MSc

This study entitled “Farm Telecast Viewing Behaviour of Farmers” was carried out in Nedumangadu Taluk of Trivandrum district with the following objectives:

1. To study the viewing behavior of farmers in relation to the farm telecast
2. To study the preferences of programmes, mode, time and duration of farm telecast by the farmers
3. To find out the factors influencing the viewing behavior of farmers
4. To suggest steps, if any, to improve the farm telecast programme

The charecteristics of farmers included in the study were age, educational status, occupation, annual income, social participation, mass media exposure, cosmopoliteness, innovation proneness, scientific orientation, economic motivation and attitude towards Nattinpuram programme.

The dependent variable viewing behaviour was measured using the procedure developed for the study. The available measurement techniques and scoring system were used for independent variables such as social participation (Selvakumar, 1988), mass media exposure (Haraprasad, 1983), cosmopoliteness (desai, 1981), innovation proneness (Moulik, 1965), scientific orientation (Supe, 1969) and economic motivation (Moulik, 1965). Age and annual income were taken as such. Attitude towards Nattinpuram programme was measured using the scale developed for the study. Post-viewing behaviour, family viewing behaviour and viewing preference of Nattinpuram programme were measured using the procedure developed for the study.

Data were collected from one hundred viewers and twenty seven non-viewers using an interview schedule. Data were analysed using correlation, multiple regression and path analyses.

The salient findings of the study are the following:

The reasons for not viewing the Nattinpuram programme were lack of time, lack of interest, programme irrelevant and boring to them; affect children’s studies, time not suitable and lack of awareness of the programme. Viewing behaviour of Nattinpuram programme viewers was at a low level. Most of them were occasional viewers.

Age, educational status, occupation, annual income, social participation, cosmopoliteness, and economic motivation had no significant relationship with viewing behaviour. Mass media exposure, innovation proneness, scientific orientation and attitude towards Nattinpuram programme were significantly and positively related to viewing behaviour. The results of path analysis indicated variables such as mass media exposure, scientific orientation, and attitudes towards Nattinpuram programme as important in determining the viewing behaviour of the farmers.

The respondents post-viewing behaviour was not appreciable. With regard their family viewing behaviour, majority of the family members were occasional viewers of Nattinpuram programme. With regard to programme preference (past), programmes like ‘safe handling of insecticides and pepper day celebration, agricultural development bank, and announcements inviting letters from farmers on their queries were most preferred by them. As regards the future programmes, preference for agricultural programme was the most. The most preferred mode of presentation was demonstration by experts with discussion. The most preffered time of Nattinpuram telecast was from 6.30 to 7.00 pm.

The suggestions given by the respondents for improving Nattinpuram telecasts in future were: Inviting farmers in discussion, making the programmes more informative, avoiding the use of technical terms, alternating the programmes in a cyclic rotation and side by side discussion of the traditional methods.