Content Analysis of Farm Broadcast Programmes of Andhra Pradesh, India

Agriculture is the life of rural people where most of their livelihood depends. Technologies developed by the scientific fraternity are of no value unless they get into farming fields. The study was taken up to investigate the trend and frequency of coverage of agricultural information in popular farm broadcasts namely Pasidi Pantalu and Annadata in a quantitative manner. One-year content of two popular farm programmes of the Telegu language namely Pasidi Pantalu and Annadata telecasted over Dooradarshan – Sapthagiri (public sector) and Enadu television (private sector) channel were recorded by using a “set-top box”. The entire content was categorized into six categories after preliminary watching. The six categories namely enterprise-wise, crop-wise, organization-wise, package of practice-wise, duration-wise, and mode of presentation-wise. The entire content was thoroughly watched, the frequency of occurrence of the programmes was counted and percentages were worked out. The results indicated that, in the ‘Pasidi pantalu’ programme, more emphasis and more time was allotted to agriculture enterprise (33.49%), whereas, in the ‘Annadata’ programme, horticulture enterprise occupied first place with 41.55 per cent. Both channels gave more emphasis to the straight talk mode of presentation with 71.41% and 98.09 % programmes respectively. The study also indicated that research scientists are the main resource persons in both programmes. Both the channels gave the least importance to crucial enterprises like Fisheries (7.06% & 3.88%), Sericulture (3.08% & 1.45%) and Poultry (1.14% & 1.58 %). As the growing domestic and international market value of enterprises like; fisheries, poultry and sericulture, the coverage of these enterprises needs be to improved in both programmes. As a public sector channel, the coverage of general information needs to be reduced and replaced with crop and other enterprise-related information in Dooradarshan - Sapthagiri. It was also recorded that, there is no coverage on most important crops like Jowar and Ground nut. Instead of research scientists, give preference to the extension scientists from KVKs and DAATTCs, as they have practical and diversified knowledge of crops. As a public sector channel, the coverage of general information needs to be reduced and replaced with crop and other enterprise-related information.