A Projct submittd on Role of media in Indian society

IN COMPLIANC TO PARTIAL FULFILLMNT OF TH MARKING

SCHM, FOR TRIMSTR II OF 2014-2015, IN TH SUBJCT OF
SOCIOLOGY
SUBMITTD TO FACULTY: Vrinda Mohan
FOR VALUATION
SUBMITTD BY:
NL NARSINGHANI
BBA LLB (HONS)
ROLL NO A059
1 | Page

INDEX
SR. NO.
1

TOPIC
Acknowledgement

Page NO.
3

Abbreviations:

3
4

Table of statues
Introduction

5
6-9

1)
2)
3)
4)

Definition
Origin and evolution
Significance and relevance of the study
Objectives of the study

Review of Literature:

10-15

1) Public and mass media

2) Media and political development
3) Different types of media theory
4) Present scenario of media
5) The Indian scenario
Methodology

16-17

1) Method of data collection

2) Hypothesis
3) Limitations
Analysis:

18-23

8
9

1) Media and social changes

2) Political influence on media
3) Media-its global scene
4) Media-crossing the limits of time and space
5) Current trends
6) Media as gatekeeper
7) Media as watchdog
8) Media Laws
9) Comparison between India and US
Summary and suggestions:
Bibliography

24-26
27

Acknowledgement
This project has been made possible with the help and support of everyone including: parents,
teachers, family, friends, etc. Especially, please allow me to dedicate my acknowledgement of
gratitude towards the following significant advisor and s and contributors:

2 | Page

First and foremost, I would like to thank Vrinda Maam for her exemplary guidance, valuable
feedback and constant encouragement throughout the duration of the project. The guidance
provided by her helped me to shape my project in a better way and eventually have a better
understanding of the topic.
Finally, my sincere thanks to my parents, family and friends, who provide the advice and
financial support. The product of this research paper would not be possible without all of
them.

Abbreviations:

3 | Page

 U.N- Unitd Nations

co.- conomics

AD Anno domini
Corp. Corporation
Dr. Doctor
Fb. Fbruary
Govt. Govrnmnt
Hon. Th honourabl
Jr. Junior
No. Numbr
Art. Articl
IPC Indian Pnal Cod
Rv. Rvisd
USA Unitd Stats of Amrica
Adovc. Advocat
CJ. Chif Justic
J. Justic
UOI Union of India

4 | Page

Table of Statutes:
1) Section II of the Customs Act. 1962
2) Indian penal code, 1860
3) Indian telegraph act, 1885
4) Indian Post Office Act, 1898
5) The Police Act, 1922
6) Official Secrets Act, 1923
7) The Drugs and Magic Remedies {Objectionable Advertisement)
Act, I954
8) The Criminal Procedure Code, I973
9) The Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act. 1956
10)
The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition)
Act,1986

Chapter-I

Introduction:

What is meant by the term media: Definition

5 | Page

The word Media is the plural of medium, which sadly does not have any one specific
meaning; rather there are multiple meaning of the same term. Something, such as an
intermediate course of action, that occupies a position or represents a condition mid-way
between extremes.1 An agency by which something is accomplished, conveyed or
transferred. It is pretty clear from the above said definitions that they refer to the same
things, so under the influence of the given context it can be said that a medium is something
that serves as middle person for transferring information. In the world of today, media has
become as necessary as food and clothing. It has played significant role in strengthening the
society. Media is considered as "mirror" of the modern society, in fact, it is the media which
shapes our lives. The purpose of the media is to inform people about current ,new affairs and
to tell about the latest gossip and fashion. It tells about the people who are geographically
divided. The role of media has become one way of trading and marketing of products and
prejudices. The media claimed to be governed by righteousness and equity, but greed and
self-aggrandizement has poisoned its virtues. Media is in charge of:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Information
Education
Entertainment
Advertising
Correlation of parts of society

