking forward the message of high-yielding agricultural practices. Green revolution, a nationwide campaign to incr slake fodder grain production to help India become self-sufficient in food, was lauded across the media and its gains were converseed at length. An evaluation report prepared by the National Council of educational Research and Training (NCERT) in 1994 and quoted by M. R.Dua regulates Television has positively been utilitarian in increasing knowledge regarding new farm technology. The farmers who viewed television programs gained more or less the same amount of knowledge irrespective of age, education and farm holding. Dua also quotes another study by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (IARI) having convincingly shown the effectiveness of television in transferral technical information to farmers television has proved to be effective in creating a favorable attitude among farmers to adopt recommended practices and in inducing their actual ad pick. Impact of Advertising Among all mass media constituents, advertising has a noticeably greater impact than news and entertainment media as evident by the immediate impact of good or bad advertising on FMCG sales. Huge popularity of ad punch lines (doondhte reh jaoge signification youll keep looking for the stain, safedi kii chamkar, meaning the lightning of whiteness, both hugely pop ular punch-lines of advertisements for detergent cake and powder), glaring way of hoardings of popular brands in villages and small townships.There is apparently an eagerness to follow advertising messages and a reluctance to follow social impact messages. Studies conducted by market research organizations have also indicated that there is a positive impact of media exposure oddly that of television on consumer behavior. Increased rationality in consumers decisions due to media contact is proved irrespective of the place where the media are induced. How does mass media influence young people? The media makes billions of dollars with the advertising they sell and that we are receptive to.We buy what we are told to be good, later on seeing thousands of advertisings we make our buy decisions based on what we saw on TV, newspapers or magazines to be a product we can trust and also based on what everyone else that we know is buying and their decision are also based on the media. The se are the effects of mass media in teenagers, they buy what they see on TV, what their favourite celebrity advertise and what is acceptable by society based on the fashion that the media has imposed them. There are some positive and negatively charged influences in young people.Here is a positive influence example, if there is a sport that is getting a lot of attention by the media and gains popularity among your friends and society, you will more likely want to practice the sport and be smooth with all your friends. The result is that you will have fun with your friends and be healthy because of the exercise you are doing. However a negative influence in teenagers is the use of cigars by celebrity movie stars, the constant exposure of shake up casts, the excessive images of violence and exposure to thousands of junk food ads.Young people are in a stage of life where they want to be accredited by their peers, they want to be loved and be successful. The media creates the ex altation image of a beautiful men and women and tells you what are the characteristics of a successful person are, you can see it in movies and TV. Its a subliminal way to tell you that if you are not like them you are not cool it but so its time to buy the stuff they buy and look like they look. Another negative influence in teenagers that has crowing over the last years is anorexia and obesity.There are one thousand one thousand megs of adolescents fighting obesity, but at the same time they are candid to thousands of advertisements of junk food, while the ideas image of a successful person is told to be thin and wealthy. Also more women are obsessive with losing weight even when they are not weighty there are many thin women that want to look like the super prototypes and thin celebrities so they engage in eating disorders which lead to severe health issues and even death. Conclusion Other than dress many other aspects of culture have been sacrificed in favour of western influences.Folk music and travelling singers have given way to cassettes and compact discs nautanki shows have turn under the atmospheric pressure and competition brought forth by television and cinema. The traditions of storytelling have also taken a back seat due to cassette playbacks of discourses and the ease with which printed material is cheaply available. Economic Impact 1) Media is responsible directly for providing employment opportunities and thereby increasing the living standards of the people. 2) Media spreads awareness of a new product launched by a company through advertisements and product reviews.This will add the fill of industrial goods thereby promoting industrialization and increase in GDP. Indias language newspapers enjoy a relatively new entrepreneurial prowess. A reciprocally convenient relationship between the owners and capitalists keeps a financial balance between local/regional and national spheres in both private and public sectors. Like coral in a reef, newspapers grew and died in a process inseparable from the creation of a public sphere in the classical liberal sense.Individual proprietors sometimes brought to their newspapers a crusaders zeal for a special(prenominal) cause or a diehards loathing for a rival (Jeffrey 105). The Second Press cathexis in 1982 tried to liberate the press from the monopoly houses. In 1995 the Audit post of circulations had 165 newspapers as members, with a combined circulation of about 16 million copies a day. The top ten newspapers control roughly 50 pct of daily circulations in all languages. Bennett Coleman and the Indian Express own roughly 20 share of daily circulations.While capitalists sustained national newspapers, the big houses, Dalmias, Jains, Goenka et al. , monopolized and debase free journalism. The family and caste controlled small newspapers regionally maintain their emancipation from big monopolies, thriving on their loyal supporters in north and south India. conversion of ownership is reflective of cultural variation in Indias multilingual landscape. black flag newspapers control two-thirds of all circulations. Inevitability of Poverty & a Feudal MindsetA large percentage of people are still not well-off plentiful (according to 2001 census figures, the population living below poverty line is a worrying 26. 