abhishreshthaa
Abhijeet S
As we show in the data later, this means that cable access is more common in villages that are wealthier and have a higher population density, where more people can a_ord to pay for service and where it would therefore be more pro_table to start a cable business.
However, dramatic declinesin the prices of both the equipment and satellite service subscriptions (due in part to reduced tari_sand increased competition), coupled with income growth, have allowed cable to spread over time to more and more villages.
In the 5 years from 2001 to 2006, about 30 million households, representing approximately 150 million individuals, added cable service (National Readership Studies Council 2006).
And since television is often watched with family and friends by those without a television or cable, the growth in actual access or exposure to cable may have been even more dramatic.The program oerings on cable television are quite dierent than government programming.
The most popular shows tend to be game shows and soap operas. As an example, among the most popular shows in both 2000 and 2007 (based on Indian Nielsen ratings) is \Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi," (Because aother-in-Law was Once a Daughter-in-Law, Also) a show based around the life of a wealthy industrial family in the large city of Mumbai.
As can be seen from the title, the main themes and plots of the show often revolve around issues of family and gender. Among satellite channels, STAR TV and Zee TV tend to dominate, although Sony, STAR PLUS and Sun TV are also represented among the top 20 shows.
Viewership of the government channel, although relatively high among those who do not have cable, is extremely low among those who do (and limited largely to sporting events).2This background information detailed here is drawn largely from Mankekar, 1999 and Indian television.com
The introduction of television in general appears to have had large e_ects on Indian society.In contrast to the West, television seems to be, in some cases, the primary medium by which people in rural villages in India get information about the outside world (Scrase, 2002; Mankekar, 1993; Mankekar, 1998; Johnson, 2001; Fernandes, 2000). For example, Johnson (2001) reports on a man in his 50's in a village in India who says that television is \the biggest thing to happen in our village, ever".
He goes on to say that he learned about the value of electric fans (to deal with the heat) from television, and subsequently purchased one. The same author quotes another man arguing that television is where they learned that their leaders were corrupt, and about using the court system to address grievances.
On issues of gender specically, television seems to have had a significant impact, since this is an area where the lives of rural viewers di_er greatly from those depicted on most popular shows.
By virtue of the fact that the most popular Indian serials take place in urban settings, women depicted on these shows are typically much more emancipated than rural women. For example, many women on popular serials work outside the home run businesses and control money. In addition, they are typically more educated and have fewer children than their rural counterparts.
Further, in many cases there is access to Western television, with its accompanying depiction of life in which women are much more emancipated. Based on anthropological reports, this seems to have acted attitudes within India. Scrase (2002) reports that several of his respondents thought television might lead women to question their social position and might help the cause of female advancement.
Another woman reports that, because of television, men and women are able to open up a lot more" (Scrase, 2002). Johnson (2001) quotes a number of respondents describing changes in gender roles as a result of television. One man notes, Since TV has come to our village, women are doing less work than before. They only want to watch TV.
However, dramatic declinesin the prices of both the equipment and satellite service subscriptions (due in part to reduced tari_sand increased competition), coupled with income growth, have allowed cable to spread over time to more and more villages.
In the 5 years from 2001 to 2006, about 30 million households, representing approximately 150 million individuals, added cable service (National Readership Studies Council 2006).
And since television is often watched with family and friends by those without a television or cable, the growth in actual access or exposure to cable may have been even more dramatic.The program oerings on cable television are quite dierent than government programming.
The most popular shows tend to be game shows and soap operas. As an example, among the most popular shows in both 2000 and 2007 (based on Indian Nielsen ratings) is \Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi," (Because aother-in-Law was Once a Daughter-in-Law, Also) a show based around the life of a wealthy industrial family in the large city of Mumbai.
As can be seen from the title, the main themes and plots of the show often revolve around issues of family and gender. Among satellite channels, STAR TV and Zee TV tend to dominate, although Sony, STAR PLUS and Sun TV are also represented among the top 20 shows.
Viewership of the government channel, although relatively high among those who do not have cable, is extremely low among those who do (and limited largely to sporting events).2This background information detailed here is drawn largely from Mankekar, 1999 and Indian television.com
The introduction of television in general appears to have had large e_ects on Indian society.In contrast to the West, television seems to be, in some cases, the primary medium by which people in rural villages in India get information about the outside world (Scrase, 2002; Mankekar, 1993; Mankekar, 1998; Johnson, 2001; Fernandes, 2000). For example, Johnson (2001) reports on a man in his 50's in a village in India who says that television is \the biggest thing to happen in our village, ever".
He goes on to say that he learned about the value of electric fans (to deal with the heat) from television, and subsequently purchased one. The same author quotes another man arguing that television is where they learned that their leaders were corrupt, and about using the court system to address grievances.
On issues of gender specically, television seems to have had a significant impact, since this is an area where the lives of rural viewers di_er greatly from those depicted on most popular shows.
By virtue of the fact that the most popular Indian serials take place in urban settings, women depicted on these shows are typically much more emancipated than rural women. For example, many women on popular serials work outside the home run businesses and control money. In addition, they are typically more educated and have fewer children than their rural counterparts.
Further, in many cases there is access to Western television, with its accompanying depiction of life in which women are much more emancipated. Based on anthropological reports, this seems to have acted attitudes within India. Scrase (2002) reports that several of his respondents thought television might lead women to question their social position and might help the cause of female advancement.
Another woman reports that, because of television, men and women are able to open up a lot more" (Scrase, 2002). Johnson (2001) quotes a number of respondents describing changes in gender roles as a result of television. One man notes, Since TV has come to our village, women are doing less work than before. They only want to watch TV.