Society is influenced by media in so many ways. It is the media for the masses that helps
them to get information about a lot of things and also to form opinions and make judgments
regarding various issues! It is the media which keeps the people updated and informed about
what is happening around them and the world. Everyone can draw something from it.
Origin and Evolution:
History of print media and written communication follows the progress of civilization which,
in turn, moves in response to changing cultural technologies. The transfer of complex
information, ideas and concepts from one individual to another, or to a group, underwent
extreme evolution since prehistoric times. It has been 30,000 years later since the first
recorded evidence of written communication and it is still dramatically changing. Nowadays
perhaps faster than ever before due to amazing advances in technology in recent years.
Technical breakthroughs alter the way we perceive the universe and manner in which we
communicate with one another. As long ago as 25,000-30,000 years B.C. first humans painted
1 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/medium
6 | Page

descriptive pictures on cave walls. The narrative compositions left on the walls of Lascaux
represented their own way of communicating with the spiritual world and another. The wellpreserved drawing depicted their deep religious beliefs, fears, and everyday life. The pictorial
type found in caves of Southern France and Spain is the beginning of written communication
for the human kind. n 1900 B.C. the Chinese independently developed their very own style of
writing. The earliest record of Chinese writing was found preserved on various bones. Their
achievement was the building stone for Japanese and Korean to create their own models in
400 B.C. Invention of paper revolutionized the face of print. Written word became more
accessible. In 11th century A.D. Pi Sheng of China starts to print with movable clay type and
in 6th century Chinese engravers mastered art of wood-block printing. Before Johann
Gutenbergs invention of printing press, books were produced by scribes based usually
monasteries. The process of writing was very labourites. This remained true until the
invention of movable type, which is attributed to Jahann Gutenberg of Mainz, Germany,
(although the Chinese had a crude version of printing press). Gutenberg was a man of vision
and developed movable printing press, which made the process much quicker and cheaper
than wood-block printing. However, his investors (Fust and Schoeffer) repossessed his
business before the first mass produced book was successfully printed. Gutenbergs invention
was revolutionary. It was the first mass medium, and allowed for free spread of ideas in a
completely unprecedented fashion. The Protestant Reformation might not have occurred
without the ability to quickly create thousands of copies of Luthers Theses for public
distribution. Gutenbergs brilliant idea aided the creation of the first newspaper printed in
Germany in 1609. Less than 92 years later, in 1702, England had the first newspaper
published daily; it was called the Daily Courant.2
In the late 20th Century, mass media could be classified into eight mass media industries:
books, newspapers, magazines, recordings, radio, movies, television and the internet. 3 With
the explosion of digital communication technology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries,
the question of what forms of media should be classified as "mass media" has become more
prominent. For example, it is controversial whether to include cell phones, video games and
computer games (such as MMORPGs) in the definition. In the 2000s, a classification called
the "seven mass media" became popular. In order of introduction, they are:
2 http://myweb.cwpost.liu.edu/paievoli/finals/505Sp_03/Prj1/irene_piechota.htm
3 http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/en/index.html
7 | Page

1. Print (books, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines, etc.) from the late 15th century
2. Recordings (gramophone records, magnetic tapes, cassettes, cartridges, CDs, DVDs)
from the late 19th century
3. Cinema from about 1900
4. Radio from about 1910
5. Television from about 1950
6. Internet from about 1990
7. Mobile phones from about 2000
Each mass media has its own content types, its own creative artists and technicians, and its
own business models. For example, the Internet includes web sites, blogs, podcasts, and
various other technologies built on top of the general distribution network. The sixth and
seventh media, internet and mobile, are often called collectively as digital media; and the
fourth and fifth, radio and TV, as broadcast media. Some argue that video games have
developed into a distinct mass form of media.

Significance and relevance of the study:

The study on Media and its effects on the society holds really high importance in todays
era. People in this era of globalisation want to remain updated with the on-goings in the
world. This helps them to stay updated with the current trends going around in the country
and in the world at large. For this, they are solely dependent on media. Media here includesPrint media (newspapers, weeklies, books, etc.), Television, Radio, internet, etc. The
dependence of such a huge number of people on media has made it a very relevant topic to
research on in todays era. In the Indian perspective, there are more than 100 million people
who are dependent on these forms of media to know the on-goings on the world. With such a
huge number of people dependent on it, the responsibility on the media remains too high. It
has to serve people with unbiased truth and facts. When such large of number of people are
depending on one thing for different purposes, biased and incorrect information may cause
chaos among the society. Media today not only helps people to know the events around the
8 | Page

