Local Narratives, Global Media: Regional Television Stations And The Use Of New Communications Technologies In Himalayan, India

Book Code: 9788121214223

Abdul Nasir Khan

ABOUT THE BOOK

This book is a study of the role of local television stations in Kargil (India), which investigates whether the success of local media in Kargil is a result of fulfilling the needs and desires of the local community, using the methods of content analysis, interviews, and surveys. Kargili local television stations have adopted global media technologies for disseminating their programs, but at the same time have changed some of the television conventions to meet the needs and expectations of local viewers. The forces of globalization have not only exposed places like Kargil to new technologies, but have also given them an opportunity to participate in new discourses, to create a local media that is being used to address the specific concerns and problems of the local community.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Abdul Nasir Khan is an Affiliate Research Scholar at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University. He received his BA and MA in communications from Florida Atlantic University. He is the author of several articles on culture, history, and media in India. He has directed and produced multiple documentaries on social issues globally, including “The Culture of Here: Preserving Local History in a Local Museum” and “Migration and Human Rights among the Guatemalan Maya”.

CONTENTS

Preface . 7

Acknowledgements . 11

1. Discovering Local Media. 13
• Television and Broadcasting in India • The Kargil Region.

2. Background and Methods . 31
• The Significance of Local Television • Language in Indian Local Television • Globalisation and Localisation • Media Convergence • Methods • The Local Stations of Kargil.

3. Programme Content and Text Analysis . 53
• The Programmes on YouTube • The Viewers on YouTube • Categorising the Programs • The Languages of Kargili Stations • Programme Content • Images and Visual Styles • Conclusions.

4. Media Convergence and the Use of “Whatsapp” . 83
• Existing Research on WhatsApp • WhatsApp and Local Television Stations in Kargil • Using WhatsApp: A Participant’s Experience • Case Study: “Stranded at Sonamarg” Story Unfolds on WhatsApp • Conclusions.

5. Viewers’ Perspectives . 111
• Profile of Survey Respondents • News Sources and Choices • Media Technologies • Languages and Viewers • The Significance of Local TV • Conclusions.

6. Balancing the Global and Local. 133
• Meeting the Needs of a Community • Directions for Future Research • Adapting to Global Technologies.

Bibliography . 143

Index . 151