Authors : N. Rathi Chithra and S. Arulchelvan
Abstract: Academic discourse on television in India has underscored its role as a social and political institution. Television in India has been embedded with dual expectations its role as a pro-development tool and as a tool for political communication. Since, the advent of satellite television, the latter framing has taken centre stage with academics focusing on the influence of television on elections, voter behaviour and as a political propaganda and identity politics. Most academic studies and popular commentaries have examined media convergence of public policy issues or framing of political ideologies from normative ethical framework. This study examines the audience’s perception of media credibility. A survey of news audience for Tamil and English television news programs in the State of Tamil Nadu in South India suggests that the audience express great concern for the credibility of news media and that there is a positive association between credibility rating and news media use. The study further found significant difference in the type of media ownership (partisan vs. non-partisan television channels) and media credibility rating. The study contributes to our understanding of news media in Tamil Nadu which has witnessed a long history of political use of media.
N. Rathi Chithra and S. Arulchelvan, 2014. Does Partisanship Influence the Perception of Credibility? Examining the Determinants of News Media Credibility in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu. Asian Journal of Information Technology, 13: 661-669.