The change rendered by the advent and development of the regional press is
(I) the significant change in the attention bestowed in the news presentation and comments on contemporary events
(II) concentration on regional or provincial politics
(III) change from Central to State politics
(IV) the change in the news content and comments
Directions: The passage below is followed by a question based on its content. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.
PASSAGE – III
Any survey of the Indian press cannot but reflect the different stages of growth and development that Indian democracy has gone through in the last 50-60 years. When freedom came, the press was proud of its role, as the bulk of the fraternity had actively participated or contributed to the awakening of the people through different phases of the struggle against foreign rule. The press, particularly those owned by the Indians, served as an auxiliary of the freedom struggle. With each phase of the national movement, it moved forward and faced the consequences for doing so.
An overwhelming number of newspapers at that time were published in the Indian language whereas the more affluent and well-established were the British-owned newspapers, mostly reflecting the views and actions of the colonial ruler. The language newspapers, on the other hand, reflected the nationalist viewpoint. By their very origin and activity, these newspapers were extremely badly off economically. In contrast, the English language papers were well-placed.
The transfer of power upset this arrangement. Those who came to power had so long depended mainly on the language newspapers to communicate to the millions, their main weapons, in fighting the foreign rule. When power was transferred from the colonial ruler to the national leaders, this linkage between the press and politics did not break down. Rather, it took a new form. The press, by and large, supported the new dispensation, though it did not spare the rulers whenever differences arose. Particularly on the issue of the bloodbath that accompanied the partitioning of the country, the press was normally divided. However, after the first phase, the press on its own formulated and accepted norms which helped strengthen a democratic approach, untainted by communal hatred. The press as a whole stood for communal harmony in the new setup. It is worth measuring the role of the Indian press in the building of the democratic order.
The regularisation of the formation of the linguistic States, as a result of the State Reorganisation Commission of 1956, marked a watershed for Indian journalism. Although the language newspapers experienced a sudden spurt in their development on the morrow of Independence, it was the formation of the linguistic States which shook them out of the old grooves and the leading ones in every language group blossomed into first class newspapers. In circulation, size and content, there was a marked improvement. More than the English language newspapers, most of the leading journals in different languages became the virtual mouthpiece of the puling establishment.
This phenomenal expansion of the language press was mainly due to two reasons: political and technological. An overwhelming majority of the language press had grown up along with the struggle for independence, as its active organ. The political leaders, on their part, grew up into effective communicators in the freedom struggle. After the State reorganisation in the mid-Fifties, when many of the leaders of the freedom struggle days took over the reins of administration, it was but natural that the leaders of the newly-recognised State Governments should try their best to establish a rapport with the press, particularly the language press of the region. This political bond did not mean that the press became the docile camp follower of the new establishment. But the organic bond that had been forged during the freedom struggle came into good use during this period as the language press, by and large, played a crucial role in moulding the politics of the new rulers.
This new development of the regional press brought about a marked change in the focus both in news presentation and the comments on contemporary events. The newspapers, by and large, concentrated on provincial or regional politics with a progressively conspicuous change of emphasis from national to provincial news- from Centre to State politics. This shift, however, did not make much difference so far as the content was concerned. Instead of the excitement in Parliament and the doings of the Central Government, it was certainly a change in the scenario for the newspapers particularly in the languages, but not necessarily in the content of the news and comments presentation to the readers.
Since the preoccupation of the newspapers was at the regional level and was mostly political related to power, there was a noticeable absence of other developments whether at the Central or the State level. No doubt in this very period many items concerning environment found their way into the newspapers but this was mainly due either to the striking event of the controversy such as the Sardar Sarovar dam or because such issues threw up thousands and lakhs of people whom even politicians engaged in mundane politicking could hardly ignore. In a sense, environment as a news issue has forced itself into the-newspapers, rather than due to the foresight and perspicacity of the newspapers themselves.
This shift in the press focus to the politics of the regional or state level has also had an effect on the content of the newspapers. One of the features of our national press during the freedom struggle was the extraordinary attention to what is called "foreign" news as distinct from domestic news.
The fact that Jawaharlal Nehru himself was at the very epicentre of power and that he was throughout aware of the interplay of national and international happenings, the Indian press did take up international issues seriously and the national - newspapers posted correspondents abroad. But in course of time, most of the newspapers - with, of course, honourable exceptions- have withdrawn their correspondents and come to depend by and large on the wire services, National and International, mostly Western.
The ownership pattern of the press has undergone striking changes. At the time of Independence, the prosperous were a few connected largely to the British-owned or controlled newspapers. They had the best-paid staff, advanced technology and indirect government patronage. Most of the Indian language newspapers which participated in the freedom struggle or stood by it were poorly financed, with primitive printing arrangements.
After Independence, two developments took place: first, the Nationalist Press, though materially weak, got a boost and the new political elite became aware of the power of the press in the running of the new edifice of freedom. Although still weak in terms of resources, these newspapers found a free field of activity and independence that they had never enjoyed before.
The second development was that most of the British - owned newspaper establishments sold off their assets and overnight these papers became Indian-owned. The change in the pattern of ownership entailed new developments in the newspaper world.