10 per cent) to enjoy the fruits of free mass media. Concerns for a permanent job and a decent living are more important for them as compared to any message against a social evil reach them through the mass media. In this situation, anything else may be immaterial to him, even if it is a positive message about availability of free educational facilities for children of underprivileged classes.A feudal mindset continues to prevail among people across the socioeconomic strata. While the super- sizeable treat the upper inwardness class with contempt, the latter view as the same treatment for those below the hierarchy. This manifests in peoples attitude towards the media as well. Those who are slightly better off, would never bother about what the mass media say (except perhaps the commercial announcements or advertisements). Strongly Self-Centered Lives Material growth in the last two decades has led to dilution of values within family and in society.Becoming successful in their own small wayeven if it is a petty roadside stall selling vegetablesis what matters. And to that end, messages on how to make lives better matter little. For example, if the roadside stall is an encroachment on a road and even if the mass media reports scream daily that those encroachments are a guilty disrespect, the stall owner is unmoved. He continues to sell his ware at the same spot and even if forcibly removed one day, he comes back the next day. The authorities, too, tire of this game of hide-and-seek and give up.We can see such sights all across the Indian towns and cities. In a general atmosphere that of lax rules and where one can get away with offence has made the people become more selfish than they naturally are. The eroding of authority of law and establishment and the general lack of a culture of punishment have added to this environment of general disregard for ethics. Mass media, again, have a limited role to play in making people change their attitudes. Impact of Television on the Indian Population.Ever since the advent of modern communication technology that has allowed people around the world to communicate ever so easily, the world itself seems like a smaller space. Broadcasting is an especially effective manner through which millions of people are able to become unified on the basis that they are common recipients of a particular message. One of the most powerful transmitters of these messages is of course the television programs of which can be seen around the world to serve many purposes.In most contemporary societies, television is a highly influential medium of popular culture and plays an impor tant role in the social construction of reality. The effects of television should indeed be recognized as having the ability to alter social, economic and political situations in its places of propagation and beyond. I will be exploring these cultural displacement reactions in detail pertaining to India, a developing nation undergoing a grand cultural release in part due to the rapid growth of artificial satellite television in the 1990s and its programming.Television is unlike any other medium of mass communication in that its social effects are boastful, and able to prompt substantial change. The strong cultural influence of television on developing nations can thusly be linked to the following factors as outlined in the book Media and Social Changes the modernizing influences of television in rural India. First, television programming is easily accessible and inexpensive, which is mainly due to the fact that Indian television is sold inexpensively around the world after pro fits in its home market have already been made.Televisions potency is also a result of its broad scope and regeneration of programs which therefore makes it appealing to almost anybody. Yet another reason for televisions mass appeal is its benign presence, which allows covering audience to be in control of what they watch, how much they watch and when to watch it. Ultimately, it is these factors that propel the reliance on the medium which has the power to inflict many societal changes in developing nations such as India.Through the examination of diverse groups in India such as rural villagers, youth, women and the middle class, I intend to illustrate the vast social and cultural changes taking place in a culturally rich country, in large part due to the relatively recent popularity of television throughout the country. According to statistics the population in India was In 2000, it was 1,003 million people. In 2001, it was 1,019 million people. In 2002, it was 1,050 million pe ople. In 2003, it was 1,060 million people. In 2004, it was 1,080 million people. In 2005, it was 1,094 million people.In 2006, it was 1,110 million people. While almost 75 percent of Indias one billion people live in villages, their thoughts and actions then have a large influence on the countrys social, political and economic state. One of the most prolific changes in village life which can be linked directly to the influence of television is rise of consumerism in rural India. Just as we are enveloped