UNIT- 2

MEDIA OF COMMUNICATION
Traditional Media, Folk media, - Characteristics and Features, Merits and Demerits. Mass
Media - Print and Electronic, Print - Characteristics and Features, Merits and Demerits of
Newspapers and Magazines, journals, Electronic - Radio and TV. Internet, social media
(Facebook, WhatsApp, twitter) - Characteristics and Features, Merits and Demerits
(Terminologies Case studies and relevant media organizations), News Agencies.

1.
FOLK MEDIA
The word ‘FOLK’ has been derived from a German word ‘volk’ which means the people. Folk
Media is media of the people. Though closely linked, both folk media and folklore are very
different from each other.
"Folk Media" is a term used to denote "people's performances". It describes folk dance, rural
drama and musical variety of the village people which was transferred from generation to
generation. This term speaks of those performing arts which are cultural symbols of a people.
These performing arts pulsate with life and slowly change through the flux of time. During the
past five decades they have been increasingly recognised as viable tools to impart even
development messages, both as live performances as also in a form integrated with electronic
mass media.

Characteristics
Folk media leaves great impact on the society and instrumental in bringing about social
change. Despite the fact that the modern media has reached almost every nook and corner
of the society, the folk media has retained its space and operates as a powerful medium to
influence the thoughts and attitudes of the masses and also bring about change in the society.
Folk media proves very useful in curbing superstition and spread of scientific and progressive
ideas among people. Since, folk media is popular among masses it has power to persuade
people.
Behavioural changes are most easily brought about by personal interaction. And traditional
folk media are personal forms of communication, of entertainment. These forms of art are a
part of the way of life of a community and provide acceptable means of bringing development
issues into the community on its own terms.
Traditional folk media are playing a meaningful role in the affairs of developing countries in
Asia and Africa. Folk media come from the people and have always served to entertain, to
educate, to reinforce or to alter existing ideas and attitudes. In view of their intimacy with the
people at the local level, folk media channels have proved to be powerful tools of
communication in a rural society. Conventionally the traditional folk performances have been
theme-carriers, usually carrying themes of morality.

Among the rural performances the "flexible" ones like the puppet and folk drama have shown
their capacity to absorb any modern message, and reflect it in terms that are easily
understood by the village masses. Several song types have handled vital contemporary
themes like the green revolution, scientific temperament, eradication of illiteracy and
superstition, family welfare, health and sanitation. The rural drama, with its stock characters,
has also carried across modern messages, without, in any way hurting the community's
traditional culture. When handled with care and consideration, the sensitive folk media have
proved themselves to be meaningful and effective tools of communication for development.
Folk culture in a society is seen in four different forms; Oral tradition, Material culture and
Performing arts. Among these, the Oral tradition and the Performing arts appear to be the
main media of communication. The folk arts have been used for moral, religious and socio-
political purposes in India right from ancient times. Rarely they have been resorted for pure
entertainment alone.

Folk Dance

The most popular form of traditional folk media is the folk dance. Colourful, vibrant,
melancholic, elegant, graceful, all these attributes form the core of folk dances. They attract
audience since the tunes are generally feet tapping and very well-liked by the local crowd.
Every geographical area differs in the type of dances that it offers. For example, in India,
Punjab has Bhangra as their folk dance which is energetic and colourful for it is a dance of
celebration for them while down south in Tamil Nadu, one among their folk dance is Mayil
Attam (the peacock dance) which is elegant and is performed at village get-togethers.

Folk Music

Folk music is yet another popular form of folk media. Music is governed by the language,
colloquial accent, and instruments used by the local people. Thus, each territorial area has a
distinct folk music of its own. Folk music is especially admired since it does not require
elaborate set ups or any preparation. Wherever a crowd gathers, people begin to sing and
others gradually join. Lyrics of folk music are pretty striking since they echo the problems of
the people with a satirical taunt to the government and the officials.
Street Theatre

Indian folk theatre is a composite form of containing songs, music, dance, and drama that
seeks to fulfill all the intellectual, emotional, and aesthetic needs of its spectators. It is more
than entertainment, a complete emotional experience and creates a state of receptivity in
which messages can be most effectively transmitted. Folk theatre has functioned as an
instrument of social awareness, protest, and change. Regional rural drama performance is
known to be dependable and persuasive change agents, acting as a bridge between different
rural areas, and between rural and urban areas. Street plays are short, direct, loud, and over
expressive since they are performed in places where there are huge crowds.

Puppetry

Puppetry is another form of folk media that is equally entertaining and informative. Puppets
come in four basic types- glove puppets, string puppets, rod puppets and shadow puppets.
Each type is found in a particular state like glove puppets are found in Kerala, Odissa, and
Tamil Nadu. Puppet shows follow a story, a popular legend or a folk tale and end in a moral
or social message. Children, adults, aged — all enjoy puppet shows.

Testimonials
The 'Lavani' and 'Geegee' songs of North Karnataka were used as effective channels of
communication to motivate the masses to rise in revolt against the British, in the times of
Kittur Chennamma.

In the 1940s, the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), the cultural front of the
Communist Party of India, trained and employed popular rural performers to carry to the
villagers the messages of a different set of economic theories.

Strengths
At one level, they give expression to people's life style and values through the spoken word,
songs, plays and spontaneous choreography, and at another level, they act as persuasive
channels of communication.

There are many advantages of traditional folk media for the purpose of informing and
educating the rural illiterate. They are rich in variety, readily available and economically
viable. They are relished by men and women of different age groups.

They are themes-carriers by nature, not simply as vehicles of communication but as games of
recreating and sharing a common world of emotions, ideals and dreams. Above all, Traditional
folk media are in a 'face to face situation' between the communicator and the receiver of the
message, a situation which energises discussion that may lead to conviction and motivation.
In a developing country like India, traditional folk media have been reckoned as successful
mass-motivators. Since the country achieved independence, selected folk media have been
effectively harnessed for communication of new "development messages". An integrated
mass and traditional folk media approach have paid dividends in communication. Mass media
have extended the area of coverage of a folk performance, while traditional folk media, with
their inspiring colour and costume, dance and music, have enriched the content of the mass
media channels.

Thus, traditional folk media is much more than mere song and dance. They are a medium of
expression for the common man, and a way to vent out his feelings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae0tUDfbr1k – STREET DRAMA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCX_x8eVSvM – CASTE LESS COLLECTIVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG0o1RZPPkc – BENGAL FOLK THEATRE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StF8L7Z3b_M – THERUKOOTHU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESyli9OA8Tw – STREET DRAMA KERALA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfBWxFgoTPQ – GEEGI PADA

http://www.keralaculture.org/mangalam-kali/646 - MANGALAM KALI