२३ जुलै हा प्रसारण दिन

भारतात दि. २३ जुलै १९२७ रोजी मुंबई आणि कोलकाता येथे आकाशवाणीचे प्रसारण सुरू झाले. म्हणून दरवर्षी २३ जुलै हा प्रसारण दिन म्हणून साजरा करण्यात येतो. यानिमित्ताने आकाशवाणीच्या वाटचालीचा हा मागोवा…

‘नमस्कार! हे आकाशवाणीचे मुंबई केंद्र. सकाळचे ६ वाजून ३५ मिनिटे झाली आहेत. सादर करीत आहोत कार्यक्रम...’ बोलणारी व्यक्ती अदृश्य; तरीही परिचयाची. आवाजातील सातत्य आणि न चुकता तो ऐकण्यातील नियमितता... अशावेळी कुठल्याही दृश्याकृतीची गरज भासत नाही. आपोआपच एक अनामिक बंध जुळला जातो. हा मर्मबंध आता नव्वदीत पदार्पण करीत आहे. ‘बहुजन हिताय बहुजन सुखाय’- आकाशवाणी २३ जुलै रोजी ८९ वर्षांची पूर्तता करीत आहे. स्वातंत्र्यपूर्व काळातील ‘इंडियन स्टेट ब्रॉडकास्टिंग कॉर्पोरेशन’चे स्वातंत्र्योत्तर काळात ‘आकाशवाणी’ (१९५७) असे नामकरण झाले. ‘आकाशवाणी’ हे संयुक्तिक नाव थोर साहित्यिक व नोबेल पारितोषिक विजेते रवींद्रनाथ टागोर यांनी सुचविले होते. त्यानंतर सुरु झालेली आकाशवाणीची वाटचाल हा भारतीय संस्कृतीच्या आणि एकूणच भारतीयत्वाच्या सर्वंकषतेचा परिपाकच म्हणावयास हवा.

देशभरात आकाशवाणीची ४१० केंद्रे असून 20 अवघ्या महाराष्ट्रातच आहेत. ज्ञान-विज्ञान-तंत्रज्ञान ते विभिन्न कला-सांस्कृतिक मूल्यांची रुजवात, रोजच्या घडामोडी ते आदर्शवत जीवनपद्धतीचा अवलंब अशा अनेकविध गोष्टी अबालवृद्धांसहित प्रत्येक वयोगटासाठी हाताळण्यातील संवेदनशीलता, जवळपास 23 भाषांतील प्रसारणाचा प्रचंड आवाका आणि मागील 89 वर्षे सातत्याने त्यातील भाषिकस्तर कायम राखण्याचे कसब, या सर्व गोष्टी खरोखरच वाखाणण्याजोग्या आहेत. सध्याच्या झगमगीत सभोवतालात उथळपणाचे प्रमाण वाढत असताना आकाशवाणीने आपल्या मूल्यांशी असलेली बांधिलकी कायम जपली आहे, जपते आहे.

जागतिकीकरणानंतर आलेल्या खाजगीकरणाच्या लाटेत अनेक व्यावसायिक माध्यमांचा पसारा वाढला. सुरुवातीला मात्र आकाशवाणी हे मनोरंजन व जनप्रबोधनाचं, सरकारी योजना जनसामान्यांपर्यंत पोहोचविण्याचं सशक्त माध्यम होतं.

‘संगीत सरिता’ ही शास्त्रीय संगीताच्या जलशांची वाहिनी तर ‘विविध भारती’ या आकाशवाणीच्या व्यावसायिक वाहिनीवरुन विविध सिनेसंगीत प्रसारित होतात. भाषावार प्रांतरचनेप्रमाणे राज्यांतर्गत येणाऱ्या आकाशवाणी केंद्रावरुन त्या-त्या राज्यभाषेतील सुगम-संगीतांचे कार्यक्रम होतात. नाट्य-संगीत हे सुरुवातीला सुगम-संगीत या प्रकारात समाविष्ट होते. परंतु त्यातील शब्द-स्वरांचा सुरेख समन्वय लक्षात घेऊन त्यास आकाशवाणीतर्फे उपशास्त्रीय संगीताचा दर्जा देण्यात आला. आजही कुठल्याही सच्चा कलाकारांसाठी आकाशवाणीकडून मिळणारी कौतुकाची थाप ही गौरवान्वित करणारी आहे. कारण श्रोत्यास जे उत्तम आहे ते देण्याचा आकाशवाणीचा ध्यास असल्याने कुठलीही गोष्ट स्वीकारताना त्याचा सूक्ष्मपणे अभ्यास केला जातो.