with advertisements and endorsements which propel us to purchase that which we deem necessary, the same is on-key in rural India in which such things as blue jeans and hand cream have become necessities.Villagers themselves acknowledge this growing need I want many things that my parents never had. I want a motorcycle and a nice colour TV I want to eat mutton once a week instead of three times a year. Through this illustration, it is evident that needs are certainly growing and it is due to television and advertisements that the economically dependent third world is now being internally pressured to make shifts that may not be financially possible yet incredibly desirable. Another growing desire of the rural Indian population is to become urbanized, leading to a shift in behavior and relationships.Not only do these villagers want to mimic the representations of their urban counterparts by changing their attire and consumer goods, their attitudes are also altered as a result. such(prenominal) phenomenon can be seen as a positive shift which allows modern attitudes to flourish, through which more sensitivity and emotion are finding their ways into the rigid caste system and competition, therefore adding sentimental value to various relationships. In the case of rural parts of developing nations, mediation may also be useful as a way of educating villagers about their own country.The programs that are seen by the villagers are those which are produced in India yet reflect a western sandwich undercurrent of values and lifestyles. The rural audience is therefore able to learn about other parts of their own country, which is useful due to the fact that many do not venture far from their village for touring purposes. Although touring the country may not be prioritized, with the glamorization of urban life through the media, many villagers are moving to urban centers in search for a better life. The mplications of such a shift are obvious in that the villages that are being abandoned are at a disadvantage, yet the urban cities have nothing to gain other than more overcrowding. Although the middle class in India is generally more urbanized and therefore more in touch with the globalizing effects of media, they gibe the villagers in terms of the effects of television on their daily lives. While villagers are enticed with what is outside their village, the urban middle class is able to see the correlation between the foreign and national tradem arks. Multinational companies consistently endeavour to associate their products with signifiers of the Indian nation, for instance through sponsorship of the Indian Olympic squad in the 1996 Olympics or through more subtle references to specifically Indian conditions such as the monsoon season. While conglomerates such as Pepsi and snowfall are striving to merge the Indian identity with their brands by sponsoring sportsmanlike events and relying on Indian celebrity endorsements, the Indian audience fails to see that what they see as sponsorship for Indias pride is actually a mere contrivance to boost consumerism.It is therefore evident that just as the rural class is becoming increasingly commoditized, the middle class urban population is no different. Although many televised advertisements tug on the nationalized paddy wagontrings, many direct correlations are also made between Indian cities and North Indian or European ones. In this sense, the existence of the Indian city d wellers is being justified on the basis of their citys comparison to western cities. It is through these processes that Indians are made to feel that they are being recognized, but the concern is whether this recognition is strong if it is formulated through comparison.While many of these distinct messages are being transmitted through television and advertisements, they are transforming into ideals and, just as the rural population is in search for an urban setting, the urban dwellers are looking towards Western societies for opportunity. According to statics result India spends so much for their TV advertisements. In 2002 US $718 million was fatigued out of US $ 37,682. In 2003 US $848 million was spent out of US $ 44,413. In 2004 US $ 899million was spent out of US $ 51,812. In 2005 US $1,034 million was spent out of US $ 61,478.In 2006 US $1,189 million was spent out of US $ 67,672. The effects of commercialism cannot be underestimated. Todays children are besieged by manipula tive commercial messages day in and day out, on TV, and even at school. Companies hire psychologists to help them target children and manipulate them this is called the art of whine-making. The bombardment of commercial messages has created a sense of chronic dissatisfaction in children and, many psychologists think that is has contributed to the increase in teen depression. In terms of programming, television shows are either Indian or Indian imitations of them. Programs targeted specifically at the middle class are often characterized by a hybridized language which combines Hindi and English. This mixture, termed Hinglish by the popular media, combines Hindi and English in different television shows. Through this very example it is evident that Westernized ideals are seeping into Indian mainstream media through the use of television. Moreover, an important shift to consider is that while English is becoming increasingly predominant, the non-English speakers are being marginaliz ed and degraded in their own home country.Secondly, the predominance of Hindi as the main language on television weakens the diverse languages verbalize in India which have contributed to its cultural heritage for centuries. One of the most prominent examples of the hybrid of Indian and Indian culture is through the phenomenon of MTV and youth culture in India. The two main foreign-owned music television channels operational in India, News