A critical analysis of socio-cultural impact of new media on Usersin India

Media are one of the factors of social change. New media have generated debate regarding itsinfluence on society and culture. The history of media studies has shown how communicationresearchers evolved theories of media effects on the basis of their studies involving print, radioand tv and helped improve the understanding of social impact of media raising critical issues ofmedia access and its impact on social institutions. Based on a survey of 801 users of Internetand mobile phones, this study analyzes media habits and social cultural impact on the behaviourand attitude. This is a study conducted in the State of Karnataka, regarded as the IT bowl ofIndia. The study of media exposure shows significant results. There is significant relationshipbetween the age of the respondents and the use of computers. It may be inferred that usingcomputers varies from one age group to another. Further, there is no significant relationshipbetween the age of the respondents and the use of mobile phones. There is no significantrelationship between the gender and the surfing of internet. However, there is significantrelationship between the level of education and the surfing of internet. Access to internet varieswith one’s economic background. Income does influence the exposure to internet. There issignificant relationship between exposure to print and broadcast media and surfing of internet. The socio-cultural impact of internet reveals that internet has made difference in the livesof the users (t=17.56) with regard to language and increase in the level of knowledge. However,the respondents feel that internet has not influenced the behavior, physical appearance anddressing style. Internet has not reduced the social contacts with friends and relatives say thestudy. Contrary to popular belief internet has not affected the reading habits of the people.Exposure to internet has also not affected the people’s access to traditional media like radio andtelevision. Respondents claim that these new media have not made people less hard working andhas not come in the way of professional duties and are not a cause for depression, frustrationand loneliness. However, the study shows that lack of computer literacy develops inferioritycomplex among people and people also view internet as a symbol of modernity and they feltconnected to the world