मनोरंजनासोबतच बाल, युवा, महिला यांच्या कलागुणांना वाव मिळावा यासाठी गंमत-जंमत, युवावाणी, वनिता मंडळ असे कार्यक्रम प्रसारित होतात. अशा कार्यक्रमातून त्या-त्या वयोगटाचे भावविश्व व्यक्त होत असते. त्यातूनच त्यांच्या व्यक्तिमत्त्वाचीही जडण-घडण होत असते. त्याचप्रमाणे कामगार सभा, कृषीवाणी, ‘माझं आवार माझं शिवार’ अशा माहितीपर कार्यक्रमांचा कामगार आणि शेतकरी बांधवांनाही फायदा होतो. त्यामुळे आकाशवाणी ही कित्येकांच्या रोजच्या जगण्यातील आधारस्तंभ बनली आहे.

विविधतेतून एकता ही उक्ती आकाशवाणीच्या काही कार्यक्रमांमधून सार्थ ठरते. भारतातील विविध प्रांतातील कलाकार त्यांच्याकडे खास प्रचलित असणारे लोकसंगीत सादर करतात. त्याचं ध्वनिमुद्रण त्या-त्या राज्यांतर्गत असणाऱ्या आकाशवाणी केंद्रात होतं आणि एक विशिष्ट वेळ व दिवस ठरवून संबंध भारतात त्यातील एका प्राताचे संगीत प्रसारित होते. त्यामुळे अशा प्रत्येक प्रांताची सांगितिक ओळख याद्वारे संपूर्ण भारताला होते. तसचं नाटकाचही. अर्थात येथे नाटक म्हणजे वाचिक अभिनय! भारतातील एखाद्या भाषेत लिहिलेले एखादे नाटक, ज्याचे हिंदीत भाषांतर करुन (हिंदी ही राष्ट्रभाषा असल्याने) ते भारतातील विविध आकाशवाणी केंद्रात पाठविले जाते. तेथे त्या-त्या प्रांतीय भाषेनुसार नाटकाचे भाषांतर होते. मग महिन्याभरात एक दिवस निश्चित करुन संपूर्ण भारतात ते नाटक प्रसारित होते. त्यामुळे महाराष्ट्रातल्या माणसाला काश्मिरी चालीरिती कळतात, कानडीमधल्या काही म्हणी माहिती होतात. त्यामुळे विविधतेतून एकता साधली जातेच; पण व्यक्तिगत प्रत्येकाचाही सर्वांगीण विकास होतो.

यात एक खूप महत्त्वाचा मुद्दा आहे. येथे पुनर्प्रसारण, ज्याला आपण रिपीट ब्रॉडकास्ट म्हणतो, ते एक-दीड-दोन वर्षांतून कधीतरी होते. कारण येथे सृजनशीलतेला बराच वाव असून श्रोत्यांना उत्तम व सकस खाद्य- ‘कंटेट’- पुरविण्यावर प्रामुख्याने भर दिला जातो. त्यामुळे आकाशवाणीवरुन प्रसारित होणारी कुठलीही गोष्ट ही संयत असते. त्यात ना ‘ब्रेकींग न्यूज’चा धडाका असतो, ना भावनांचा उद्रेक! निर्मळ आनंद देताना वास्तवाची जाणीव आणि त्यातूनही चांगलं कसं शोधावं हा विचार आकाशवाणी आपल्या श्रोत्यांना देत असते. यात सतत बदलणाऱ्या सुधारित तंत्रज्ञानाशी जुळवून घेताना आकाशवाणीने विकसित केलेले स्वतःचं ‘ऑल इंडिया रेडिओ’ हे अॅप असेल, ‘न्यूज ऑन एअर’ अंतर्गत दर तासाला एखादा नंबर फिरवून चालू घडामोडीतील कुठल्याही तीन बातम्या मिळवणे असेल, आपल्या बलस्थानांवर भर देऊन, आपलं मूळ टिकवून नव्या जगाशी- नव्या काळाशी जोडले जाणे हे आकाशवाणीच्या नव्वदाव्या पदार्पणातलं तिच्यासमोरचे ध्येय आहे. कारण ज्यावेळी ‘तुमचा कार्यक्रम ऐकताना जगणं सुसह्य होतं’, अशी प्रतिक्रिया आकाशवाणीतील उमा दीक्षितांसारख्या अनेक कर्मचाऱ्यांना श्रोत्यांकडून मिळते. इतक्या वर्षांचे सहसंबंध दृढ होत असतातच; पण त्याचबरोबर ‘बहुजन हिताय बहुजन सुखाय’ ही बहुआयामी उद्घोषणा सार्थ ठरत असते.