Corporations Channel V and Viacoms MTV have followed a market strategy of aggressive Indianization. This has taken the form of programs featuring Indian film songs and music videos Although it may hold true that television which is geared towards youth may support Indian entertainment, these channels directly model the Indian versions of them therefore, enforcing a global Indianized culture upon middle-class Indian youth. Consumerism is exceedingly prominent among this group due to the cultural icons represented through music videos and advert isements, along with their parents willingness to support such spending.This seems to hold true as a characteristic of youth culture across the globe, which raises the question of whether this global identity was created to homogenize this particular group. Yet another concern that satellite television and its growing Western influence has brought about is the generational reformation of these viewers. graduate students of classical dance and mainly Telugu Channel V viewers and say that they have frequently experienced discomfort (and so have their parents)because of the growing trend of obscenity in Telugu film songs (including nudity, suggestive body movements, and double-meaning lyrics). Families were once able to enjoy programs without any discrepancy among parents and children, the ever growing influence of Western ideology that sex sells in the media has transgressed into the Indian market, and led to reformation of the family unit, creating obvious distinctions between taste s. The new trends in television broadcast medium may therefore effectively deconstruct the family unit as the Western ideals transgressing through Indian television are slowly creating gaps within the home.Some young viewers of these provocative music videos seem to think that due to their promiscuous nature, that these television programs are also being aired in the West however, it is this mis fantasyion that demonstrates the young Indians desire to be recognized by its Indian counterparts. This ideal requires placing cultural regulations on the backburner, meeting and enjoying Westernized standards and masking them with an overarching Indian identity, all in a subconscious attempt to escape that very identity. content has shown Television viewing occupied 10. 9% of an adolescent time that is about 12 hours per week. 0% of this viewing occurred at home, 73% was done with other family members including 7% with grandparents, uncles, or aunts. This indicates that TV viewing is a ty pical family activity. Adolescents rates of viewing were correlated with mothers rates of viewing, with rates for both higher when mothers were unemployed. Adolescents TV rates were also correlated with fathers rates and with fathers type of unemployment. Study has prove, during TV viewing adolescents reported lower than add up challenge, worry, and paying attention and higher than average choice, clam and relaxation.In short TV viewing of the middle class Indian youth is a relaxed antidote to the stress of the day that they share with their families. Television has a major impact on toddlers it influences their viewing habits throughout their lives. Since toddlers have a strong likeence for cartoons and other programs that have characters that move fast, there is considerable likelihood that they will be exposed to large amounts of violence. Children do not become full-fledged viewers until around the age of two-and-a-half. As toddlers, they begin to pay more attention to the tel evision set when it is on.They develop a limited ability to extract meaning from television content. At the age of eight, children are more likely to be sensitive to important moderating influences of television content, and will not become more aggressive themselves if the violence they see is portrayed as evil, as causing human suffering, or as resulting in punishment or disapproval. However, they are especially likely to show increased aggression from watching violent television if they believe the violence reflects real life, if they identify with a violent hero, or if they engage in aggressive fantasies.One major group which television watching has effected is the age group between 5-13 years of age. Television violence is accompanied by in writing(p) production features preschoolers are predisposed to seek out and pay attention to violenceparticularly cartoon violence. It is not the violence itself that makes the cartoons attractive to preschoolers, but the accompanying vivid production features. With this preference for cartoons, preschoolers are being exposed to a large number of violent acts in their viewing day.Moreover, they are unlikely to be able to put the violence in context, since they are likely to throw away any subtlety conveyed mitigating information concerning motivation and consequences. Preschoolers behave more crisply than usual in their play after watching any high-action provoke television content, but mostly after watching violent television. Television watching and physical activity both are related to obesity. However this has been investigated mainly in children. Television viewing takes up 10. % of an adolescents time (about 12 hours per week) study proves. Children get glued to the television and do not exercise. They watch one program after another without giving them selfs a break. They do not even have half an hour to do any kind of physical activities. This ultimately results in obesity. Political Impact 1) Media has be en bringing out corrupt practices undecomposed by our political leading. This has enabled people to make more rational choices when electing their representatives. 