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Mass media can be studied in its various roles as an agent of social change ,a reflector of dominant values, and as a reinforce of dominant values. By indirectly projecting the social norms on how women are expected to behave , television commercial s have reproduced patriarchal values in India which are reinforced through the glamorization and naturalization of women’s domestic roles, by glorifying the role of mother , by portraying women in public life in soft role and subordinate jobs, and popularizing the image of women as sex objects and objects of beauty. Changes should be made in the way television in India portrays women to reflect their changing roles and positions in society.

1. To analysis the media content and changing role in portrayal of women with pessage of time. 2. To analysis stereotype gender role. To analyse that most of home task like cook food , look after kids, husband , in laws , carry food to the field for men done by women.

An article in Women’s Web by Amrita Rajan cited by the researcher on April 5, 2017 quotes Information and Broadcasting  Minisre  Ambika  Soni  comment  “ shocked by some of serials she sees on air.”

In the case study on Gender , mass media and social change : a case study of T.V commercials by Gupta A.K ,Jain N.

In  a write up by Behera S.K on Gender role biases on Indian television.

Larson (1996) investigates the role of soap operas in representing the role played by a single mother.

John (1998) discusses some alternate routes to address feminism in India as western concept of feminism is not appropriate in Indian context . The divegences  in the conceptual   legacies of western and Indian feminism are also discussed.

Kumar and Varghese (2005) state that Indian media represents docile image of women. She is presented submissive and easily manageable. They are of the view that mass media should begin the process of women empowerment in modern world.

Kaul and Sahni  (2010) analyzed the portrayal of women in T.V serials and the impact of these serials on the viewers of Jammu.

Women are one of the most oppressed segments of humanity in the developing as well as developed world. Discussions on the rights of women are considered as threat to man’s position in society .  Women are oppressed not only at economic, social and political grounds   corrupt , rarely pious and mostly involved in tempting others. The remedies suggested by the secular societies such as equality of sexes ,  equal opportunities in employment and right to divorce have not led to substantial gains for women (Ahmed , 1991)

Gender stereotypes change outcome: A systematic literature review by K.G Priyashantha 2021

This finding reaveal that the out comes from Gender stereotypes can be categories mainly under the main themes of family and children,  marriage and equality and women empowerment. 

Media and the Development of Gender Role stereotypes by L.M Ward 2020 

Media contributions to Development of Gender stereotypes in women, children and adolescent. 

Portrayals of Women in Media

There have been several studies of the media with refrence to the manner in which they present women. These studies have found the media guilty of sexism, distortion of the image of women and propagation of sex stereotypes. Usually the women are shown as playing a secondary and passive role in various programs, episodes and films. They are depicted as mother , housewives etc.

The reality reconstructed by the media , does not match the one encountered by women in their daily life. There is a great difference between the reality of day to day life and so called reality by the media . In the media most realities have and  desired reconciliations, which unfortunately do not occurs often enough in our lives.

Portrayals of Women in Television

Disparity in actual living conditions of women and those presented over the medium of television is perplexing and disquieting at the very least.

One can see for on self the truth in the argument that television programming does not include the image of working class woman or peasant woman. What required is the whole some depiction of various categories  of women . Those who belong to different background , perform different types of work  and play multiple  roles in their day to day life ,all ought be shown. Viewers have to be provided with these images least they believe that only limited roles exist for women in society.

Consider another interesting aspect of television programs like the most common attributes that could be ascribed to the male and female characters. Krishnan and Dighe (1990) , analysed the plots of fictional programs and films telecast during a sample period where the analysis had shown the      “ ideal woman’’ was caring , concerned , maternal , supportive, helped her husband to achieve his goals and did not have ambitions of her own. She was sacrificing, unquestioning, submissive, pretty, charming and devoted to the husband.

This ideal women won everybody’s approval , where as the deviant women became the outcast.

How the Portrayal of Women in Media has Changed

When it comes to T.V , we ‘ve made enormous progress _ but it’s coming from a very low base . Over the course of the history of T.V advertising , women have been defined in very narrow roles. When I started in T.V advertising , people were so dismissive about women. That was partly indicative of the problems  women were firmly placed in the domestic sphere , talking animatedly about cleaning and housework. Of course, you also had the female sex object. Women are also often shown as the family nurturer, which is something that men were not  allowed to be either. This is a problem for both genders .There have been some real strides in that recently , where ads show men in a much nurturing rule.

Scope and Limitation of The Research

The research is a reflective study on the portrayal of women in television (changing dimensions with time) . The notion cannot be denied that gender role biases in Indian television have served to reinforce and even enhance the degradation of women in the broader society. Often female characters in television series were housewives, secretaries, teachers, or nurses. Women were featured more often than men in Indian commercials , yet were shown performance stereotyped female activities such as shopping ,preparing meals, and dressing to obtain the sexual approval of men. This sex role stereotyping in the media is seriously impending the struggles of women in India to achieve economic and political autonomy. To promote more positive role modelling and change women self image , Indian television must move immediately to portray women achieving self – image , Indian television must move immediately to portray women achieving self realization through their carrers and social participation and to depict  cooperation between men and women in performing household chores.

Thus ,researcher believes that it is vital to analyze the projection trends to emboss the dominant images and their effects on real life. The scope of research thus increases.

Besides various parameters of the research , the shortcomings cannot be overviewed. One of the biggest constrains in the research process is time period . Being a small scale study , only portrayal of women in electronic media will be studies and analyzed despite of huge data from various mediums. Being a curriculum assignment our research is bound by a specific time limit.

