Introduction: Theoretical Perspectives on Media, Representation and Violence
1.5 Methods and Material
Methodology
Content analysis has been used to find out the descriptive analytical accounts of the patterns reflected in the process of the research. Bernard Berelson defined Content Analysis as “a research technique for the objective, systematic, and quantitative description of manifest content of communications” (Berelson 74). “Content analysis is a research method that uses a set of procedures to make valid inferences from text.
These inferences are about the sender(s) of the message, the message itself, or the audience of the message. The rules of this inferential process vary with the theoretical and substantive interests of the investigator” (Weber 9). Though content analysis was regularly performed in the 1940s, it became a more credible and frequently used research method since the mid-1950's, as researchers started to focus on concepts rather than simply words, and on semantic relationships rather than just presence (de Sola Pool 2).
In media, content analysis helps define and understand media profile by evaluating media texts, issues, messages, media and journalists, etc. Media content analysis evaluation is found useful for mainly understanding how journalists and publications interpret key messages, represent them for the public to consume and the impact of coverage on regional, national and international target audiences.
Media content analysis was found effective to uncover prevailing trends in media representation in the region. In this study as intended, it helps in understanding media makers’ responses to the raised question, changes in journalistic positions and the reflection of these opinions in their respective media products. As many today agree that the most accurate and objective way of understanding trend in media is through media content analysis, Content analysis in this study has been used to discover the differences and similarities in opinions and understanding of media persons regarding representation of violence in media, and also impact of perceptions of violence representation on the media products. In the study, content analysis has been deployed to analyse mainly the interview material.
Methodology Specifications:
1. Qualitative research: Content analysis
2. Data collection, sampling, coding, analysis, writing, design regarding the representation pattern of violence in media with reference to Assam.
3. Method of data collection
In-depth personal interviews (problem centered interview, expert interview, online interviews) with media persons from different media houses- electronic and print, and freelance media persons; students, academicians, local residents (media consumers) serves as the primary data for the present study.
Along with interviews (verbal data) Visual data (selective media texts collected from selective media houses and archival information) and Mediated data (available documents, news reports and other representations in media on violence in media in Assam) were also used for study.
4. Resources available: media houses of the region, senior journalists, experts on media in region, academic media institutions, local residents as well as non- residents of Assam
The population from which data are drawn include:
• People employed in media houses
• Owners of media houses
• Students
• Academicians/experts
• Local residents
5. Boundaries of the analysis are
• Locale: Assam in particular with specific references clubbing Northeast as a whole.
• Media houses with head offices located in Guwahati, Assam (mostly operating for all the seven Northeastern states from a central office based in Guwahati)
• Respondents (media producers and media consumers)
6. Comparative analyses of Representation trends followed by media houses and individual journalists, with reference to specific location, events and people of Northeast in general and Assam in particular has been done.
7. Sampling: Theoretical/ Purposive sampling
8. Aim of data analysis: To find out the representation patterns of violence in media with specific reference to Assam and Northeast India as a whole, purpose and intentions.
Through the process of qualitative content analysis the present study aims at analysing not only the manifest content material but also the latent content as themes, ideas and contexts of the derived texts (responses). Accordingly the target of the inferences (Krippendorff) is to cull out the latent meaning from the manifest content. Thus content analysis in the study examines meanings, themes and patterns manifested in the interview responses along with extracting objective content from them.
For getting first hand field information from the residents of Guwahati and around, representing local as well as non-locals (from various other parts of country and outside) perceptions, were spoken to, towards being informed about the region through media and what they actually feel about the information and represented reality. In an attempt to understand the media producers’ intentions in communicating instances of violence in Assam, media experts from the region and people working in media and outside media were interviewed.
The initial survey was done on the following selective subject groups.
1. Students
2. Local residents and experts 3. Media people
Groups 1 and 2 were surveyed to get their opinion about the region so as to get the feel of what needs to be actually enquired to the media people. Some media persons were also spoken to initially to get an idea of present scenario that perceives regarding representation of Assam in Media. As they (Groups 1 and 2) validated the concerned issue of representation of Assam mostly through violence, and the media persons spoken also reflected similar views, thus accordingly the interview questionnaire was designed for the research.
Subject Selection
To get the peoples feedback on representation of violence and its effect in the local as well as national scenario and the role of media they perceive to be responsible, a survey strategy was developed. Instead of common paper based questionnaire survey with a structured questionnaire to likely to be respondents, discussions were held to serve the base information format and while meeting people from different backgrounds the issues were discussed and relevant information was collected. The discussions were designed to extract views on the following points:
1. To understand the views of the local people who are on the miss out, due to the unrestful representation of Assam and Northeast India as a whole.
2. To know the aspirations of local students’ community who are going to take lead to face today’s development in reality with reference to the projection in media.
3. People from other places of India coming to the region, their previous perceptions and later understanding about the ground reality.
4. To see the overall feeling of media responsibility towards helping the changing face of the society image due to mixing of local and other part of people aspiring national integrity and prosperity.
5. Appropriateness of media representation of Assam in particular and Northeast in general.
The thesis work was initiated with a pilot study with selective 90 respondents to identify the specific parameters relevant to work on media representations in reference to Assam. Gathering the views on role of media from the above mentioned survey population, the enquiry strategy was framed that directed the further detailed
study. The responses confirmed representation of violence in media for further study which was elaborately carried on 112 respondents as the main thesis work.
Structure of the Thesis
The thesis consists of five chapters.
Chapter I
Introduction: Theoretical perspectives on Media, Representation and Violence The first chapter is the introductory chapter ranging from role of media and media studies to conceptualising violence in respect of media representations. This chapter also introduces the boundaries of the study area and subject with specific reference to the term-conflict reporting and prevalent media scenario in Assam and Northeast.
Chapter II
Media Representation and Reality in Assam
This chapter identifies the conflict in the persistent media scenario. Whereas the image of the region is understood as “paradise in peril” the media representations are found to be unwilling to break the prejudices and stereotypes that have been constantly feed to the media consumers, not confining to the boundaries of the locale.
This chapter concentrates on the views gathered from, students, academicians, experts, local residents of Guwahati and around representing local as well as non- local sentiments; on receiving media texts containing factual information of mostly violence only and what they actually feel about the information against the reality. It summarises a survey conducted on a cross section of people, that tells there is a need to relook into the media representation of the figure and fact that necessarily do not serve as only news but also serves as an after effect tool towards creating a assertive or non assertive ambience in the mind of readers and viewers regarding the region.
Chapter III
Understanding Media Representation of Violence in Assam
This chapter explores the understanding of the representation of violence of media houses of Assam. It aims at understanding and analysing through representations of facts and figures of violence what image of the society is being projected to the audience and what may the intentions of the media producers behind the projection,
apart from exploring their understanding of the theoretical concepts of representation, violence and politics of representation.
Chapter IV
Violence, Gender and Ethnicity Issues in Assam and the Northeast
The fourth chapter reflects specific aspects of the media representations related to the locale and representation of violence - the gender issues, indigenous identity issues, peace talks in light of extremism and others. This chapter also identifies the possibilities and expectations of positive representation in media of the region as per the responses derived.
Chapter V