globe, but it serves as medium of connecting people around the globe. People with the help of
media come to know about the various cultures, religion in various societies in the world. It
serves as a medium to let people develop and grow by increasing their stock of knowledge.
Thus it can be said that the study of Media and its impacts on societies holds high
importance todays era.
Objectives of the study:
The aim of the study is to examine the role of media in national development. The specific
objectives are to:
(a) Examine the role of media in society.
(b) Determine the extent of media role in national development.
(c) Evaluate how the media influence events in society.
(d) Analyse the role of media in strengthening democracy,
economic growth, peace and security, and nation-building.
(e) Comparing Indian meadia resources with the world.

9 | Page

Chapter II-

Review of Literature:

Mass Media and interpersonal communication for Social awakening:Dr K Candrakandan

In the book, the author has tried to cover all results of the Mass Media on Society. It gives a
clear understanding of the topic, from old forms of media to the latest information technology
era have high impact and roles to play in the changing society. Media, with the passing time
has more roles to play than before and its importance is increasing with each passing decacde.
It has been described that Media has effects on each aspect of human life, from politics to
agriculture etc. The distribution of knowledge from different forms of media channels helps
the general public at large to know more about the society they live in. Different kinds of
media theory have also been explained: From social scientific theory to normative theory,
there are different approaches towards the understanding of the media. Various channels of
media targets different classes of people. Media today is being used as tool for social change,
advertisement, disbursing knowledge, etc. and has been effective in bringing about social
changes in the society from time to time. On the other side of it, from time to time, media has
done blunders from revealing imperfect news or revealing information that should not have
been leaked. But despite of all these facts, media at the end of the day is one source with
multiple roles to play, multiple responsibilities to fulfil and be a tool in changing the society.

Ideal and reality: Medias Role in India:Justice Markandey Katju; The Hindu

The article focuses at The media, along with art and literature, must help the people in their
struggle against poverty, unemployment, and other social evils in contemporary India.

In the article, the media has been criticized as The Indian media today are largely acting
irresponsibly and not serving the people in their struggle against poverty, unemployment, and
other social evils, as they ought to be doing. Historically, the media were born as organs of
the people against feudal oppression. In Europe, they played a major role in transforming a
feudal society into a modern one. Everyone is aware of the role the print media played in
preparing the people for, and during, the American and French Revolutions, as also in Britain.
10 | P a g e

The only medium at that time was print, and writers such as Rousseau, Voltaire, Thomas
Paine, Junius, and John Wilkes used it in the fight against feudalism and despotism. The
media became powerful tools in the hands of the people at that time. They could not express
themselves through the established organs of power, which were in the hands of feudal and
despotic rulers. Hence the people had to create organs that would serve them. In Europe and
the U.S., the media represented the voice of the future, as against the feudal or despotic
organs that wanted to preserve the status quo in society. In the 20th century, other types of
media have emerged. The main question that is coined by the article is What should be the
role of the media? This is a question of great importance to India today.

Role of media in new age:Kapil Sibal; PenClub Mumbai.

Kapil Sibal, the Minister of HRD and C & IT, spoke on the topic: "Role of Indian Media in
the New Age", presiding as the Chief Guest for the 'Press Club Awards for Excellence in
Journalism' , on 5th May 2012. It clearly reflected from his speech that media has emerged
has a pillar of the modern state. The foundation of a modern democratic State lies in its
ability to secure fundamental rights promised to its people, to deliver justice and lead its
people to economic and social progress. Democracy is defined by freedom of speech and
expression. Media is an embodiment of these rights that define democracy. If we look back
into history, the emergence of the modern nation-state where the sovereignty vested in its
people is closely related to the spread of the printing press. Bible (the first printed book) was
a precursor to the spread of democracy and republican thought across the world. Rousseau
was mild mannered, but his thoughts disseminated by the newspapers in the coffee houses of
Paris resulted in the French Revolution. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity as the slogan for the
Revolution owes much to the media of the day. However, the nature of media has also been
changing over the last two decades. The emergence of the electronic media in India over two
decades ago since the first war to be witnessed live by millions in the cosy comforts of their
homes, brought the power of imagery to the forefront. The growing dominance of imagery
over substance in an era where time is of the essence and competition is intense, has brought
about the need for stoking fires, beaming controversies and heated debates in the med

