Media in Kerala

Printed Malayalam magnified by spectacles.

Media in Kerala are widely accessible and cater to a wide variety of audiences. Kerala is the smallest of four states in South India.

Newspapers

Dozens of newspapers are published in Kerala.^[1] The principal languages of publication are Malayalam and English. The most widely circulating Malayalam-language newspapers include Desabhimani, Mathrubhumi, Malayala Manorama, Mangalam, Deepika, Kerala Kaumudi, Janayugam, Thejas, Varthamanam, Chandrika, Janmabhumi, Madhyamam and Metro Vaartha. Among List of Malayalam periodicals major Malayalam periodicals are Madhyamam weekly, Mathrubhumi weekly, India Today Malayalam, Chithrabhumi, Thejas, Kanyaka and Bhashaposhini.

Television

Doordarshan is the state-owned television broadcaster. Multi system operators provide a mix of Malayalam, English, and international channels via cable television. The first group to enter the television field was Asianet in 1993, followed by Surya TV in 1998. Kairali TV started broadcast in the year 2000.^[2] Multiple channels then started broadcasting including general entertainment channels like Jeevan, Amrita, Jai Hind and news channels like Indiavision, Asianet Global, Kairali People, Manorama News, music and movie channels like Asianet plus, Kiran, Kairali We, religious channels like Shalom, PowerVision TV

Mobile

BSNL, Reliance Infocomm, Tata Docomo, Tata Indicom, Idea, Uninor, Aircel, Vodafone Essar and Airtel compete to provide cellular phone services. Broadband internet is available in selected towns and cities and is provided by the state-run Kerala Telecommunications (which is run by BSNL) and by other private companies like Airtel, Asianet, and Reliance. Dial-up access is provided throughout the state by BSNL and other providers.

Film

A substantial Malayalam film industry effectively competes against both Bollywood and Hollywood. Television (especially "mega serials" and cartoons) and the Internet have affected Keralite culture. Yet Keralites maintain high rates of newspaper and magazine subscriptions; 50% spend an average of about seven hours a week reading novels and other books. A sizeable "people's science" movement has taken root in the state, and such activities as writers' cooperatives are becoming increasingly common.^[3][4]

Radio

In Kerala, Radio had a very vital role in communication.All India Radio, the national radio service, reaches much of Kerala via its Thiruvananthapuram 'A' Malayalam-language broadcaster. After AIR Malayalee audiences . Radio Alakal, the first Community radio in the state, started narrowcasting from Trivandrum on 1 May 2006. Kerala's First private FM station, Radio Mango 91.9, was launched on 29th, November 2007 in Calicut, sparking off the FM revolution in the state. Today, Kerala has a host of private FM channels that are fast gaining influence among its population.

Private FM Stations inside Kerala

• Thiruvanthapuram

1. Club FM 94.3 (The Mathrubhumi Printing And Publishing Co Ltd)
2. BIG FM 92.7 (Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group)
3. Radio Mirchi 98.3 (entertainment Network (India)ltd)
4. Red FM 93.5 (sun Network)
5. Radio DC(Low power CRS) 90.4 MHz

• Thrissur

1. Club FM 104.8 (The Mathrubhumi Printing And Publishing Co Ltd)
2. Radio Mango 91.9 (The Malayala Manorama Co Ltd)
3. BEST FM 95 (Asianet Communications Ltd)
4. Red FM 93.5 (Sun Network)-{now broadcast @ 91.1 MHz FM}

• Kannur

1. Club FM 94.3 (The Mathrubhumi Printing And Publishing Co Ltd)
2. Radio Mango 91.9 (The Malayala Manorama Co Ltd)
3. Red FM 93.5 (Sun Network)
4. BEST FM 95 (Asianet Communications Ltd)

• Cochin

1. Club FM 94.3 (The Mathrubhumi Printing And Publishing Co Ltd)
2. Red FM 93.5 (Sun Network)
3. Radio Mango 91.9 (The Malayala Manorama Co Ltd)

