N kavya
Television is the most powerful medium of mass communication that has ever existed. It has revolutionized our lives in many ways. Isn’t it a wonder that we can witness the events happening all over the world in the comfort of our drawing-room by merely switching on the Television? Today television has become an integral part of our lives. Television is a recent invention. Very few homes had television sets some fifty years ago. Also, till the 1990s Doordarshan was the only channel available to a vast majority of Indians.
Evolution Of Television-:
Today television has become an integral part of our lives. 1939, television broadcasts began in the United States also. Other countries began television broadcasting on a wide scale only by the 1950s. Second World War slowed down the rapid development of the new medium, but the post-war years made up for it. The limitations of the early camera forced the actors and anchors to work with impossibly hot lights. Imagine trying to read news with full makeup under a blazing light. The early television broadcasts were all black and white. The first successful program in color was transmitted by Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in the USA in 1953. From being a “radio with pictures” it acquired a unique style of its own. As a result of this, this phase is often called the “golden age” of television.
Important dates -:
1. 1936 – British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of Britain began the first television service in the world.
2. 1939 – Television broadcasts began in the US. The 1950s – Other countries began television broadcasting on a wide scale.
3. 1953 – The first successful program in color was transmitted by CBS in the USA.
1959- TELEVISION BEGAN IN INDIA ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS -:
The early programs on these experimental broadcasts were generally educational programs for school children and farmers. Several community television sets were set up in Delhi’s rural areas and schools around Delhi for the dissemination of these programs. By the 1970s, television centers were opened in other parts of the country also. In 1976, Doordarshan, which was All India Radio’s television arm until then became a separate department.
1976- DOORDARSHAN BECAME A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT INDEPENDENT OF ALL INDIA RADIO (AIR) -:
Several community television sets were distributed as a part of one of the important landmarks in the history of Indian television, the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE). It was conducted between August 1975 and July 1976. Under this program, the Indian government used the American satellite ATS-6 to broadcast educational programs to Indian villages. Six states were selected for this experiment and television sets were distributed in these states.
• Clusters selected for SITE
1. Andhra Pradesh
2. Karnataka
3. Madhya Pradesh
4. Bihar
5. Orissa
6. Rajasthan
1975-1976 SATELLITE INSTRUCTIONAL TELEVISION EXPERIMENT (SITE) -:
SITE was an important step taken by India to use television for development. The programs were mainly produced by Doordarshan which was then a part of AIR. The telecasts happened twice a day, in the morning and evening. Other than agricultural information, health and family planning were the other important topics dealt with in these programs. Entertainment was also included in these telecasts in the form of dance, music, drama, folk, and rural art forms. A major milestone in the history of Indian television was the coverage of the Ninth Asian Games in 1982. In addition to the domestic transmission, Doordarshan was also providing content for the broadcasters of many other countries. After 1982, there was a huge increase in the live coverage of sports by Doordarshan. Doordarshan provided national coverage for the first time through the satellite INSAT 1A. Also, for the first time, the transmission was in color.
1982- DOORDARSHAN PROVIDED NATIONAL COVERAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH THE SATELLITE INSAT 1A. -:
By 1983, the government-sanctioned a huge expansion of Doordarshan. Several new transmitters were set up throughout the country. Thus towards the end of the 80s around 75 percent of the population could be covered by the transmitters. Many of the programs of Doordarshan like Hum Log, Buniyaad, and Nukkad were immensely popular.
1983- GOVERNMENT SANCTIONS HUGE EXPANSION OF DOORDARSHAN -:
In 1997, Prasar Bharati, a statutory autonomous body was established. Doordarshan along with AIR was converted into government corporations under Prasar Bharati. The Prasar Bharati Corporation was established to serve as the public service broadcaster of the country which would achieve its objectives through AIR and DD. This was a step towards greater autonomy for Doordarshan and AIR. However, Prasar Bharati has not succeeded in shielding Doordarshan from government control.
1997- ESTABLISHMENT OF PRASAR BHARATI -:
About 90 percent of the Indian population can receive Doordarshan programs through its network. From its humble beginning as a part of All India Radio, Doordarshan has grown into a major television broadcaster with around 30 channels. These include Regional Language Satellite Channels, State Networks, International Channel, and All India Channels like DD National, DD News, DD Sports, DD Gyandarshan, DD Bharati, Loksabha Channel, and DD Urdu.
Conclusion -:
Television as a medium of visual communication offers immense possibilities to overcome the illiteracy barrier and assists in the process of modernization. It has a marked role to play in furthering the cause 2 of education and has a unique advantage over the media. While it provides words with pictures and sound effects like the movies, it scores over the latter by its high intimacy and reaches the largest number of people in the shortest possible time the visual in it has ii an edge over sound broadcasting. It can also deal with topical problems and present known persons who can provide solutions. People learn through the eye and remember things better. periodical surveys about the public reaction to television programs have indicated that most of the programs telecast are rather dull. There is a lot to be done in them. The plays particularly are uninspiring and badly directed.
Criticism against Indian television is that like the All India Radio, it is the mouthpiece of the Government and the ruling party. The News Bulletins in Hindi and English and the news and views programs are heavily colored in favor of the Government and the party in power. Achievements of the Government are highlighted while the weaknesses are ignored. There is hardly any program: which allows free, frank, and straightforward criticism of the Governmental policies and the ruling party politicians. Therefore, there has been a demand for All India Radio and Doordarshan to be turned into autonomous bodies with no control and interference by the Government.
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