11 | P a g e

Theoretical concepts:
Public and Mass media:
The more the media and the public are willing to do toward insuring a free and responsible
communication system, the less the government will have to do; and that in general the
outside forces of law and public opinion can check bad aspects of media performance, but
only the media themselves can bring about good performance. It seems quite clear that the
media have the chief responsibility. If they do not assume it, if they do not voluntarily
provide us with the service on high professional level which our society requires, then our
communication problem cannot be solved. Anyone who looks at the mass communication as
social institution cannot fail to note the push and pull of public interests and tastes on the
institution.4
Media and Political Development: (Democracy and Good Governance.)
The media can affect politics and culture, supporting institutional change and development.
Communication is not only a tool for the expression of ideas and opinions, but very often acts
as catalyst for development of the society. The exercise of free expression allows all sectors
to debate and construct solutions for political problems.

The mass media form an important and influential bridge, a crucial channel, between
government and people. The right to democratic governance is a fundamental human right to
be exercised by people through free and fair elections. Accountability of political leaders to
the people; transparency in political, economic and social affairs; recognition of the views
and opinions of the public in the formulation of policies; and providing citizens the
opportunities to discuss, without fear of intimidation, policies and issues, constitute the
measure of good governance. Free, fair and accurate media is essential to a healthy,
functioning democracy. Media are required to enable the public make informed electoral
choices; have effective input into public affairs; ensure that the rule of law is upheld; and that
the mechanisms designed to check abuses of power can function properly. Overall, the media

4 Jk Singh; Mass Media and communication

12 | P a g e

therefore act as facilitators to check dictators, arrogant leaders and political elites that think
they can get away with their actions.5

Different kinds of media theory:

There are various approaches towards the study of media and its impacts on the society at
large. Some of them are listed below:
1) Social Scientific theory: General statement about the nature, working and effects of
mass communication, based on systematic and objective observation of media and
relevant sources. It has described its own way of communication and where media
stands in the channel of communication. It gives an overview about the types of
communication and has placed mass communication at the supreme position.

5 http://www.africaleadership.org/rc/Linus%20Gitahi's%20Paper.pdf
13 | P a g e

Communication types from Intrapersonal, i.e , processing information to Society wide, i.e
mass communication are explained in this theory.
Normative theory:
The normative view of the press argues that the conduct of the media has to take into account
public interests. The main public interest criterions that the media need to consider include
freedom of publication, plurality in media ownership, diversity in information, culture and
opinion, support for the democratic political system, support for public order and security of
then state, universal reach, quality of information and culture disseminated to the public,
respect for human rights and avoiding harm to individuals and the society. The social
responsibilities expected from media in the public sphere were deeply grounded with the
acceptance of media as the fourth estate, a term coined by Edmund Burke in England. The
theory of social responsibility which came out of this commission was backed by certain
principles which included media ownership is a public trust and media has certain obligations
to society; news media should be fair, objective, relevant and truthful; there should be
freedom of the press but there is also a need for self-regulation; it should adhere to the
professional code of conduct and ethics and government may have a role to play if under
certain circumstances public interest is hampered.6
Present scenario of media:
The nature of media has also been changing over the last two decades. The emergence of the
electronic media in India over two decades ago since the first war to be witnessed live by
millions in the cosy comforts of their homes, brought the power of imagery to the forefront.
The growing dominance of imagery over substance in an era where time is of the essence and
competition is intense, has brought about the need for stoking fires, beaming controversies
and heated debates in the media. Today, the media is regarded as the fourth estate and
freedom of the media is an essential feature of all democratic states. Today, Media plays a
very important and crucial role in enlightening and educating the people. The media can aid
public involvement through advocating issue and transferring knowledge, skills and
technologies to the people. Awareness about various rural development programmes,
propagation of family planning could be spread by using the media. It made farmers aware of
6
http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/archive/00863/Contemporary_India__86382
1a.pdf
14 | P a g e

the new and improved methods of agriculture and protection of the crops. Media plays very
emphatic role in awakening people against many evils prevailed in the society like child
marriage, killing of female unborn child, the evil practice of child labour etc. Through
educational programmes, it can cover many students in a single platform. Thus in the
contemporary position, media has much more roles to play than it once used to.7

