Culture and Impact of Television Serials Perceptions of Television Viewers

Social scientists and communication scholars discuss the concept of culture, which is defined as beliefs, attitudes, values, norms and custom communicated from one generation to the next generation, which are institutionalised in the social process through family, school, church or temple, and mass media. However, the media play an influential role in stimulating change, either in a positive or negative direction in terms of values and norms. Further, media originate new values, while supporting the existing ones or accepting or rejecting those that come from other cultures. Thus, the present study makes an attempt to assess the influence of television on Telugu families staying in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh state in India. The study used a multi-stage sampling to draw a sample of 120 and out of which only 117 have remained for final analysis. The study found that 'sentiments in family relations' and 'celebration of family functions in a grand way' are viewed by 42.6 per cent of the total respondents. In relation to the marriage customs, engagement for marriage (27.3 per cent) decoration of wedding place (21 per cent) and dress of wedding couple (21.6 per cent) are preferred by the respondents. For viewing such contents, the respondents (28.4 per cent) have reported the influence of family customs on them. It implies that the television depiction of culture has impacted some families to some extent.