Re: Is India a model Democracy?

[Srinath S <srinaths@usa.net>]

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Padmanabha Rao <kvprao@igidr.ac.in> wrote:

Isn't it the costs involved at the consumer level. We all know, the AIR
has a far greater reach than the DD in every city, town and village
regardless, and most of it simply because the radio receiver is a lot
cheaper. But there is more after that.  Being light in weight an FM
receiver is, for all purposes, mobile, and so *additionally*
instantaneous, unlike a TV receiver which we still keep in buildings. It
is potentially a bigger explosive than the TV channel in this sense. In
fact, one can anticipate the same problem as that of the FM when
cellular
phones become inexpensive, but that just amplifies what I am saying:
regulation can/should be called in when there is no mechanical
technology
to be had that can *rapidly* counter the power of the abuser if and when
it happens. We can rely on a simpler technology -universally sensible
behaviour from the producers- but that's a dumb thing to expect (?).

>>>>

Hmmm... I am not really convinced though that private radio would be a
conducive to mischief mongers. Have a look at the ganesha drinking milk issue
that spread all over India within a day. Or more recently, the Hrithik
Roshan's fake controversial statements. None of them really needed any
broadcast media for their spread. In fact, by blocking out Indian broadcast
channels in Nepal, they lost the chance to even hear out the Indians.

It is much more easier to apprehend and check mischief mongers who broadcast
themselves, than the real mischief mongers who are all distributed and
amorphous.

Regards,
Srinath


Ideas for India: Building the future -- together
http://www.ideasforindia.net/

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