Abstract:
Study was a content analysis of animal husbandry information in farm .
feature pages of four Malayalam dailies, namely Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhoorni,.
Desabhimani and Deepika, for the period January to December 1999. Variables
studied were space provided to different categories of animal husbandry news, modes
of presentation, frequency of occurrence of news, seasonality, readability, relevancy
and accuracy.
Research findings revealed that the studied dailies provided less than one
fourth space of farm feature pages for publishing animal husbandry information. Large
animal category got more than 50 per cent coverage with three-fourth space occupied
by articles on cows. Poultry articles occupied one-fourth space of animal husbandry
information of farm feature pages. Where as small animals and pet animals occupied
17 per cent and seven per cent space respectively.
News articles occupied maximum column length in all dailies studied.
Frequency of occurrence of news articles, illustrations and question answers were
found to be more when compared to other modes of presentation.
Seasonality studies r.evealed that more than half the number of dairy
articles and one eighth of poultry articles were seasonal.
Average readability of dairy articles according to Fog index was 5.45 with
more reading easiness.
More than 50 per cent of dairy articles were found to be relevant. Just
above two-third of scientific messages of dairy articles were accurate, whereas
accuracy of general articles were found to be nearly 50 per cent.
