I declare that the thesis entitled "A Study of Media Representation with Reference to Reporting of Violence in Assam" is the result of the investigation carried out by me in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, under the supervision of Professor Liza Das and Dr Sambit Mallick. This to prove that Ms. Payel Chakrabarti has prepared the thesis entitled "A study of media representation with reference to the reporting of violence in Assam" for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.
Preface
My work experience at two private media houses (DY365 and Frontier TV) and at the state broadcaster Doordarshan has given me insight into the various approaches to media representation, especially reporting on violence in Assam. This study focuses on a structured presentation of the region regarding professional competence and social responsibility.
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my appreciation to Roma Paul Choudhury, my mother-in-law, for her encouragement and consent. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to Prithviraj Paul Choudhury who eventually graduated to being my husband during my research for reassurance, constructive suggestions and for always being my support backup in my low life moments.
Abstract
This results in media practitioners working under immense pressure and being emotionally exploited for a patterned projection of the region through violence. Excessive violence and selective reporting led to the spread of negative image of the region to the media consumers.
Introduction: Theoretical Perspectives on Media, Representation and Violence
Introduction: Role of Media and Media Studies
Representation: Media in General
- Representation and Media
- Communication: Propagation of life
- Media a Commodity-product
- Conceptualising Violence: Representation in Media
- Realism, Violence and Media
- Media Violence: Examining History
- News and Violence
- Impact of Media Violence on Consumers
- Media Violence: Ever growing concern
- Conflict Reporting and Peace Journalism
- Reach and Growth of Media Industry in India
- Media Representation of Identity and Aspiration
The theory of forms or the theory of ideas is believed to be the beginning of the concept of representation (Ross 1951: 80). In the process of consuming media products, consumers of media products are actively involved in determining the meaning of messages conveyed through the media (Jenkins).
Thesis initiative
- Rationale for the Study
Aim and Objectives of the Study
Methods and Material
To understand the views of local residents who are missing out on the troubled representation of Assam and Northeast India as a whole. This chapter explores the understanding of the representation of violence in media houses of Assam.
Conclusion
Chapter four reflects particular aspects of media representation in relation to the location and representation of violence - gender issues, local identity issues, peace talks in the light of extremism and others. This chapter also identifies the possibilities and expectations of positive representation in the media of the region according to the answers obtained.
Works Cited
The Wound and the Gun: The Visual Culture of Violence in the Age of Reform, 1757-1832. Modi and the Camera: The Politics of Television in the 2002 Gujarat Riots, South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, XXIX: 395-414.
Media Representation and Reality in Assam
Introduction
Media Commercialisation
- Media Effect and Northeast India
People living outside these regions have a mediated and largely distorted image of the region and the people. Local media of the region also failed to satisfy the needs of the region and the people to improve the media scenario.
Violence Representation: Media and Northeast India
- Northeast Scenario: Inappropriate Media Representation
- Media Representation against Reality
- Projection versus Reality: Media Marketisation
- Perception Creation by Media
Over time, it can be seen that most of the incidents of violence in the Northeast have attracted the attention of the media. As a result, people living outside these regions have a mediated and distorted view of the region and its people.
Pilot Investigation towards Framing Study Plan
- Categorised Summary of Pilot Investigation Responses
- Responses from Students and Local Residents
Analysis of news content of news channels shows that while Doordarshan Northeast (public service broadcaster) portrays diversity in their programmes. The TV channels are selected on the basis of highest viewership among the rest of the regional channels of Assam. Out of a total of 20 categories of answers that respondents gave themselves, it was found that of the top 10 ranked categories, eight were of violence.
Apparently due to the negative image of the state represented in the media, the non-locals feared coming to the state.
Identified sources considered for study
Survey Questionnaire
Profile of Media Respondents
- Interview Methodology
Reporter, The Asian Age; Editor-in-Chief at Northeastnews.in; former BBC correspondent, photojournalist with independent filmmaker; Bureau Chief, Pratah Khabar Media Pvt Ltd; Northeast Correspondent, Rajasthan Patrika; Sub-Editor, The Sentinel Group; Columnist, The Indian Express; Secretary of Guwahati Press Club; Chief Photographer at Little Hands Production;. Transmission Executive, All India Radio; Associate Editor, The Arunachal Pioneer; former Times of India Correspondent; Senior Journalist at Press Trust of India; Northeast Correspondent for ETV News;. Along with the above selected media persons who were contacted for the detailed survey as per the questionnaire, views of practicing media experts including Arnab Goswami (Times Now), Ratnajit (Tehelka Northeast Correspondent), Lassa R (Information Bureau officer Assam), Shabir Nishat (PRO, CM Assam), Pamela Philipose, Guest Editor, The Thumb Print; Indrani Raimedhi, freelance writer; . Teresa Rehman, editor The Thumb Print; Bhaswati Khaund Center for Northeast studies, Delhi University; Sanjoy Hazarika) were compiled from their published articles in various media which also includes online content.
Peace education in Northeast India: NESNIM as a model for peace education in multi-ethnic settings.
Understanding Media Representation of Violence in Assam
Introduction
Theoretical Understanding
- Strategies of Programming
- Content Selection Criteria/Rule Book
- Norms for Representation of Violent Content
- Representation in Media
- Violence and Representation of Violence
- Representation of Violence in Media
- Media-houses Covering Violence
- Evaluation of Violence Representation in Media
- Overcoming Inappropriate Representation of Violence
- Representation of Violence as Survival Technique/Tactics
- Representation of Violence in Practice: Scale and Exposure
- Mainstream Media and Conventional Violence
- Media Commercialisation: Saleable Violence
Avoid direct portrayal: According to 9% respondents (Figure 3.3), direct portrayal of violence is strictly avoided in the media. It is believed that the representation of violence in the media is constantly increasing in the current media scenario. Media portrayal of violence: 39% respondents (Figure 3.6) refer to media portrayal of violence as mere representation of violence in the media.