2) Media has been a major force in mobilizing people during elections. India is the cradle of human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, grandmother of legend, and great grandmother of tradition. Our most of import and most instructive materials in the history of man are precious up in India only -Mark Twain Yes, indeed the most important and most instructive materials in the history of man are in India. We are the worlds largest democracy and an emerging force in the field of communication, science and technology. afterwards combating recession, India is back on the path of growth and development but with challenges ahead like Carbon Emission reduction, Reforms in Judiciary, go along of the Industrial sector etc In this scenario an analysis of the towers of strength of India will provide a strong basis for realizing our opportunities and threats in the future. Mass Media has always played a vital role in the functioning of democracy in India and exploring into these avenues will definitely play a major role in solving the problems pondered upon India. BackgroundOn 26th January 1950 when the Constitution procl fathered India as a sovereign socialist secular participatory republic, the word democracy became a part of us. From then on Religion, Caste, Population, Development, International issues, Education, Poverty, Corruption, Economy, government activityanything happening in our nation was linked with Democracy. A vibrant democracy attracts and filters-in the most competent ones in our country to govern and eliminates the not- so -competent. Truly, democracy in India is wider than the beautiful description of Abraham Lincoln-It is lot more than a form of government of the people, for the people and by the people.The role of democracy in India is to fulfill the dream of every true patriot in India i. e. to live in a Great India, a strong and prosperous one. On the other hand portraying the life of Indian people the media won the hearts of millions in India. Enjoying complete freedom the media took up the responsibility to make people aware of everything going around them whether it is good or bad. It is not amuse that the only thing in India which is trusted by everyone is Media. Even Mass Media has travelled a long way from the late 1700s and far beyond the era of Radio Broadcasting.Mass Media in India had to resist immense pressure from the government to be what it is today. The press had to face oppression during the freedom clamber as it was being successful in carrying out its obligation to create a feeling of nationalism among the people during that time. Today in terms of Media, India is the second largest market in the world for newspapers, 18th largest country in broadband Internet users and 8th in the list of countries by number of television broadcast stations.All of this achieved when Media has been free and independent with only few regulatory bodies at the realm. THE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY every man needs food, clothing, healthcare and shelter for his physical survival. Similarly communication is regarded as an indispensible factor for the social welfare of people. In this 21st century every individual is keen to be updated with the latest developments in all walks of life. It is here where the mass media comes into the picture which aims to reach out to a very large audience.It carries out its functions through advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations and political communication. Mass media is now considered as an effective tool for advocating business and social concerns. save what role does media and information play in a democratic society need to be examined as there is still a contest regarding the significance and magnitude of mass media in Indian society. Every citize n is entitle to have free access to the knowledge and information they require.The democratic political system depends on the efficient, accurate, and complete transmission of social, political, and cultural information in society People should be able to discuss matters of public interest with their equals in order to influence the actions taken in our nation. This ensures genuine interlocking of individuals in matters of public interest which is in fact the essence of democracy. hence mass media forms an integral part of democracy as it contributes to those factors that are inbred to genuine democracy.Democracy believes in the empowerment of individual and media facilitates it through communication and ensures freedom of expression and freedom of conscience. Democracy and mass media are the two essential components of Indian life. It has accomplished the task of transforming the lives of the people. But to what extent has Indian lives progressed and what proficiency has the na tion achieved is a matter of concern. Like every coin which has two sides the effects of mass media in Indian democracy has brought in serious advantages as well as disadvantages.We need to read the role and functions of media in our nation and the significance of media in democracy. There is a need to snap mass media and democracy in relation with each other to circumnavigate the impact of these core aspects. AN OPTIMISTIC APPROACH A democratic society permits freedom of speech and expression. We Indians have the freedom to think, freedom to write, freedom to discuss with others, freedom to explain, freedom to criticize and freedom to dissent. Democracy demands the fulfillment of every citizens right to expression.Media facilitates the process of empowerment of individual by providing an welkin for public debate and by reconstituting private citizens as a public body in the form of public opinion. Nowadays, media provides a platform for every individual to exercise his right of being heard. Innovative talk shows and public discussions organized by the media is now playing a major role in the enforcement of the right of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under expression 19(a) of the constitution. Media in India has tried every possible means to satisfy