TV is becoming tool for shaping social, political identities; is still the favorite pastime in rural Punjab- Punjabi University -Research
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ March 31,2024
A recent study by Punjabi University on the effects of television in the Rural Punjab has revealed important results. Through the study conducted by researcher Mani Inderpal Singh under the supervision of Dr. Deepak Kumar, Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, the impact of television on rural Punjab has been explored from various angles.
Dr. Deepak Kumar said that earlier studies on this topic were mostly based on data from urban areas but this latest research presents the impact of television on daily rural life in Punjab. He said that television was once a novelty in rural Punjab, which has played its role in shaping people’s habits, choice of clothing, sleeping time and even their communication dynamics. Television has served to connect rural life with modern socio-economic practices and worldviews. He said that through the research the effect of television on the behavior of people to purchase goods as consumers or users has also been understood. Through the study It turns out that advertisements and television shows promote a lifestyle even at the rural level where people feel the need to buy more things. Sometimes these goods include things that they don’t really need. In other words, television-driven consumer culture has been encouraged in rural Punjab as well. Such a trend of buying unnecessary things is changing the way of life of rural Punjabi people.
He said that through the study it was also revealed that television programs have also played a role in increasing the caste and religious consciousness in the rural society. While this awareness can be good in some ways, it also has the potential to create divisions among people. Likewise, television is also becoming a tool for shaping social and political identities in rural areas. Researcher Mani Inderpal Singh said that this study also draws conclusions about the impact of television on collective mobility in rural society. The study shows that despite the new ways of getting entertainment, TV is still the favorite pastime of rural Punjab. Majority of people prefer television to outdoor activities. He said that the research study revealed that initially TV also served the function of bringing rural people together in public spaces and creating a shared/collective experience; But during the last two decades, the locations of television sets in villages have also been changed. These have shifted from common spaces in the home to private rooms, especially bedrooms. This change, though seemingly subtle, but the results of the research study suggest that it has far-reaching consequences. He said that this research also underlines the factors affecting the structure of television content in the media house sector in Punjab. The study read how TRP Ratings, sensational content, state interest, advertising revenue, and audience feedback play important roles in the creation of this content.
TV is becoming tool for shaping social, political identities; is still the favorite pastime in rural Punjab- Punjabi University -Research. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Arvind congratulated for this research and said that it is an important research highlighting the role of medium like TV in the various trends arising in the society at the village level and the social changes coming at the present time. It is necessary for the betterment of the society to understand any kind of effects on the society and their causes in this way. In this regard, this study conducted by Punjabi University is of special importance.
