Development Broadcasting in India and Beyond: Redefining an Old Mandate in an Age of Media Globalization

This study examines the fate of the development model of public broadcasting in the face of rapid global media commercialization. Using the Indian broadcaster Doordarshan as an example, the authors illustrate how a public media outlet with a development mandate has responded to new pressures and examine the consequences for development broadcasting in general. This inquiry challenges not only the strategies of this broadcaster but also some of the assumptions by media scholars regarding development broadcasting. The study concludes by advocating a new type of development broadcasting that establishes a distinct brand and plays a vital role in creating an informed citizenry.