The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters

The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (French:Association Mondiale Des Radiodiffuseurs Communautaires, AMARC) is the international umbrella organization of community radio broadcastersfounded in 1983, with nearly 3,000 members in 110 countries. Its mission is to support and contribute to the development of community and participatory radio along the principles of solidarity and international cooperation.^[1][2]

The association is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, a global network of non-governmental organisations that monitors free expression violations worldwide and defends journalists, writers, Internet users and others who are persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression. It is involved in the Tunisia Monitoring Group, a coalition of 16 free expression groups that campaign to end human rights violations in Tunisia.^[3] It has also supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, over Israel's policies and actions during the Arab-Israeli conflict.^[4]

Members of the association gather every 3–4 years for a general assembly. Many member stations also operate organisations at the regional or national level. For example, New Zealand community radio stations belong as stations of the Association of Community Access Broadcasters

100% FDI in Film industry

Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion
SIA (FC Division)

PRESS NOTE NO. 4 (2002 SERIES)

Subject: Revision of existing sectoral guidelines for FDI, including investment by non-resident Indians and overseas corporate bodies

Press Note 2 (2000 series) dated the 11^th February, 2000 enclosing the sector specific guidelines for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), inter alia includes the following provisions for theAdvertising and Film sectors:

Automatic approval is available for the following:

-      Up to 74% FDI in Advertising sector.

-       Up to 100% FDI in Film industry (i.e., film financing, production,    distribution, exhibition, marketing and associated activities relating to film industry subject to the following:

I.   Companies with an established track record in films, TV, music, finance, and insurance would be permitted.

II.   The company should have a minimum paid up capital of US$ 10 million if it is the single largest equity shareholder and at least US$ 5 million in other cases.

III.  Minimum level of foreign equity investment would be US$ 2.5 million for the single largest equity shareholder and US$ 1 million in other cases

IV.  Debt equity ratio of not more than 1:1 i.e. domestic borrowings shall not exceed equity

V.  Provisions of dividend balancing would apply.

2. With a view to further liberalizing the FDI regime, the Government have permitted FDI up to 100% on the automatic route in the advertising sector. FDI up to 100% in the film sector, which is already on the automatic route, will not be subject to the conditions indicated at I to V above.

3. The provisions of Press Note No. 2 of 2000 series stand modified to the above extent.

(M. S. SRINIVASAN)
Joint Secretary to the Government of India

धुंडिराज गोविंद फाळके ऊर्फ दादासाहेब फाळके

धुंडिराज गोविंद फाळके ऊर्फ दादासाहेब फाळके (एप्रिल ३०, १८७०; त्र्यंबकेश्वर, महाराष्ट्र - फेब्रुवारी १६, १९४४; नाशिक, महाराष्ट्र) हे चित्रपटनिर्मिती करणारे महाराष्ट्रातील व भारतातील पहिले चित्रपटनिर्माते होते आणि यासाठीच त्यांना भारतीय चित्रपटांचा जनक मानले जाते . १९१३ साली त्यांनी निर्मिलेला राजा हरिश्चंद्र हा चित्रपट मराठी व भारतीय चित्रपटसृष्टीच्या इतिहासातील आद्य चित्रपट होय. १९३७ पर्यंतच्या आपल्या १९ वर्षाच्या कारकिर्दीत त्यांनी ९५ चित्रपट व २६ लघुपटांची निर्मिती केली. त्यांच्या चित्रपटविषयक योगदानाबद्दल भारतीय चित्रसृष्टीतील सर्वांत मोठा पुरस्कार त्यांच्या नावाने दिला जातो.
 इ.स. १८८५साली त्यांनी सर जे.जे. स्कूल ऑफ आर्ट, मुंबई येथे प्रवेश घेतला. इ.स. १८९०साली जे.जे.तून उत्तीर्ण झाल्यावर ते कला भवन, बडोदा येथे शिल्पकला, तंत्रज्ञान, रेखाटन, चित्रकला, छायाचित्रणकला इत्यादी गोष्टी शिकले.