• Kozhikode

1. Radio Mango 91.9 (The Malayala Manorama Co Ltd)
2. Red FM 93.5 (Sun Network)

Private AM/FM Stations outside Kerala

• Dubai

1. Asianet Radio 657AM
2. Radio Asia 1269 AM
3. Radio Me 95.3 FM
4. Hit FM 96.7
5. Oxygen FM 102.4

Public sector Radio Channels

All India Radio (AIR) Fm Radio Stations In Kerala

1. Thiruvanthapuram -101.9
2. Thiruvanthapuram Dc Radio -90.4
3. Devikulam - 101.4
4. Kochi 102.3
5. Thrissur - 103
6. Kozhikode - 103.6
7. Manjeri -102.7
8. Kannur - 101.5

All India Radio (AIR) AM/MW Radio Stations In Kerala

1. Thiruvanthapuram - 1161
2. Alapuzha - 576
3. Thrissur - 630
4. Kozhikode - 684
5. Kavaratti - 1584

All India Radio (AIR) SW Radio Stations In Kerala

• Thiruvanthapuram - 5010,7290

History of Media in Kerala

Main article: Book Publishing in Kerala

Doctrina Christam written in "Malayalam Tamul" by Fr. Henrique Henriques, a Jesuit priest is believed to be the first book to be printed in Kerala. This was in the year 1578 at Kollam. However the first Malayalam book came out in 1824 from CMS Press, Kottayam founded by Benjamin Bailey in the year 1821.

A landmark in the history of book publication in Kerala was the setting up of Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sanghom on 30 April 1945, a co-operative society by literary writers for publishing books in Malayalam.

Main article: Newspapers in Kerala

The history of news media in Kerala begins with the publication of Rajyasamacharam, the first newspaper of Kerala. This was started for religious propagation by the Christian missionaries of Basel Mission in June 1847 from Illikunnu near Thalasseri (Tellicherry). Subsequently two more newspapers Paschimodayam (1847 October) and Njananikshepam (1848 November) came out from Tellicherry and Kottayam respectively.

Another major development was the publication of Nasrani Deepika on 15 April 1887 from Mannanam near Kottayam as a fortnightly. The publication started under the editorship of a Catholic priest Nidhiry Mani Kathanar later became a daily newspaper on 3 January 1927. The paper was renamed as Deepika in 1938 and it continues to be published even today.

Malayala Manorama was started from Kottayam on 22 March 1890 by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai as a weekly. This became a daily in 1928 and is the largest circulating daily of Kerala today.

K. Ramakrishna Pillai popularly known as Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai is the first journalist in Kerala who was exiled. He was exiled from the erstwhile princely state of Travancore in 26 September 1910, for criticizing the then rulers. He is also credited with authoring the first book on journalism titled Vrithantha Pathra Pravarthanam in Malayalam as early as in 1912.

Kerala Kaumudi was started in 1911 in Mayyanad in Kollam under the editorship of C.V. Kunhiraman as a weekly and was later converted to a daily and is one of the leading newspapers today.

Mathrubhumi newspaper was started as part of the nationalist movement and Indian independence movement on 18 March 1923, under the editorship of K. P. Kesava Menon. It was started as a tri-weekly at Kozhikode and was later made a daily in 6 April 1930. Today it is the second largest circulated daily of Kerala.

Deshabhimani started in 1942 as the organ of the Communist Party of India under the editorship of M. S. Devadas from Kozhikode became a daily in 1946. Today it is one of the largest dailies in the state and is the organ of the Communist Part of India (Marxist).

Madhyamam began publishing in 1987 at Silver Hills near Calicut. Veteran journalist, Kuldip Nayar inaugurated the publishing. Madhyamam has its core readership in the Malabar Muslim community. It has seven editions across the state of Kerala and a considerable readership.Madhyamam is owned by the Ideal Publications Trust, which claims as their aim providing non-profit non-partisan and value-based journalistic service free from market pressures.Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Malayalam writer, said that it was the birth of a silver star. K C Abdullah, P K Balakrishnan and K A Kodungallur were among its editors at the early stage.Today it is the third largest circulated daily of Kerala.

