National cost of television in India in 2000 A.D.: socio-economic and political implications and issues

Abstract

The rapid expansion of TV coverage has opened up possibilities of this medium to be used as a developmental communication tool. The analysis in this paper has indicated that only 12 percent of the population residing in the areas with the reach of the TV signals can only watch the TV at present. The simulation exercise reported in this paper indicates that unless some major policy interventions are made, only 40 percent of people would have access to TV programmes even in the year 2000 A.D. The profile of these viewers indicates that bulk of these viewers would be from the urban area and top three brackets of consumption expenditure in rural area. The paper has discussed some of the socio-economic and political implications of this profile of viewership. This calls for a multi-pronged policy thrust in remedying the situation of skewed access to TV in India, widening the knowledge gap between 'haves' and have-nots'. This paper has suggested three such areas policy of interventions. The implementation of suggested interventions would also have implication for production planning, fiscal measures and support of village panchayats and local bodies and school systems. These aspects need to be taken into account in communication planning for the year 2000 A.D.