त्यांनी गोध्रा येथे छायाचित्रकार म्हणून व्यवसाय सुरू केला. परंतु, गोध्ऱ्यात झालेल्या ब्युबॉनिक प्लेगाच्या उद्रेकात त्यांची प्रथम पत्नी आणि मूल दगावल्यावर त्यांना ते गाव सोडावे लागले. लवकरच, त्यांची ल्युमिएर बंधूंनी नेमलेल्या ४० 'जादूगारां'पैकी एकाशी, जर्मन कार्ल हर्ट्‌झ याच्याशी ओळख झाली. त्यानंतर त्यांना 'भारतीय पुरातत्त्व सर्वेक्षण संस्थे'साठी ड्राफ्ट्समन म्हणून काम करण्याची संधी मिळाली. त्यांच्या धडपड्या स्वभावामुळे लवकरच ते नोकरीच्या बंधनांना कंटाळले व त्यांनी छपाईचा व्यवसाय सुरू केला. शिळाप्रेस छपाईच्या तंत्रात ते वाकबगार होते. त्यांनी राजा रविवर्मांसोबत काम केले. पुढे त्यांनी स्वत:चा छापखाना काढला, तसेच छपाईची नवी तंत्रे आणि यंत्रे अभ्यासायला जर्मनीची वारी केली.

छपाई व्यवसायात त्यांच्या सहकाऱ्यांशी त्यांचे विवाद झाले आणि फाळकेंनी छपाईच्या व्यवसायास रामराम ठोकला. पुढे "लाईफ ऑफ ख्रिस्त" (Life of Christ) हा मूकपट पाहिल्यानंतर त्यांनी आपले लक्ष हलत्या चित्रांच्या (चित्रपट, English: Motion Pictures) व्यवसायाकडे वळवले व १९१२ साली त्यांनी राजा हरिश्चंद्र हा पहिला मूकपट काढला जो ३ मे १९१३ साली मुंबईच्या कॉरोनेशन चित्रपटगृहात (Coronation Cinema) प्रेक्षकांसाठी पहिल्यांदा दाखवण्यात आला.

सलीम यांची एक रचना

सलीम यांची एक रचना
--------------------------------

आज कलम का कागज से
मै दंगा करने वाला हूँ,
मीडिया की सच्चाई को मै
नंगा करने वाला हूँ

मीडिया जिसको लोकतंत्र का
चौंथा खंभा होना था,
खबरों की पावनता में
जिसको गंगा होना था

आज वही दिखता है हमको
वैश्या के किरदारों में,
बिकने को तैयार खड़ा है
गली चौक बाजारों में

दाल में काला होता है
तुम काली दाल दिखाते हो,
सुरा सुंदरी उपहारों की
खूब मलाई खाते हो

गले मिले सलमान से आमिर,
ये खबरों का स्तर है,
और दिखाते इंद्राणी का
कितने फिट का बिस्तर है

म्यॉमार में सेना के
साहस का खंडन करते हो,
और हमेशा दाउद का
तुम महिमा मंडन करते हो

हिन्दू कोई मर जाए तो
घर का मसला कहते हो,
मुसलमान की मौत को
मानवता पे हमला कहते हो

लोकतंत्र की संप्रभुता पर
तुमने कैसा मारा चाटा है,
सबसे ज्यादा तुमने हिन्दू
मुसलमान को बाँटा है

साठ साल की लूट पे भारी
एक सूट दिखलाते हो,
ओवैसी को भारत का तुम
रॉबिनहुड बतलाते हो

दिल्ली में जब पापी वहशी
चीरहरण मे लगे रहे,
तुम ऐश्वर्या की बेटी के
नामकरण मे लगे रहे

'दिल से' दुनिया समझ रही है
खेल ये बेहद गंदा है,
मीडिया हाउस और नही कुछ
ब्लैकमेलिंग का धंधा है

गूंगे की आवाज बनो
अंधे की लाठी हो जाओ,
सत्य लिखो निष्पक्ष लिखो
और फिर से जिंदा हो जाओ

Women Empowerment - A reality or Myth

The Government of India had ushered in the new millennium by declaring the year 2001 as 'Women's Empowerment Year' to focus on a vision 'where women are equal partners like men'. The most common explanation of 'women's empowerment' is the ability to exercise full control over one's actions. The last decades have witnessed some basic changes in the status and role of women in our society. There has been shift in policy approaches from the concept of 'welfare' in the seventies to 'development' in the eighties and now to 'empowerment' in the nineties. This process has been further accelerated with some sections of women becoming increasingly self-conscious of their discrimination in several areas of family and public life. They are also in a position to mobilize themselves on issues that can affect their overall position.

