RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

6 . The folk and cultural tnedia provide a signif icant form of entertainment in rural areas vvhere folklore, poetry, music, puppetry and bardic performances are very popula~ in the rural life . 7 . Though television programs , especially plays , are very popular in rural areas , their reception is liraited to those who can afford TV sets . TV viewership is in the form of group viewing . As the film industry is on the decine in the country due to the government censorship and foreign films , viewership of the Indian video films is very commcn . Usua!ly people pool to rent VCRs and viđeo movies . 8 . Radio broađcasting is a powerful medium for comnunicating with remote!y located audiences . Radio has a wicte listenership because inexpensive radio transiston are available on a large scale . Listenership of foreijn broadcasts (mostly the 88C Urđu service) is also common , especially during the periods of national crises when the rational media tend to black out important political happenings n the country . Without keeping these conđitions in mind chances of success for апу development communication strategy will be ven low . On the contrary, development efforts in Pakistan have enphasized a centralized administrative set up and totally ignorel the important ingredient of structural and environmentil conditions in rural areas . An overall societal change for devilopment needs restructuration of the old social order to ’orm a new structure on the basis of equality and democratic participation . Naturally , this process is not so simple as it reaires а long-term change through whatever means the soi'ety chooses to change its order . However , a short-term stratgy needs a sound development planning, a profound communiCction strategy based on availability of natural and technical resarces to the farmer on the basis of equality and enthusiasticparticipation m the development process . But first of all it iequmes suitable social conditions . As the issue of communication strategy for rurl development is our main concern , we wil! now adđress this perpective within the framework of descnbed structural condition and assumptions . As we have seen , a social set upbased on interpersonal interaction requires direct commureation channeis for đeveiopment efforts . Also the fae-to-face communication is expensive and difficuit m a feualistic structure . In these circumstances , radio broacastmg becomes an alternative channel because it is cost-ef fecive and accessible to the remote rural audience .

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