The Indian scenario:

Taking the case in India, even though there is no blasphemy law in our country, the
publications here would not normally commission cartoons of religious figures, as it is a very
sensitive subject. Also while the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech, it places
"reasonable restrictions" "in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India or public
order or morality. Our social ethics too direct respect for the sentiments of the minorities.
Such restrictions resulted in censorship, an example of which was seen in 2004 when the
documentary Final Solution, which looks at religious rioting between Hindus and Muslims,
was banned. The film follows 2002 clashes in the western state of Gujarat, which left more
than 1,000 people dead. The censor board justified the ban, saying it was "highly provocative
and may trigger off unrest and communal violence". 8 Many a times, the newspaper plays a
lead role through peace giving headlines and news like the Gujarat Samachaar that quoted in
its 11th March 2002 edition that Lilapir durgah devotees included all Hindus and Muslims
and talked about Elol village being an example of communal harmony.9 Newspapers have
always been a medium for communicating solution, knowledge and thus have succeeded in
maintaining a good balance in its reporting and constructing, encoding and representing
realities.

7 file://Contemporary_India__863821a.pdf
8 Prof k. ChandraKandan; Mass media and interpersonal communication for
social awakening.
9 http://wisepoint.org/node/40
15 | P a g e

Chapyer III- Methodology:

The Term Research Methodology indicates an exhaustive and searching investigation into
some accepted principles and conclusions, so as to bring into light some novel and new facts.
The present work is a doctrinal and non-doctrinal study with a critical approach of a
secondary nature. An attempt has been made to answer the issues involved by compiling
information from a range of sources like books, journals new articles including the internet
for information on legalities, approach and illustration to determine the scope of the subject.
The relevant material is collected from the secondary sources. From the collected
information, the research purposes to analyse critically the topic of the study and attempts to
reach the core of the study.
A conventional footing is used for easy reference. Highlighted in bold, italic is used in some
sections to draw the attention of the reader.

Hypothesis:
The hypothesis to be tested is that medias role in national development is dependent upon
their independence, freedom, and the ability to effectively communicate objective, balanced,
fair, and accurate information to both government and the public. To test this hypothesis,
certain assumptions are made:

16 | P a g e

(a) Media access to public information and their ability to

accurately transmit such

information for the benefit of the public is a pre-requisite for national development.
(b) Media need to be free and independent, have the capacity to reflect diverse views, and
the ability to report on various subjects, while remaining accountable.
(c) Higher media penetration promotes greater responsibilities of public and private agents.
(d) Control of media by any single or concentrated interest groups can hinder their ability to
play their role.
(e) Media can be more effective if complementary institutions, such as the judiciary,
reinforce their independence and quality.

Limitations:
The research is restricted to secondary research. Due to the constrains of time and scope of
the project, it was not possible to conduct a primary research. The study being critical in
nature, doctrinal methods have been adopted for the purpose of research because it was not
possible to study the subject by a experimental method.
Limitation of the research is the subject matter as the study remains biased at the onset to
discuss those who spoke and represented themselves and does not in any way intend to
generalize the findings on those who were unheard.

17 | P a g e

Chapter IV, V- Analysis:

Media and social changes:
In contemporary society, the mass media serve as a powerful socializing agent. From
sociological perspective, the media play a crucial role in almost all aspects of daily life.
However, their influence is not limited to what we know. The sociological significance of
media extends beyond the content of media messages. Media also affect how we learn about
our world and internet with one another. The impact is most obvious when we look at the
ways in which the mass media literally mediate our relationship with various social
institutions. Sociologists are not the only ones who study mass media. Political scientists are
also interested in the medias role in politics. 10 Literary scholars might examine the media as
cultural texts. Some psychologists are interested in the effect of media exposure on individual
behaviour. In contemporary society, it is media that most often act as the bridge between
people,s private life and their relation to the public world. That is, people often learn about
place in larger society through a mass media.
Political influence on media:

