Media Influences on Caste-based Untouchability Practices in India

This study is an attempt to record the extent of untouchability practices prevalent in India as well as to examine the role of the media such as TV, newspaper and radio, as a source of communication which has brought about shift in the practice of caste-based untouchability. For addressing the above-mentioned issues, the study has used the data of India Human Development Survey-II conducted in 2011-2012 by the University of Maryland and the National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi. The findings of the study reveal that 27% of households practise untouchability in contemporary India. However, the households watching TV (25.6%) practise less untouchability than those reading newspapers (26.1%) and listening to the radio (29.6%). The culturally disadvantaged groups are excluded from the decision-making process of the media that communicates the untouchability practices with society. Hence, it is visible from the findings that the role of media is beyond the expectation related to controlling the caste-based untouchability practices.