MEDIA CONVERGANCE AND HINDI NEWSPAPERS: CHANGING INSTITUTIONAL AND DISCURSIVE DIMENSIONS, 1977-2007

Abstract

THIS THESIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND THE DRAMATIC RISE OF HINDI NEWSPAPERS IN THE CONTEXT OF INDIAN'S GROWING GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION AND POLITICAL AWAKENING AT A JUNCTURE WHEN THE INDIAN ECONOMY IS INCREASINGLY DRIVEN BY PRIVATE SECTOR ORIENTATION. BY LOCALIZING THEIR CONTENT AND PUBLISHING REGIONAL, DISTRICT AND LOCAL EDITIONS, HINDI NEWSPAPERS SINCE THE 1990S HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN ABLE TO RETAIN THEIR POSITION BUT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SURVIVED THE ONSLAUGHT OF SATELLITE NEWS CHANNELS. WHILE PROVIDING A VOICE TO THE HITHERTO MARGINALIZED GROUPS, HINDI NEWSPAPERS HAVE ALSO CONTESTED THE HEGEMONIC DOMINANCE OF THE ENGLISH PRESS IN THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SPHERE. HOWEVER, IN THE PROCESS, NEWS HAS BEEN COMMODIFIED AND NEWSPAPERS ARE BEING SOLD LIKE ANY OTHER CONSUMER PRODUCT. THIS HAS ENDANGERED THE VIABILITY OF THE MEDIA AS AN INDEPENDENT MEDIUM FOR SHAPING PUBLIC OPINION AND AS THE FOURTH ESTATE FUNCTIONING IN THE WORLD'S LARGEST DEMOCRACY.