In nutshell the research will try to examine the impact of television portrayals on real life grounds. The research aims to diagnose whether viewing of such portrayals and specific gender roles effects human psychology on real life. Are portrayals of women hood changing with time or they are still stereotypical in their nature. Thus television promotes healthy communication and dialogue in society against vulnerable groups is the main concern of the study.

1. Content analysis is an increasingly popular method for communication researchers. 2. An intensive interview (or “in depth interview”) is a qualitative research technique that is typically done face –to-face and uses flexible, open-ended questions to explore the respondent’s perspectives on a particular idea or situation. Parameters for conducting interviews- 1. Women portrayal at home and family. 2. Women and occupation. 3. Change in physical Appearance. 4. Change in Attires. 5. Change in Gender role. 6. Breaking the stereotype regarding women. 7. Change in portrayal of women.

To understand the trend of portrayal of women the researcher has chosen 4 clippings of star plus  and showed them to research audience to stimulate results .After analyzing the collected data the researcher noted that the portrayal of women in media has undergone a change to some extent in past years.

Clipping 1 _ Clipping of the star theme song 2002

After collecting the responses on the question by interviewee’s the researcher found that out of 8 opinions many marked her as a symbol of beauty to attract viewers. Researcher noted that all responses have one thing in common  Portrayal of women around family inside the threshold of the house. Her world is somewhere shown confined to her family. Women wearing expensive saris, decked from head to toe in gold ,holding a “thaali” containing fruits and flowers and praying sincerely for the welfare of their husbands and his family. This is the typical portrait of a woman in India Television (T.V) serials; a perfect wife, perfect mother and perfect daughter-in-law who showers love on all her loved ones and is an icon of purity and devotion for the audience. While  analyzing the vedios researcher felt that in the above clipping men is shown as a bread winner for the family where roles of women are confined to the four walls of the house. Thus the researcher concluded in the initial clipping (2002) the portrayal was inclined towards the traditional representation . The portrayals were not challenging gender roles and creating dissonance in the mind of viewers. As the need of an time women were objectified as symbol of attraction happy in her confined world.

Clipping 2  Son of Devki

Modern approach  towards portrayal of womanhood challenging the age old notion of patriarchy in the society . Breaking the stereotype of carrying  fathers name the clipping voice the rights of a mother putting the question-Why not her name associated any further in life? In  public domain.      The interviewee’s here marked that the clipping somewhere tries to break the age old stereotypes regarding womanhood and somewhere sowing the seed of equality in the minds of people. The general trend the researcher marked here is equality and respect to woman which is somewhere missing in previous clipping.

Clipping 3 – Hurdels

‘Nayi  soch ‘ as the name suggest showcases women breaking all the myths of gender roles and portraying herself as an equal being for every kind of role. The researcher believed that this current clipping of star plus is challenging its own portrayals in the initial clipping . In the journey of more than one decade the channel itself projected a positive change in portrayal which is vital for development holistically.

The result of the study indicate that the role of women in television has changed over the decades . Although , woman in India ,are portrayed as traditional and stero typical over the decade as proved by initial 2003 official clipping from Star Plus . Thus the researcher believes changes in portrayal and gender roles are going on slow but steady. The research study revealed that Television channels are walking with that change and it will be safe to say that they are initiating the change from with in which is accelerating the rate of development . That shows alter the portrayals not only in their corporate Social Responsibility launched their brand philosophy NAYI SOCH , the new vision which reflects on their fresh storylines altering portrayal of womanhood ,changing gender roles and eventually fighting against the stereotypes associated with womanhood. So it’s not too far when all the channels will join this change . The researcher firmly believes that a larger- than – life picture of many aspects of Indian society and its culture are portrayal in these serials: relationship , emotions, festivities, costumes etc. In present they have started highlight different issues and taboos in our society and its culture are portrayal in these serials: relationships, emotions, festivities, costumes, etc. In present they have started highlight different issues and taboos in our society and raises questions about the same which is some where leading to behavioural change, a prerequisite to holistic development. Thus the objectives of the study get fulfilled. The researcher in his final conclusion states that at this juncture of time change is not optional but mandatory and thanks to mass appealing media channels for voicing the change daily by their different product lines. In a country like India where hundreds of stereotypes and dominant images are attached with womanhood it is necessary to voice against them for substantial growth of woman and womanhood. The clippings sampled by the researcher clearly indicates the liberation of image and thus researcher feels safe to mark that with passage of time the image of womanhood is altered and liberated . But the change is yet to come and on the ending note researcher feels optimistic that it will come soon.

1. Ahmed ,A (2012,June) . Women and soap-operas : Popularity , portrayals and perception . International Journal of Scientific and Research Publication. 2. Chaturvedi,S,& Chakrabarty ,s.(2013, October-December ) .Delincation of Women In Indian Serials. International Journal of Applied Services Marketing Perspective. 3. Kandpal,A.(2014,August 28 ) Women in Daily Soaps : The Good, The Bad and The Ugly 4. Rajan .A.(2010, May 26 ) Indian T.V serial are delighting in regressive portrayals of women , with working women totally absent. What’s really happening? 5. Women’s Web: http://www.womensweb.in/articles/the-women-of-indian-television/ 6. http://enculturation.net/teaching-mcluhan) 7. Links of Reviewed clippings of Star plus –“Nayi Soch ‘’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?y=fqVSmA-qgd8 8. STAR PARIVAAR AWARDS 2012 OFFICIAL TITLE SONG (NAYI SOCH KI CHALILEHER) https://www.you tube.com/watch?v= 6L-Uy5umZ9A 9. Gender stereotypes change outcome: A systematic literature review by K.G Priyashantha 2021 10. Media and the Development of Gender Role stereotypes by L.M Ward 2020