Media policies: 20% of respondents (Figure 3.6) link representation of violence in media directly to the organizational media policies. Six of the respondents considered the evaluation of violence representation in the media to be a "difficult matter". 27% of the respondents (Figure 3.12) were of the opinion that there are absolutely no restrictions when it comes to the projection of violence in the media.
Assam through Media Representations
- Media Representation of Violence in Northeast: Media Reaction
- Regional Violence Representation against Mainstream Media
Media and politics: 17% of the respondents (Figure 3.14) emphasize that the role of politics in the media is one of the main reasons for the current situation of excessive violence that is being projected to the outside world through media representations of the region. The dominant violent content in the media is attributed to the attitude and perceptions of the mainstream media of the media creators. Violence in the Northeast is not new, but since the Northeast is considered a breakaway region from the Indian mainland, the representation of the recent violence here is taken as a major issue in the media.
I am personally against the way violence is being represented in most electronic media houses in this region.
Northeast Nuances
Violence over other Regional Aspects in News
Priority given to violent content compared to positive human interest or development stories, in news rather than other aspects of the region has always been a matter of concern. Violence dominates: 25% respondents (Figure 3.16) said that priority is given to violent content in news rather than other aspects of the region. Priority is always given to violent content in news rather than other aspects of the region.
One of the main reasons for the dominant media content in the region is violence and the media influence of media ownership.
Selection or Omission of Violence Content in Media
We do not mention names of people who have died due to violence, if the origin of the violence is communal in nature. If the act of violence is an argument or a fight between two, we try to conceal the identity of the person involved and only report the story. However, certain local media outlets, depending on their respective policies and audiences, may or may not seem sympathetic to news reporting on migrants.
Only the mental health and conscience of the person responsible for the particular news should determine how much importance should be attached to the topic of the event.
Modes of Media and Violence Representation Strategies
There are some ethical human values that all civilized people of society possess and understand. Similar cases of web journalism are also as most of the newspapers and television news channels publish news online. Respondents from the television industry do agree that television representation of violence is more acceptable and influential due to the audiovisual nature of the media.
Sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly as they are compelled to do so because owners of the media houses are politically connected to some sections.
Projection of Northeast: Trends in Representation
Whatever perception the people outside the region have of the region is nothing but a significant contribution of the media. And so the media is seen as entirely guilty for any kind of stereotypical projection of the region. A part of the respondents, although few (1%), also feel the need for change in the existing trend to change the gloomy media scenario and the inappropriate projection of the region.
Need for change: 1% of respondents (Figure 3.19) referred to the need for change in the stereotypical projection of the Northeast.
Representation Pattern of Northeast: Rational
Underrepresentation: With the editor of International News Magazine describing the Northeast as "an under-reported part of India", 14% of respondents (Figure 3.20) clearly refer to the region's under-representation in the media, resulting in the region being neglected by mainstream. the media. Lack of involvement: 2% of the respondents (Figure 3.20) believe that the lack of involvement caused the exemplary projection of the region in the media. Low professional ethics: 19% of respondents (Figure 3.20) cite low professional ethics in journalistic practices in the region as the reasons for such responses.
Competition/commercial attitude: 22% of respondents (Figure 3.20) pointed to competition in the industry as the basis for a patterned projection of the region in the media.
Interpreting Northeast through Media Texts
A majority of the 101 respondents believe that media texts about the Northeast have only furthered the negative image of Assam and the rest of the Northeastern states through stereotypical portrayals of incidents of violence. In the eyes and ears of the other parts of the country, the Northeast is a militantly infested area full of corruption and jungles. They should focus on the northeastern region first, on their homeland first and then on the rest of the world.
The way in which violence in relation to the region is shown in media texts therefore has the power to define what the north-east actually is and what it becomes in the perception of the media consumers.
Negative Representation of Violence: Few Instances
It was an attack on the non-Bodo settlers of the region by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). As Subir Bhaumik describes the extent of the widening violence, “The latest clash has left around 40 dead and displaced tens of thousands. As seen in various representations of violence, people's religious identities are given more priority than focusing on real history.
While for gender-based violence representation, respondents criticized media reports for revealing the identity of the victim without consent.
Perception Creation through Media Representations
Usually, the common perception that people from other than the Northeast have about the region is that it is a violent place and the people are barbarians or not yet civilized. This changes negative perceptions of people outside the region to venture in and invest. The national channels' representation of the region has also changed following the regional television boom in Assam.
The responses were in confirmation of the derivation from the available literature, media representations have propagated a terror-prone image of the state, while many also believe that the region is marginalized in mainstream media consciousness.
Reporting Violence: Cultural or Ethical Concerns
For example, one of the most negative and harmful but strong perceptions that persists among people outside the region is that the girls from North East are 'loose' and 'easy'. Verification of facts: 22% respondents (Figure 3.24) referred to verification and validation of facts as one of the biggest concerns of any media practitioner before releasing any piece of information to its consumers. The first concern is to ensure the validity of the news facts and whether they have been sensationalized in their presentation, especially in the case of violence.
The main concern of the media may seem to be non-sensationalized representation, where media should refrain from hurting people's feelings with their respective belief systems.