There are nearly 1140 malayalam newspapers with a total circulation of 76, 68,000 copies. The circulation of dailies alone is 22, 63,000.

Some of the popular weeklies in Malayalam today are Mathrubhumi weekly (1932), Kalakaumudi weekly (1976), India Today (Malayalam) (1987), Samakalika Malayalam (1997)and Madhyamam weekly (1998).

Main article: Telecommunication in Kerala

In 1864 first telegraph service was commenced in Alleppey, Quilon and Trivandrum. Voice communication was started in 1923 at Kochi.

Main article: Radio in Kerala

Radio transmission started in Kerala in 1934 at Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. The second transmitter was installed in Calicut in 1950. Radio transmission in Kerala was the monopoly of the government of India or Government owned corporations till December 2007. Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi started the first and second private FM stations respectively in December 2007.

Main article: Malayalam Cinema

The history of Malayalam cinema begins with Vigatha Kumaran a silent film made by J.C. Daniel in 1928. The first Malayalam talkie, Balan, came out in 1938.

Udaya Studio, the first professional film studio of Kerala was set up in Alappuzha by Kunchako in 1947. Another landmark was the release of Chemmeen in 1966, directed by Ramu Kariat, which won the President’s Gold Medal for the best Indian film.

The first co-operative society for film production, Chitralekha Film Co-operative was promoted by Chithralekha Film Society. This first film society of Kerala was started in 1964 by Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Kulathur Bhaskaran Nair.

Main article: Media Education in Kerala

Formal training in mass media was started in 1968 with the setting up of an Institute of Journalism by the Press Club, Trivandrum. A programme for journalism was started at university level in the year 1977 at the University of Kerala. A course for electronic journalism was started in 1997 by the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-Dit) in Thiruvananthapuram.

Main article: Malayalam Television

Television broadcasting in Kerala was started by the Doordarshan, the official television channel of the government of India on 1 January 1985. Simultaneously Malayalam news telecast began. The first private Television channel of the state, Asianet started the telecast of Malayalam programmes in August 1993. Surya, Kairali, India Vision, Jeevan, Amritha and Jai Hind TV are the other major private television broadcasters of the state.

Main article: Digital Media in Kerala

In the year Kerala Government started 1990 Centre for development of Imaging Technology C DIT in Thiruvananthapuram. A division for research into digital media technology was part of this institution. This was a landmark in the digital media history of Kerala. Subsesequently, Technopark, Trivandrum, a centre for Technology related industries was started in Thiruvananthapuram. These were started by the Kerala Government. But in the mean time Private enterprises were coming up in Kerala particularly in Thiruvananthapuram. Companies like UST Global, IBS, TCS, MSquare, NeST were the leading institutions engaged in Software development and training.

Digital content creation was started by Invis Multimedia in 1995 by launching a project for developing a multimedia title on Kerala. This first multimedia publication on Kerala, Kerala: The Green Symphony published in association with the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala was released in June 1998 by E.K. Nayanar, Chief Minister, Government of Kerala.

Internet service was started by ISPs like Kerala Telecommunication and VSNL in the year 1998. In the same year BPL, a private mobile service provider introduced mobile telephony in Kerala.^[5][6][7]

See also

• Media in Trivandrum

References

1. ^ "General Review". Registrar of Newspapers for India. https://rni.nic.in/pii.htm. Retrieved 2006-09-01. 
2. ^ New Malayalam channel to go on air from Aug 17 Business Line Financial Daily, Monday, August 14, 2000
3. ^ Ranjith, KS (2004), "Rural Libraries of Kerala", Centre for Development Studies [link accessed 25 February 2007].
4. ^ Tharamangalam 2005, p. 2.
5. ^ Dr. Vellayani Arjunan, ed (1987). Sarva Vijnana Kosham Volume 8. 
6. ^ "Keralatourism.org (Provisional)". Department of Tourism. http://www.keralatourism.org/. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
7. ^ "Keralabsnl(Provisional)". Department of Tourism. http://www.keralabsnl.co.in/. Retrieved 2007-11-18.