10 Denis Mcquail; Mass communication theory

18 | P a g e

Democratic societies, pride themselves on protecting freedom of the press and freedom of
expression. Such societies are usually characterized by a more diverse mix of public and
privately owned media outlets offering a variety of arts, news, information and entertainment.
The media in such societies are still subject to government regulations, but they are given
greater latitude to operate independently. Government laws and regulations affect all facets of
media production. Best known are the legal regulations affecting the content of media. The
media industry may not want government regulation in some matters, but in some cases it
certainally does want government intervention. The governments protection of copyright is
crucial to the continued functioning of the media industry. Thus, the relation between
government and media is more complex than a simple freedom of press slogan might
suggest.
Media- its global scene:
Globalization has two central components. The first relates to the changing role of geography
and physical distance. With electronic media, instantaneous communication and interaction
can be carried out over far distances. Globalisation carries this phenomena to its global limits.
The second dimension of globalization involves the content of this communication. With
electronic media, the ideas, images and sounds of different cultures are potentially available
to the vast networks of people outside the culture from which the message originated. In this
sense, culture becomes more accessible to the large number of people.
Crossing the limits of time and space:- Globalization in many spheres has driven home the
fact that our interaction and interdependence extend beyond local, regional and national
boundaries to encompass the far reaches of the planet. Electronic communication has been a
feature of globalization as it facilated other forms of globalization, such as , international
finance and manufacturing, which could not have been possible without communication
networks. Global communication has compressed both, space and time.
Current trends:

19 | P a g e

The following graph will represent various Indian media channels and their usages from
1991-2012.

The above graph clearly represents various trends of different media channels from 19912012. In the graph it can be clearly seen that there has been a steep fall in the use of Radio
and newspaper from 1996. While Tv even though with a minor decrease has maintained the
percentage of users over the period of time. From 2004, with the awareness of internet, the
use of online media increased. Other forms of any digital media including mobile apps and
Youtube media channels started to get popular from 2010. Since then the internet and other
online forms of media have been increasing in their usage. This clearly implies the shift of the
public to new forms of media. People who previously used traditional forms of media now
gradually started shifting to new forms with the changing times.
Media as Gatekeeper:
20 | P a g e

Gatekeeping has been defined as the controlling of a strategic portion of a channel, so as to

have the power of decision over whether whatever is flowing through that channel will enter
the group or not. In other words, it involves a series of checkpoints that the news has to pass
through before it gets to the public. Through this process many people have to decide
whether or not the news is to be seen or heard. Gatekeepers of the media are message filters,
and they include reporters, writers, editors, producers and even government officials. The
concept involves every aspect of message selection, handling and control.
Media as Watchdog:
Closely linked to the gatekeeping role of the media is their watchdog role. The media are
traditionally the watchdog of democracy, which is also linked to their status as the fourth
estate. The key assumption of the media as watchdog is that they speak for the people,
represent the interests of the people, and serve as checks on the government. Analysing the
role of media, All India Media association, identifies the responsibilities of a watchdog, thus:
(a) A watchdog has to protect his owner, give him security and react to possible outside
interference with the rights of his owner.
(b) The watchdog has to know his loyalties therefore the media have to be loyal to the
society, because they are the watchdog of society and not of government.
(c) Anybody who threatens democracy, freedom of speech, the basic rights of the people,
should be attacked by the watchdog.
How effective and consistent is the watchdog role of the media? To answer this question,
some survey statistics will be examined accordingly. The findings of a India based media and
research specialist, MediaHubAsia, reveal that the majority of newspaper readers in Thailand
believe that freedom of expression in the media is essential, but fewer than half of the
227residents interviewed in the survey believe that Indian media take on a strong role as a
public watchdog.31 On perceptions of the media as a public watchdog, 44% considered the
role to be very strong, but 46% found it mediocre, while the remaining 10% said a
watchdog role was non-existent.
A national survey of public attitudes toward the media was administered on 3000 randomly
selected adult Indians in November 2010. When asked what roles the media should perform,
New Emphasis Index highlights the publics (43% of the sample) desire for the media to act
21 | P a g e

as their watchdog against powerful interests. Although people want the press to serve as their
watchdog, many see journalists as powerful elite who are out of touch with the public they
claim to serve. A majority (52%) believe that the press abuses its constitutional freedoms
rather than using them responsibly, while 47% think that most journalists beliefs and values
are different from their own.
Media laws
Besides the restrictions imposed on the press by the constitution, there exist various other
laws which further curtail press freedom and the right of the citizen to information, as well as
the rights to freedom of speech and expression. They are all in force in the interest of public
order and the sovereignty and security of the state.