The latest news items regarding violence committed against women reveal that women's position has worsened. Tulsidas' verse from Ramayana 'Dhol, janwar, shudra, pashu, nari ye sub nindan ke adhikari' highlights the discrimination and deep-rooted gender bias which still exists in all sectors on the basis of caste, community, religious affiliation and class. The Constitution of India grants equality to women in various fields of life. Yet a large number of women are either ill equipped or not in a position to propel themselves out of their traditionally unsatisfactory socio-economic conditions. They are poor, uneducated and insufficiently trained. They are often absorbed in the struggle to sustain the family physically and emotionally and as a rule are discouraged from taking interest in affairs outside home. Oppression and atrocities on women are still rampant. Patriarchy continues to be embedded in the social system in many parts of India, denying a majority of women the choice to decide on how they live. The over-riding importance of community in a patriarchal sense ensures that women rarely have an independent say in community issues. Female infanticide continues to be common. Statistics show that there is still a very high preference for a male child in states like UP, MP, Punjab etc. The male to female ratio is very high in these states. Domestic violence is also widespread and is also associated with dowry. Leaving a meager number of urban and sub-urban women, Indian women are still crying for social justice.

A review of government's various programmes for women empowerment such as Swashakti, Swayamsidha, Streeshakti, Balika samrudhi yojana and another two thousand projects reveal that little has been done or achieved through these programmes. The discrepancy in the ideology and practice of the empowerment policy of women in India constitutes its continued social, economic and social backwardness. Women make up 52% of our country's population. Hence there can be no progress unless their needs and interests are fully met. Empowerment would not hold any meaning unless they are made strong, alert and aware of their equal status in the society. Policies should be framed to bring them into the mainstream of society. It is important to educate the women. The need of the hour is to improve female literacy as education holds the key to development.

Empowerment would become more relevant if women are educated, better informed and can take rational decisions. It is also necessary to sensitize the other sex towards women. It is important to usher in changes in societal attitudes and perceptions with regard to the role of women in different spheres of life. Adjustments have to be made in traditional gender specific performance of tasks. A woman needs to be physically healthy so that she is able to take challenges of equality. But it is sadly lacking in a majority of women especially in the rural areas. They have unequal access to basic health resources and lack adequate counseling. The result is an increasing risk of unwanted and early pregnancies, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. The greatest challenge is to recognize the obstacles that stand in the way of their right to good health. To be useful to the family, community and the society, women must be provided with health care facilities.

Most of the women work in agricultural sector either as workers, in household farms or as wageworkers. Yet it is precisely livelihood in agriculture that has tended to become more volatile and insecure in recent years and women cultivators have therefore been negatively affected. The government's policies for alleviating poverty have failed to produce any desirable results, as women do not receive appropriate wages for their labour. There is also significant amount of unpaid or non-marketed labor within the household. The increase in gender disparity in wages in the urban areas is also quite marked as it results from the employment of women in different and lower paying activities. They are exploited at various levels. They should be provided with proper wages and work at par with men so that their status can be elevated in society.

In recent years there have been explicit moves to increase women's political participation. The Women's reservation policy bill is however a very sad story as it is repeatedly being scuttled in parliament. In the Panchayati Raj system, however, women have been given representation as a sign of political empowerment. There are many elected women representatives at the village council level. However their power is restricted, as it the men who wield all the authority. Their decisions are often over-ruled by the government machinery. It is crucial to train and give real power to these women leaders so that they can catalyst change in their villages regarding women. All this shows that the process of gender equality and women's empowerment still has a long way to go and may even have become more difficult in the recent years.

