INFORMATION NEED OF THE RURAL FAMILIES: A STUDY IN NAGRA BLOCK OF BALLIA (U. P.)
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Date
2012
Authors
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Publisher
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University
Abstract
The study was conducted in the Nagra Block of Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh. The data was collected from a sample of 200 rural families of four villages, which were selected randomly. The required information was collected through structured interview schedule. Collected data was tabulated and analyzed by using statistical techniques like frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and correlation.
Majority of the respondents were of middle age, having medium level of education and middle socio-economic status (71.50, 69.50 and 42.50% respectively). Maximum numbers of respondents (64 %) were from general caste category having large size of family (70.50 %). Joint family system appeared to be prevalent in 88.50 per cent of rural families. Maximum number of respondents (73%) were small farmers belonging to middle income group (34%) and had medium level of material possession (77.50%). The findings on information need area, showed that majority of farm-families (71.50%) had medium level of information needs in which agriculture was found to be the most needed area (97.50%). However, health and nutrition were the second most needed area (95% each) followed by education (92.50) and family planning (54.29%). The results of mass media availability among respondents revealed that maximum number of respondents (97.50%) had T.V. sets. About 88 per cent of respondents had radio sets. Newspaper and magazine subscribers were to the tune of 75 per cent each. The findings showed that T.V. was found to be maximum utilized mass-media (99.50%) followed by Newspaper (97.50%), Radio (95%) and Magazines (75%). Maximum number of respondents (97.99%) were using their own T.V. sets while 2.01 per cent of respondents were using T.V. sets of others. In case of radio users, 92.11 per cent used their own radio sets whereas 7.89 per cent used other’s radio sets. In case of newspaper readers, 76.92 per cent of the respondents used newspapers of their own and remaining 23.08 per cent respondents read other’s newspaper. Cent per cent respondents reported to read their own magazine. Maximum number of respondents were regular T.V. viewers (88%) followed by sometimes T.V. viewers (11.50%). About 73% of radio listeners used radio regularly. In case of newspaper, 90% of respondents were reading newspaper regularly whereas the regular magazine readers were quite low (25%). Majority of respondents used T.V. for entertainment and news / information (80.40 and 75.37 per cent respectively) whereas in case of radio, maximum number of respondents (47.37%) used radio for entertainment. Newspaper was used for news or information by 89.74 per cent of respondents and magazine was used for the purpose of entertainment by 50 per cent of respondents. Most of the T.V. viewers (87.94%) were watching T.V. at evening (4-8 p.m.) but radio was listened mostly at night (52.63%). Maximum number of respondents (74.36%) read newspaper in the morning hours whereas magazines were mostly read by the respondents (33.35%) at night. The results showed that maximum number of T.V. viewers (45.73%) devoted more than two hours per day on T.V. viewing. Majority of the newspaper readers (53.85%) devoted time between 1 to 2 hours per day. However, 41.05% radio listeners reported to devote less than one hour per day on listening radio and 46% magazine readers devoted less than one hour per week on reading magazines. The results revealed that TV was the most utilized as well as most credible mass media source of information for rural families. Availability of media to respondents was positively and significantly correlated with their education status, cast category, socio-economic status, income, land holding, material possession, and size of family at one per cent level of significance. Extent of media use was positively and significantly correlated with socioeconomic status, income and land at one per cent level of significance. Information need was positively and significantly related with all the independent variables except average age of the family.
Description
Ph. D.
Keywords
Demographic characteristics, rural families, utilization pattern, information sources.