FOLK MEDIA IN INDIA - Adarsh Agarwal.pdf

Folk Media is the only channel of Mass Communication which,
represents “PEOPLE” and “THEIR TRADITIONS”. Get to learn about its origin, Advantages and disadvantages in present time being from a journalists' point of view.

1. FOLK MEDIA
The Channel of Mass Communication which
Represents “THE PEOPLE”and “THEIR TRADITIONS”

2. Contoso
S u i t e s
ThewordFOLKhasbeenderivedfromaGermanwordYOLKSwhichmeans
thepeople.
FOLKMEDIAisthemeansofcommunicationsavailabletoruralandtribal
people.
FolkMediaisthecreativedisseminationofinformationthroughculturaland
performancearts.
Intraditionalsocieties,FolkMedia:Drama,Skits,Poems,Stories,Riddles,
SongsandDancehavebeenpopularlyandsuccessfullyusedtodisseminate
messagesandeventopassonwisdomofoldergenerationstotheyouth.
2
Definition of Folk Media

3. Contoso
S u i t e s
3
Roles of Folk Media
FolkMediaCommunicationisdevelopedfromitsbeliefs,customsandrituals
practicedbythepeople.
Theseareveryoldanddeep-rooted.Itrepresentsaformofcommunication
thatemploysvocal,verbal,andvisualfolkartformstransmittedbysocietiesor
groupofpeoplefromonegenerationtoanother.
Folkmediacanplayavitalroleincommunicatingtoandwiththepeople,
particularly,inruralareas,includingthemodernmessages.
Folkmediaisaneffectivemeansofcommunicationintheworld.Itnotonly
connectspeoplewiththeirculturebutrevivesthelostcultureofthesociety.

4. Contoso
S u i t e s
Its Contribution
Folkmediaformsthelanguageof
expressionoflocalpeopleandalso
giveschancetovoiceouttheir
opinionsonvariousissues.Ingeneral,
traditionalfolkmediaisanexcellent
tooltoenhancethecommunication
andpromotedialoguesatthegrass
rootlevelofanysociety.
Theycanbeeffectivemassmediafor
preventingthetribalandtheilliterates
fromcontinuousexploitation,asthey
donotunderstand,thelanguageof
moderncommunication.
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5. Contoso
S u i t e s
Advantages of Folk Media
5
Thefolkandtraditionalmediahavetheirroutesin
thetraditionandexperienceofalargemajorityof
thepopulationandalsothattheyhaveareach
muchmoreextensivethananyofthemodern
technologicalmedia.
Personalcontact:Theappealoffolkmediais
quitepersonalandatanintimatelevelbecauseit
hasgotdirectinfluenceonpeople.
LanguageFamiliarity:Asinthecaseofcolloquial
dialectsthefamiliarformatandcontentofmass
mediagivesmuchclarityincommunication.
Mixture:Indianfolkformsareamixtureof
dialogue,dance,song,humor,moralizingand
prayer.

6. Contoso
S u i t e s
Rapportbuilding:Thedifferentformsofmassmediacanbeexploitedto
catertotheneedsofthepeopleforimmediateanddirectrapport.
Flexibility:Thefolkmediaissoflexiblethatnewthemescanbe
accommodated inthem.
Impact:Thoughthefolkmediaattractsasmallaudience,theimpacton
themisatamuchdeeperlevelinvitingtheaudienceparticipation.
Entertainment:Moralinstructioncampaignediswithentertainment.
Selfexpression:Beingdramaticandlyrical,itsatisfiesourinnateneedforself
expression.
CulturalHeritage:Thetraditionandcultureofancestorsarepreservedand
disseminatedbythefolkmediainalivelymanner.
Spreadofextensionmessages:Spreadingofnewideasforthedevelopment
ofpeoplecanbeextendedthroughreligiouscustoms,festivalsand
ceremonieswhichwillforcethepeopletoacceptandadoptthemessageof
innovationsblindly.
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7. Contoso
S u i t e s
Disadvantages of Folk Media
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Changesinsocialsystemsuchasurbanizationandliteracy
rateleadingtomoreindividuallisteningorviewingrather
peoplearepreferringcommunitylisteningorviewing.
Consideringthetraditionalmediaasoutdatedand
irrelevantbythepresentgeneration.
Traditionalfolkmediaisfunctioningmostlyasunorganized
sector.
Eventorevivetraditionalfolkformsidentificationand
selectionofgoodartistsisverydifficult.
Lackofencouragement totalentedartistsintraditional
medialeadingtodeclineoffolkmedia.
Lackofproperunderstandingoftraditionalmediaandits
nature.
Rangeofchoiceofformsisverylow.

8. Contoso
S u i t e s
FOLK MEDIA: A
Vital Part of
Traditional Media
“Folk Dances and Singing and celebration
of Cultural Festivals have a big role in Folk
Media”
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9. Contoso
S u i t e s
9
Types of Folk Media
TypesoffolkmediaincludeStorytelling,Puppetry,NukkadNataks,Proverbs,
VisualArt,FolkDrama,Songs,Drumming,andDancing.
Theyarepopularregardlessoftheeducational,socialandfinancialstandingof
anycommunity.Theyusethecolloquialdialects,whicharefamiliartothe
peopleandsoitmakesthecommunicationclearanddistinct.
Thegreatestadvantageofthefolkmediaisthattheyareflexiblein
accommodating newthemes.Theimpactofthefolkmediaonthepeopleisat
amuchdeeperlevel.Thefolkmediasatisfiestheinnerneedforself-expression
inwhichallcanparticipate.
Thefolkartformspreserveanddisseminatethewisdom,traditionandcultureof
ourancestors.

10. 10
TYPES OF FOLK MEDIA ARE USED FROM HUNDREDS OF YEARS

11. Contoso
S u i t e s
CONCLUSION
ThroughTraditionalFolkMediawecangetto
knowdifficulties,applicableresourcesforbetter
outputandoutofthesocietyinbettermanner.
So,messagesevolvedfromsuchruralmedia
naturally,wouldservethepurposeofnumerous
backwardruralpeopledefinitely.
Thereisaminimalaccessibilitytothemass
medialike,newspaper,radioandtelevisionin
theruralsociety,so,majorpeople’sinterestsand
emphasisisnaturallylyingonsuchtraditionalfolk
mediapredominantly.
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12. Thank You!
Adarsh Agarwal
BA JMC 1
st
Year
Communication and Media Theories