1) The Indian Penal Code, 1860 which makes it an offence

classes of citizens,

a) to incite enmity between

b) to spread any rumors or reports likely to incite members of

the Armed Forces to mutiny or failure of duty,

c) to cause alarm to any section of

the public whereby there is an inducement to commit an offence against the state or
against the state or against public peace, d) to incite one class or community against
another,

e) to utter words or to make visible representations with intents to wound

religious feelings or beliefs of another person, or of any class of citizens.

2) The Indian Telegraph Act,1885 which empowers the state to intercept , detain, or not
to transmit any messages , in the interest of public safety, public order, the sovereignty
and to be published in India by correspondents accredited to be published in India by
correspondents accredited to the Central Government or a State Government can be
intercepted or detained only during a public emergency.
3) Indian Post Office Act, 1898 which gives the State or its representative the right to
intercept, detain or not to send any indecent or obscence publications or
representations.
4) The Police Act, 1922, which provides for a penalty for spreading disaffection among
the police and for related offences.
5) Official Secrets Act, 1923 which prohibits obtaining, collecting, recording, or
publishing of secret government documents or photographs or sketches or models. It
is this Act which prevents Indian journalists from publishing inside information about
the govemment

22 | P a g e

6) The Security and Public Safety Acts of the Various States. These deal with penalties
for inciting commission of subversive acts.
7) The Drugs and Magic Remedies {Objectionable Advertisement) Act, I954, which. in
the interests of public health, bans advertisements of magic cures of sexual ailments,
and the like
8) Section ll of the Customs Act. I962 which gives Government the power to ban import
and export of goods in the interests of security, public order, and decency and
morality.
9) The Criminal Procedure Code, I973 which empowers the State to forfeit copies of a
publication that offends Indian Penal Code provisions relating to public order or
security of the State.
10) The Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act. 1956 disallows publication and
circulation of any literature likely to encourage antisocial tendencies among
children.
11) Contempt of Courts Act, 197] relates to the wilful disobe- dience of judicial orders
and the like, and to any publication which interferes with or undermines the
administration of justice. For example, a journalist is guilty of contempt of court if he
or she publishes a report on a case held in camera (in the private chamber of the
judge).
12) The Copyright Act, I957 (as amended up to August I984) which protects the original
works of writers, artists, musicians, dramatists, film and video producers and other
creative persons from being pirated.
13) The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act,1986.
14) The National Security Act,1980.
15) The Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act,1967

Comparison between India and US:

Communication resources between India and US have been described in a table11 below:

11 Pg 157; Jk Singh; Mass Media and communication

23 | P a g e

Chapter VI-

Summary and suggestions:

The media play important roles in society. As the Fourth Estate, they provide checks and
balances on the activities of the three arms of government; as agenda-setters, they
influence the issues on public agenda; as gatekeepers, they decide what information gets
to the public; as watchdog, they represent the interests of the people against powerful
24 | P a g e

interests; and as for multipliers, they add to the combat effectiveness of military
commanders. National development covers political, economic and social issues. In
political development, the media particularly contribute in areas of democracy and good
governance, political transparency, foreign policy and human rights. In economic
development, the media provide the enabling environment for businesses and investments
to flourish. In addition, they assist in empowering economically disadvantaged groups in
the society, at the same time contribute to societal economic growth. In social
development, the media can help fight corruption, prevent communal conflicts and
provide useful information on disasters. The media are particularly useful for public
health campaigns, especially against children diseases, communicable diseases, and in
favour of healthy environment. In Indian democracy media has a responsibility which is
deeply associated with the socio economic conditions. The present scenario is not quite
encouraging and certain areas need to be addressed. Media organisations, whether in
print, audio visual, radio or web have to be more accountable to the general public. It
should be monitored that professional integrity and ethical standards are not sacrificed for
sensational practices. The freedom of press in the country is a blessing for the people.
However, this blessing can go terribly wrong when manipulations set in. The self
regulatory mechanism across media organisations need to be strong enough to stop
anomalies whenever they occur. Agencies like Press Council of India need to be vigilant
to stem the rot. Big media conglomerates are a serious threat. To counter this problem
pluralistic media organisations which are financially viable need to be encouraged.
Community participation is a goal that the media should strive for in a country like India.
Conventional wisdom in the west posits a laissez faire conception of a libertarian press
with unbridled rights that no government and no external agency could be allowed to
touch. The social responsibility conception arose in reaction to this posture.
No doubt,media has played significant role in making world a global village and to
reduce the communication gaps amongst the people living in the far areas but
unfortunately, media these days has become a COMMERCIALIZED SECTOR, eying the
news which are hot and good at selling.The goal is to gain the television rating points.
Suggestions:

