Class 12 Sociology Notes Chapter 7 (Mass media and communications) – Social Change and Development in India Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 7, 'Mass Media and Communications'. This is a crucial chapter, not just for understanding contemporary Indian society but also because questions related to media's role often appear in various government exams. Media shapes our perceptions, influences public opinion, and plays a significant role in social change and development. So, pay close attention.

Here are the detailed notes covering the key aspects:

Chapter 7: Mass Media and Communications - Detailed Notes

1. Introduction: What are Mass Media and Communications?

• Mass Media: Refers to technologies and organizations that facilitate communication from a few sources to a large, anonymous, and heterogeneous audience simultaneously. Examples: Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, Television, Films, Internet.
• Communication: The process of conveying information, ideas, emotions, and skills through symbols, words, pictures, figures, etc. Mass communication is unique due to its scale and reach.
• Key Characteristics:
  • Large audience reach.
  • Impersonal nature (sender often doesn't know the receiver personally).
  • Presence of a medium or technology.
  • Often requires complex formal organizations and significant financial investment.

2. Historical Development of Mass Media in India

• Pre-Colonial Era: Traditional forms of communication existed (folk theatre, puppetry, storytelling, religious discourses).
• Colonial Era (Print Media):
  • Introduction of the printing press by the Portuguese in the 16th century.
  • First newspaper: James Augustus Hicky's 'Bengal Gazette' (1780). Initially catered to the European community.
  • Growth of Nationalist Press: Indian-owned newspapers emerged in the 19th century (e.g., 'Amrita Bazar Patrika', 'Kesari' by Tilak, 'The Hindu').
  • Role: Played a vital role in disseminating nationalist ideas, critiquing colonial rule, mobilizing public opinion, and promoting social reform movements (e.g., Raja Rammohan Roy's 'Sambad Kaumudi').
  • Colonial Control: British government imposed censorship and repressive laws (e.g., Vernacular Press Act, 1878) to curb the nationalist press.
• Colonial Era (Radio):
  • Started in the 1920s with private radio clubs (Bombay, Calcutta).
  • Government took over broadcasting in 1930; Indian State Broadcasting Service formed.
  • Renamed All India Radio (AIR) in 1936.
  • Primarily used by the colonial government for administrative and propaganda purposes, especially during World War II.
• Films: Emerged in the early 20th century, quickly gaining popularity. Played a role in reflecting social issues and, sometimes subtly, nationalist sentiments.

3. Mass Media in Independent India

• Nation Building and Development: Post-independence, media (especially AIR and later Doordarshan) was seen as a crucial tool for:
  • Promoting national integration and unity.
  • Disseminating information about development plans and schemes (agriculture, health, education).
  • Promoting literacy and social awareness.
  • Preserving and promoting Indian culture.
• Radio (AIR): Became the primary medium for government communication due to its wide reach, crossing literacy barriers. 'Vividh Bharati' service launched for popular entertainment.
• Television (Doordarshan - DD):
  • Started experimentally in Delhi (1959).
  • Initial focus on education and development (e.g., SITE - Satellite Instructional Television Experiment, 1975-76, aimed at rural development).
  • Expansion significantly during the 1982 Asian Games with the introduction of colour transmission and a national network.
  • Dominated by the state; often seen as a government mouthpiece.
  • Programming included developmental themes, news, cultural programs, and hugely popular serials like 'Hum Log', 'Buniyaad', 'Ramayan', 'Mahabharat' which had significant social impact.
• Print Media: Continued to grow, diversify, and play the role of a 'watchdog' of democracy, though facing pressures. Regional language press expanded significantly.

4. The State and Mass Media

• Early Years: Strong state control, justified by the need for nation-building and developmental goals. Media was expected to support government policies.
• Autonomy Debates: Concerns about government control over AIR and DD led to demands for autonomy.
• Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India): Established in 1997 (based on the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990) to provide autonomy to AIR and Doordarshan. Aims to ensure impartiality and public service broadcasting. However, questions about its effective autonomy persist.

5. Globalization and Mass Media (Post-1990s Liberalization)

• Economic Liberalization (1991): Led to the opening up of Indian skies to foreign and private satellite television channels.
• End of State Monopoly: Doordarshan's monopoly ended; proliferation of private channels (news, entertainment, regional).
• Impacts:
  • Increased Choice: Wider variety of content available.
  • Technological Advancements: Faster news cycles (24x7 news), digital technology.
  • Cultural Changes: Exposure to global cultures, lifestyles, and consumerism. Concerns about 'cultural imperialism' (dominance of Western culture).
  • Glocalization: Foreign media companies adapting content to suit local Indian tastes and languages (e.g., Indian versions of reality shows, dubbed Hollywood movies). Local media also adopted global formats.
  • Commodification of Culture: Media content increasingly driven by market demands, advertising revenue, and TRPs (Television Rating Points).
  • Rise of Regional Media: Globalization paradoxically strengthened regional language media as well.
  • Convergence: Blurring lines between different media forms (e.g., reading news online, watching TV on phones).