the democratic ideals.For example, during elections voters are educated and informed to the point where they are able to understand the most important political issues. During all these years the Indian mass media has successfully performed the following functions Supporting fair game news and informative programs so that people can make quick decisions. Cultivating alternative media, so that multiple voices and opinions will be heard. Mobilizing popular participation in the transition process. Multiplying the impact of transition activities by disseminating information on successful local peace and participatory efforts.Let it be any natural calamity or any other disaster we find our reporte rs there risking their lives to give us information regarding the events taking place in every nook and corner of the world. There are many instances of Media turning out to be real investigators in cases like the murder of Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Matoo case, Best Bakery scandal etc. If the media didnt take the initiative to bring out the truth before the public then justice wouldnt have prevailed. The efforts of the media are always concentrated towards lifting the veil to ensure righteousness in society.It uses effective techniques like sting operations, opinion polls etc to portray the reality. Whether it is newspaper, television or internet the objective of every media is to collect, analyze, verify and present information regarding current events, trends, and various other issues of this democratic nation. Democracy believes in protecting the rights of the citizens and limiting the powers of the government. It intends that no one should be discriminated on the basis of their race, religion, ethnic group, or gender. It directs that no one should be arrested, imprisoned or exiled arbitrarily.No one in a democratic society should be denied their freedom without a fair and public hearing by an impartial court. No one may be taxed or prosecuted except by a law established in advance. The idea of democracy lays in the fact that no one is above the law, not even a king or an elected president. Above all the law is fairly, impartially, and consistently enforced, by courts that are independent of the other branches of government. The region by mass media for upholding the above principles of democracy in our society is remarkable.WHEN money RULES OVER MORALS Tell me, why is the media here so negative. why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why? -Dr. Abdul Kalam This observation made by our former President is ver y true. It is a very sad fact that every morning we have to begin our day with negative news.Indian mass media often has a tendency to exhibit gossip, scandal and violence. The aim of mass media is to sensationalize every piece of information rather than sensitizing them. The Media is usually focused on the lives of celebrities and reality shows instead of concentrating on events of national importance. The lack of media literacy among the pubic also makes matters worse. With the increase in the number of competitors in mass media nowadays we find that a wide range of topics are being discussed among the public.The common man and the celebrities express their opinion, but usually there is no measure taken after that. The issues discussed become stale and after a week a new storyline creeps in bringing in hope and opening up a new avenue. kaput(p) are those days when preferences were given to the selection of news. Media does not believe in newsworthiness anymore. There is a wide op inion among people that media is no more interested in creating citizenship. At times media fails in its duty to provide public sphere for dialogue and interaction among the citizens.Political parties started their own channels to highlight their achievements and political news was more about personalities than about their ideologies. In the absence of serious debate, voters are left with paid political propaganda containing only meaningless slogans making them disinterested and cynical about politics and losing faith in democracy. Forgetting its responsibility to educate the masses media is busy transforming citizens into spectators by fling them pure entertainment. What happened in most of the cases is that Global Competition and profit pauperism made media forget about democracy.The interests of the advertisers did not coincide with readers, listeners and viewers. Advertisements occupied the pages in newspapers. Media was concentrated on promoting an event or a latest movie whi ch is yet to be released so as to increase its box-office collection. If media was left with the option of choosing between either its functions or its survival it would have chosen the latter. elected values and principles were to be buried if advertisement rules media Money ruled over morals and media was no more interested in veracity. CONCLUSIONAfter analyzing the role of media in our democratic society we have come to the end that all these years since its establishment the mass media has worked for the progress and development of our country. All its activities were concentrated to see a fully fledged democratic Indian society. But observations also prove the fact that mass media nowadays prefer to sensationalize news. Media is losing interest in promoting democratic values and principles. Mass media corporations are now concerned about improving the financial position of their organizations.If this continues India can never fulfill its dream to be a developed nation by 2020 . So the question arises What next? Well first we need to urinate the fact that the problem is neither with the media nor the democratic principles. Media gives us entertainment because we demand it. Media cannot be blamed alone for its depicting peoples preferences. So first the attitude of the public should be changed. We