The main reason for the contradiction is that, targeted schemes tend to have only limited impact when the basic thrust of development is not reaching an average woman, making her life more fragile and vulnerable. To make a positive change basic infrastructure should be provided in every village and city. To begin with, providing safe drinking water supply and better sanitation not only directly improved the lives and health of women but also reduces their workload in terms of provisioning and ensuring such facilities. An access to affordable cooking fuel reduces the need to travel long distances in search of fuel wood. Improved transport connecting villages with each other and with towns can also directly improve living conditions as well as unpaid labour time spent in transporting household items. It can also lead to access to a wider range of goods and services plus a better access to health facilities. Expenditure on food subsidy and better provisions for public distribution services directly affects the lives of women and girl children in terms of adequate nutrition. The patterns of resource mobilization by government also have significant effects on women that are usually not recognized. When taxes are regressive and fall disproportionately on items of mass consumption, once again these tend to affect women more. This is not only because the consumption of such items may be curtailed but also because the provisioning of such items is frequently considered to be the responsibility of the women of the household. Also credit policies reduce the flow of credit to small-scale enterprises thus reducing the employment opportunities for women. There is a need to have women-friendly economic policies that can enhance their social and economic position and make them self-reliant.

There is no doubt about the fact that development of women has always been the central focus of planning since Independence. Empowerment is a major step in this direction but it has to be seen in a relational context. A clear vision is needed to remove the obstacles to the path of women's emancipation both from the government and women themselves. Efforts should be directed towards all round development of each and every section of Indian women by giving them their due share.

Digital democracy

Digital democracy here refers to the use of digital communication technologies to enhance the democratic process by, among other things, making the process more accessible, increasing and enhancing citizen participation in public policy decision making, and increasing government transparency and accountability.

In recent years, we have seen a broad disenchantment among people with civic engagement and representative democracy. In the mid-1990s, however, the growth of the Internet revitalized the democratic imagination:

1. The Internet promised to revive the civic sphere and extend community life by providing broad, diverse forums for discussions.

2. The Internet enabled many-to-many citizen interaction that invited online political debate, deliberation, consultation, decision-making, administration, and scrutiny as well as online mobilizing, organizing, petitioning, and protesting.

3. The Internet made polling, plebiscites, and elections relatively cheap and accessible. Conceivably, the voice of the people could be expressed regularly and loudly, expanding popular decision-making and closing the gap between citizens and their representatives.

 Ideally, netizens online, disciplined deliberations will produce sober, wise recommendations for policy-maker and law-maker consideration. In effect, deliberation will make the demos safe for democracy.

EXAMPLE:

There is a new game on the Web, sometimes of dubious significance. But its real significance lies beyond what it shows right now. I am talking about “trending.” Last week, while the country was absorbed watching the verdict in the Ayodhya dispute between Hindu and Muslim groups, Twitter, the 

micro-blogging site, was abuzz with some Indians celebrating the verdict’s online glory, when Ayodhya became the top trending topic during the course of the day.

For the uninitiated, “trending” is a reference to the number of times a topic is discussed on Twitter: a score of its importance and popularity. You can also find the Yahoo home page (www.yahoo.com) capturing the latest Web trends. Yahoo also has its Buzz (buzz.yahoo.com) that measures popular stories and topics.

While on Twitter, this is about what is being discussed by tweeters or stories viewed and shared, in Google Trends (www.google.com/trends), you can compare search volume patterns across specific regions, languages, and time periods. The Twitter trending is better called “hot topics” while “hot searches” in Google Trends reflect popular searches (other than routine things like weather) as an indicator of popularity.

For Indian tweeters (still mostly in English), it was a parochial victory when their favourite topic surged ahead of US-dominated topics.

Now, consider a future in which Internet-enabled tablets and smartphones, highly affordable in fast-growing Asian economies, generate more and more searches and tweets. What happened with Ayodhya is the result of both global interest and the surging use of Twitter in India.

The rise of a connected world is going to even out cultural biases inherent in the current digital penetration levels led by the US.

As the Idea Cellular commercial (with the memorable slogan, “What an Idea, sirjee”) showed, the social use of SMS voting, tweets and searches will help policymakers, officials, leaders and companies view social trends and adapt their behaviour suitably.

In a connected world, twe-ets and searches have become live, real-time symbols of democracy at work — and it is no longer about the affluent because connections and devi-ces are ever more affordable.
Social media trends mark a new frontier in the Internet revolution — through the rise of digital democracy