Friday, 14 December 2012

INFLUENCE OF MASS MEDIA IN KASHMIR IN THE LIGHT OF AGENDA-SETTING THEORY


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INFLUENCE OF MASS MEDIA IN KASHMIR IN THE LIGHT OF AGENDA-SETTING THEORY


Kashmir, being a conflict zone, has been always a catch for local, national and international media. People are much keen and concerned about the news media in Kashmir then other fields of media. Kashmir issue has gained popularity globally. Media plays a great role in a nation to define a society. It defines a common language of the society. Agenda setting in perspective of Kashmir has been always of great significance to discuss and ponder. Agenda-setting is a process where media determines and judges the importance of issues after understanding popular feeling and giving expression to it. It arouses among the people certain desirable sentiments. It is also set an agenda that exposes fearlessly popular defects in a society. Agenda setting is done in different forms. If the agenda is filled and influenced by the robust ideologies of media owners, then it can be termed as Media agenda. It can be due to vested interests. Mainstream media in Kashmir, is rarely taken as a benefactor in agenda setting. There can be many reasons for it. It can be because, the role, in setting an agenda, in Kashmir is much played by the National media, which is always taken in pejorative approach for making Media bias. The other reason is itself the threat of mobilizing the mass audience to make an agitation. It has been always very hard for the editors or owners to set an agenda.
            We have an example of an early uprising and turmoil of 2008 and 2010. In 2008, it was media that set an agenda in regard of environmental concerns, which later led to mass agitation. In crux, it can be said that the media in Kashmir is different in tone and way in setting an agenda mainly because of its Geo-political conflicts.

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