IMPACT OF

MASS MEDIA
ON FOLK ARTS
Presented during Refresher Course in
‘Media and Education’
From 03-01-2019 to 24-01-2019

PADMANABHA K. V.
Assistant Professor and Coordinator
Department of Mass Communication
and Journalism
Tumkur University, Tumkur
Folk arts: The true mass media
The indigenous, local traditional forms
of entertainment which have existed
for centuries and which, to this day
continue to serve as the main channels
of communication, especially in rural
areas.

- Crawford & Ronny Adhikarya

Folk arts: The true mass media
Direct rapport with audience – lasting
impression
Close interpersonal communication
Natural, simple & credible
Flexible and adaptable
Infuse values among people – ‘people’s
university’ – healthy society
Also called traditional media, cultural
media, rural media, grassroots media,
indigenous media
Folk forms: A glance

Folk songs
Lavani, Gee Gee, Chowdike, Kamsale, Gane
Folk dances
Veeragase, Nandidhwaja, Koalata, Chennu
Kunita, Somana Kunita, Karaga
Folk theatre
Yakshagana, Puppetry, Nautanki, Tamasha,
Jatra, Bhawai, Pawada
Dollu Kunitha
Kolata
Veeragase
Karaga
Harikathe
Yakshagana
Bhawai: Gujarat, Rajasthan
Powada: Maharashtra
Koodiyattam: Kerala
Nautanki: North India
Tamasha: Maharashtra
Therukoothu: Tamil Nadu
Puppetry:
Global art
 Impact of mass media
Emergence of print media (Books,
pamphlets, newspapers, magazines): 15th c.
Recordings industry (Gramaphone,
magnetic tapes, cassettes, CDs, DVDs): late
19th century
Cinema: 1900s
Radio: 1910s
Television: 1950s
Internet: 1980s
 Positive side
Helped documentation and dissemination
of folk arts – oral tradition lacked
documentation
Encouraged research in folklore – efforts
to document ‘Siri’ the longest folk epic
Preservation of folk forms- in audio
visual format – Sanchi Foundation e.g.
Dissemination – TV, radio, new media
Worldwide reach of arts and artistes
 Positive side…
New media for live streaming
Clippings uploaded into online platforms
like YouTube
Dissemination through social media-
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp,
etc
Helps like-minded people to come
together, share and discuss about folk
performances- hundreds of WhatsApp
groups on Yakshagana
Cinema, advertising, ‘cultural tourism’
 Negative side
Emergence of ‘mass culture’ – skyvasion
Buldozing effects on indigenous arts and
culture – they are vulnerable
Cinema and TV glamour made youngsters
lose interest in folk forms
Led to commercialization of folk arts
Use of folk arts in TV commercials and
movies- partial view of the folk arts
 Negative side…
Yakshagana witnessed transformation
over years:
Took stories from movies- Bedara
Kannappa, Papanna Vijaya (Macbeth),
Rakta Kanneeru, Nagavalli, Prema Pallavi,
Bahubali
Cinema influenced style and forms of
Yakshagana- dressing patterns, stage
pattern, singing & dancing patterns, etc
Need for a balanced approach

“ It is not that any traditional art should not

acquire the form of an enterprise. A certain
amount of commercialization in accordance with
the time and promotion of art, is a welcome step.
We are not in a situation where any art or ritual or
other activities can be viewed as an ideal service
totally disconnected from an economic angle. It is
natural that art admirers raise objections when
concern towards art becomes totally neglected.”
- Prof. Amrut Someshwar
THANK YOU!