An Analysis of Impact of Personal Communication Technology on Public Policy Making Process in India

Abstract

Media forms an integral part of superstructure in any society. It plays an important role in the dissemination of information, imparting education and creating awareness among the masses. Harold Innis observed that when the society is introduced with a new medium; it experiences change in the flow and the format of information. The phenomenon of change in medium results in a shift in power centre. The integrity of the source, the medium and the information so spread is instrumental for the formation of public opinion. This article traces the advent of various media in the society and its impact on Public Policy making process. It also strives to analyze as to how the Personal Communication Technology has brought a change in the pattern of public policy making process in India. PRELUDE Media forms an integral part of superstructure in any society since time immortal. Its prime function is to inform, to educate, and to create awareness. Apart from entertaining the masses, Joseph Devito, in his book titled 'Essentials of Human Communication' identified the functions of mass media[1] as: a) To strengthen the thoughts, beliefs, values, norms, ethics, behavioral patterns etc.; b) To pursue for change-social, cultural, psychological and other related fields; c) To educate the masses on various issues; d) To socialize, the process which initiates the churning of thought, values, perceptions and other allied matters; e) To provide status to the people, concept, philosophy, culture etc.; f) To motivate or instigate the masses and other social elements towards the issues; g) To pin point or to draw the attention towards a particular issue; h) To create links among various social elements resulting into a common socio-cultural behavioral pattern responsible to initiate a culture; i) To propagate moralization.

Keywords: Personal Communication Technology, Shift In Power Centre, Information Flow, Public Opinion