6. The Changing Nature of Mass Media

• From One-to-Many to Many-to-Many: The internet and social media enable interactive communication, user-generated content, and networking.
• Interactivity: Audience members are no longer passive receivers but can actively participate, comment, and create content.
• The Internet: Revolutionized information access, communication, entertainment, and commerce. Facilitates social movements and political mobilization but also spreads misinformation.
• Digital Divide: Unequal access to digital technologies (internet, computers) based on class, caste, gender, region (urban/rural), creating new forms of inequality.

7. Sociological Significance

• Shaping Perceptions: Media plays a crucial role in constructing our understanding of reality, social issues, and different communities.
• Public Opinion: Influences public discourse and political agendas. Media debates often set the terms for public discussion.
• Social Change: Can be an agent of social change by raising awareness, promoting new ideas, and challenging traditional norms. Also used by social movements.
• Democracy: Ideally acts as a 'fourth estate' or 'watchdog', holding power accountable. However, issues of media ownership concentration, paid news, and political bias raise concerns.
• Identity Formation: Media influences personal and collective identities (national, regional, gender, etc.).
• Consumer Culture: Advertising and media content promote consumerism and specific lifestyles.

Key Terms/Concepts to Remember:

• Mass Media: Communication to a large, dispersed audience via technology.
• Public Sphere: A space (metaphorical) where public opinion can be formed through rational discussion (Habermas). Media is central to the modern public sphere.
• Gatekeeping: The process by which media organizations select, filter, and control the information that reaches the audience.
• Watchdog Role: Media's function of monitoring the conduct of government and other powerful institutions.
• Cultural Imperialism: The imposition of a dominant culture (often Western) on others through media, potentially eroding local cultures.
• Glocalization: Adapting global products/formats to local contexts.
• Convergence: The merging of different media technologies and platforms.
• Digital Divide: The gap between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not.
• Prasar Bharati: Autonomous public service broadcaster for AIR and DD.
• SITE: Satellite Instructional Television Experiment.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Which of the following was India's first newspaper, started by James Augustus Hicky in 1780?
   a) The Hindu
   b) Sambad Kaumudi
   c) Bengal Gazette
   d) Kesari

2. The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) launched in 1975-76 primarily aimed at:
   a) Providing urban entertainment
   b) Promoting international cultural exchange
   c) Facilitating rural education and development
   d) Establishing commercial television networks

3. The organization established to grant autonomy to All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) is known as:
   a) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
   b) Prasar Bharati
   c) Central Board of Film Certification
   d) Press Trust of India

4. The term 'Glocalization' in the context of media refers to:
   a) The dominance of global media over local media
   b) The process of adapting global media content to suit local cultures and tastes
   c) The government's control over foreign media channels
   d) The resistance of local cultures to global media influences

5. Which event significantly accelerated the expansion of Doordarshan's national network and introduced colour television in India?
   a) The 1971 Indo-Pak War
   b) The launch of SITE in 1975
   c) The declaration of Emergency in 1975
   d) The 1982 Asian Games held in Delhi

6. The concept of the 'Digital Divide' highlights inequality in access to:
   a) Print newspapers
   b) Radio broadcasts
   c) Internet and communication technologies
   d) Traditional folk media

7. In colonial India, newspapers like 'Kesari' (edited by Bal Gangadhar Tilak) primarily served the purpose of:
   a) Supporting British administrative policies
   b) Promoting Western cultural values
   c) Disseminating nationalist ideas and critiquing colonial rule
   d) Providing entertainment news

8. The opening up of the Indian economy in the early 1990s led to which major change in the television landscape?
   a) Strengthening of Doordarshan's monopoly
   b) Entry of private and foreign satellite channels
   c) A complete ban on foreign media content
   d) Increased government funding for Doordarshan

9. The idea of mass media acting as a 'watchdog' in a democracy implies its role in:
   a) Promoting government achievements
   b) Entertaining the public exclusively
   c) Holding those in power accountable
   d) Spreading official information only

10. Which communication medium was initially considered most effective by the post-independence Indian state for reaching a large, diverse, and often illiterate population for developmental communication?
    a) Newspapers
    b) Television
    c) Films
    d) Radio (All India Radio)

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c) Bengal Gazette
2. c) Facilitating rural education and development
3. b) Prasar Bharati
4. b) The process of adapting global media content to suit local cultures and tastes
5. d) The 1982 Asian Games held in Delhi
6. c) Internet and communication technologies
7. c) Disseminating nationalist ideas and critiquing colonial rule
8. b) Entry of private and foreign satellite channels
9. c) Holding those in power accountable
10. d) Radio (All India Radio)

Make sure you understand the historical trajectory, the role media played in different phases (colonial, post-independence, globalized era), the relationship between media and the state, and the social impacts discussed. This chapter connects strongly with themes of social change, globalization, and democracy. Good luck with your preparation!