25 | P a g e

THE MEDIA can make full use of their potential to contribute to the consolidation of
democracy if their rights are protected. Moreover they need to have the requisite skills for
the kind of textured and in-depth reporting that new democracies require. Because the
media are powerful, there should also be mechanisms to ensure they are held accountable
to the public and that ethical and professional standards are upheld. Media independence
is guaranteed if media organizations are financially viable, free from the intervention of
media owners and operate in a competitive media environment. Finally, the medias
power is enhanced if they have broad reach in, and support from, society. Democracy
suffers if large segments of society are inaccessible to the media and therefore excluded
from the arena of public debate. Various initiatives which have contributed to creating an
enabling environment that allows the media to be an effective agent for deepening
democracy and which strengthen the media as a democratic institution include the
following:
1) Protection of Journalists. In many fledgling democracies, the media become the
target of reprisal from powerful groups and individuals who benefit from the
silence of a muzzled press. Journalists need to be protected by laws that guarantee
their rights. In many new democracies, old laws dating back from the authoritarian
past impose harsh punishments for libel, restrict access to official information and
impose strict licensing requirements for media companies. The repeal of these
laws and the enactment of more liberal legislation can have a liberating effect on
the media. So will judicial and legal reforms that ensure courts will defend the
rights of journalists and punish those guilty of doing them harm.
2) Enhancing Media Accountability. The medias credibility as a democratic
institution is enhanced if they are accountable to the public, acknowledge their
mistakes and ensure that ethical and professional standards are upheld. A
sensational and trigger- happy press does not contribute to intelligent discussion
and debate and soon loses public support.
It is recommended that:
(a) Media freedom is fundamental in democracy therefore it should

be non-

negotiable.

26 | P a g e

(b) Media must report the truth without undue misrepresentation of

facts,

sensationalism, propaganda and bias.

(c) In reporting, the media must take cognisance of national security and the welfare
of the people.
(d) Media practitioners must not be influenced by the interests of ownership, both
government and corporate.
(e) Ownership of the media should be spread to avoid the monopoly of a few,
powerful individuals, corporations or governments.
(f) Display or transmission of pornographic and violent media materials should be
controlled to reduce negative influence on societies.
(g) More media outfits should be established in rural communities to facilitate
development and provide them more access to information.
(h) Media Institutes should be established to coordinate the

activities of both

domestic and international media in order to reduce the incident of false or negative
reporting.
(i) Media interactions should be a regular feature in military training institutions.

27 | P a g e

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books Referred:
1) Prof k. ChandraKandan- Mass media and interpersonal communication
for social awakening.
2) Jk Singh; Mass Media and communication.
3) Denis Mcquail; Mass communication theory.

Websites referred:
1) http://myweb.cwpost.liu.edu/paievoli/finals/505Sp_03/Prj1/irene_piechot
a.htm
2) http://wisepoint.org/node/40
3) http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/ideal-and-realitymedias-role-in-india/article1319319.ece
4) http://nfch.nic.in/WORD_FILE/RoleMedia.pdf
5) http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan010194.
pdf
6) http://www.hamariweb.com/articles/article.aspx?id=10166
7) http://www.caluniv.ac.in/global-mdia-journal/Commentaries/C
8)

%207.%20%20%20%20%20SOUMYA%20DUTTA.pdf
http://www.slideshare.net/funkygenesis/role-of-media-in-our-society

28 | P a g e