should not be bothered about timely pleasure instead our focus should be on long term projects which would take our country to new heights. If you are given the opportunity to express what you want from the media ust think for a while and then decide what you really want. If the media also tries to sensitize news and takes initiative to accomplish its social responsibilities then no one can stop our country from being a strong powerful democratic nation. I nformation on the latest happenings reaches people in just a matter of minutes. The vision of media reaches even the remotest corners of the country and makes sure that everyone is aware of what is going on i n the country. The easy and swift availability of any given information makes media one of the most reliable sources for forming public opinion.It bridges the gap between the leaders and the masses by becoming their channel of communication. It brings into open the innumerable achievements that are going on in the country. Media gives ordinary people the power to reach out to the society as a whole. It can make heroes out of ordinary men. The media acts as a deterrent on corrupt practices and keeps a check on the working of the government. Media has significantly promoted social causes like literacy, health management, anti-dowry practices, discouraging female feticide, AIDS awareness, etc.Media can adversely affect the sentiment capability of individuals and instill negative or destructive thinking patterns in the society as a whole. As already said before, media has the power to form and alter opinions. This means media can portray an ordinary thing so negatively that it may forc e people to think or act in quite the opposite way. Media glorifies violence and contains graphic descriptions or images. When viewed by the vulnerable portion of the society, i. e. , the children, it can have grave effects on their upcoming and thinking patterns.The media can sometimes go out of the way in advertising or glorifying certain issues. Usually, a bad or detrimental message is packaged in a elysian way and is made accessible to the public. Movies that depict filthy rich thieves who dont bat an eyelid before killing someone or extorting someone and the getting away with it, sure give entertainment to people. At the same time, it encourages them to act in a way that promises adventure and accusation in life. This way, media glorifies the bad aspects of people and encourages them to act in forbidden ways.One particular article which examined the portrayal of women in Indian television states, Although many of the programs continue to relegate women to the role of either t he glamorous host or the traditional housewife, there were many examples of non-traditional roles for women. Whereas traditional roles are still portrayed, and certain qualities are equated with feminism, the diversity in female roles can be viewed as an interpretation that women now have choices to fit into those roles that appeal to them. Through television, a range of options are presented, therefore reflecting the potential flexibility of womens lives.The concern that arises in this case is the harsh reality of Indian culture that is caught between two contradictory gender role portrayals which may either promote female independence, or discourage it altogether. It is therefore important to consider those women who desire liberation, and are held back because they dont coincide with traditional norms and expectations. In recent years, viewers of Indian film and television have witnessed a shift from portrayals of females as innocent and subordinate in nature, into independent sexual beings.While Indias strong traditional heritage has always been significantly characterized by the traditional roles of women as homemakers and mothers, the portrayal of women on television has challenged this ideal, and therefore cultivated a new perception of womanhood for the Indian woman. In the 1990s, the Indian ideal of female beauty changed to become more aligned with the Western concept of thin is beautiful. This change can be unhealthy because the average female Indian body type generally includes large hips. It is therefore evident that the increasing popularity of Western norms through television can be equated with the changing attitudes of Indian females and their bodies. The concern here is obviously the potential damage these ideals may inflict upon the health and self esteem of women exposed to such figures. The very concept of woman has been revolutionized by the integration of Western ideals and practices that are seeping into Indian-produced television. Con flicts are therefore surfacing which pertain to the issues of female identity.Similarly, with the recent uproar of music-based television, Indian youth culture is flourishing into an Indianized group which depends on Western ideals to propel their tastes. This consequently, is creating drifts within the nuclear family structure, and producing a generation gap. The urban middle class, as well as rural villagers are also affected in that they now utilize commodities as a signifier of rank, and these commodities are determined by conglomerate advertising through mainstream India television. Socially, one of the greatest problems plaguing India today is the consequences of Indianization.Indians have eroticized the culture of India to such a degree where they do not realize that they are constantly consuming high priced merchandise at the expense of their own enriched diverse culture. The Indian economy is so motivated by the capital gain from multinationals that they often try to count erbalance the impact of the western images by enforcing radical patriotic themes. The growing popularity of television in all parts of India is therefore making way for a homogenized Indian culture whose cultural identity is becoming ever so fragil