Media Development in India

India's mass media landscape has undergone significant evolution, marked by the sequential growth and pervasive reach of radio, television, and increasingly, new media platforms.

Radio

Radio broadcasting in India commenced in June 1923 with the establishment of the Radio Club of Bombay, followed shortly by the Calcutta Radio Club. The Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) was formed in 1927, but it faced liquidation within three years. In April 1930, the Indian Broadcasting Service began operations, which was later nationalized and renamed All India Radio (AIR) on June 8, 1936.

At the time of India's independence in 1947, there were six radio stations in the country. AIR adopted the name 'Akashvani' in 1956 and launched the Vividh Bharati Service in 1957, focusing on popular film music. FM broadcasting was introduced in Chennai (then Madras) on July 23, 1977. The privatization of FM broadcasting began in 2001, leading to a surge in private radio stations. Today, AIR is one of the largest media organizations globally, with a network of 470 stations covering nearly 92% of the country's area and 99.19% of the total population, broadcasting in 23 languages and 179 dialects.

Television

Television made its debut in India on September 15, 1959, with a limited experimental broadcast in Delhi, supported by UNESCO. Daily transmissions began in 1965 as part of Akashvani (All India Radio). The first major expansion occurred in 1972 with a second station in Bombay, followed by others in Srinagar, Amritsar (1973), Calcutta, Madras, and Lucknow (1975). Initially, broadcasting was in black and white and spread slowly.

In 1975, the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) program utilized satellites for educational television in remote villages. Doordarshan, the national television network, was established as a separate department in 1976. Color television and the launch of INSAT-1A and 1B satellites in 1982 significantly accelerated growth. Between 1980 and 1987, the number of television sets increased tenfold. The liberalization of the Indian economy in the early 1990s led to the proliferation of private channels around 1992, transforming television into a multi-channel global media market. By 1995, television reached over 70 million homes with more than 100 channels. As of 2019, there were 892 million TV viewers, and in 2021, over 210 million Indian families owned a television set. Projections suggest continued growth, with television households expected to reach 214 million by 2026.

New Media

The internet was introduced in India in the early 1990s, and its growth has been rapid. The Digital India Programme, launched in 2015, significantly boosted internet penetration and digital literacy. India now has over 800 million internet users, making it the second-largest internet market globally, with a large percentage accessing content via mobile devices. The rise of digital media, encompassing online news websites, social media platforms, and mobile television, is reshaping how Indians consume information.

Digital media currently contributes 32% to India's overall media and entertainment sector and is projected to grow by 17% year-on-year, reaching a valuation of $9.35 billion (INR 802 billion) by 2025. The widespread availability of affordable smartphones has been a key driver, with 68% of Indian news consumers using smartphones as their primary device for accessing news. This shift indicates a growing dominance of digital platforms over traditional forms of media like television.