UNIT 4 NEW COMMUNICATION

TECHNOLOGIES
Structure
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Iiitroduction
4.2 What are New Communication Technologies?
4.2.1 Computer Networks
4.2.2 Teleconferencing
4.2.3 Teletext
4.2.4 Radiotext
4.2.5 Videotex
4.2.6 Interactive Cable Distribution Systems
4.2.7 Communication Satellites
4.3 Conlparison of New Coiiuliunication Techiiologies
4.4 Social Issues
4.5 Let Us Sum Up
4.6 Glossary
4.7 Further Reading
4.8 Check Your Progress: Model Answers

4.0 OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:

enlist the more prominent among the new communication technologies

describe the salient .features concerning these technologies
analyze the areas of application and pinpoint the advantages as well as pitfalls
governing their use
ibroadly examine their social impact

4.1 INTRODUCTION

In Unit 3, we discussed the traditional media. The earlier two units in this Block
concentrated on the modern mass media, namely, the Press, Radio and Cinema. The
technologies which these media employ can appropriately be called traditional
'
commuiiication technologies. While these technologies are in wide usage today, both
in the developed and developiiig parts of the world, the last few decades have
witnessed the birth of many new communication technologies. Prominent among
these are computer networks, teleconferencing, teletext, radiotext, videotex,
interactive cable distribution systems and communication satellites.

In this unit, we will study the basic features coilcernilig some of these technologies.
Unlike ,the traditional techaologies, the new techiiologies are more interactive, have
attained a higher degree of technological sophistication, and are more knowledge-
intensive. Unfortunately, they are much' less accessible in the less developed parts of
the world. Their rate of obsolescence, that is, the rapidity with which the
technology in question gets outdated and replaced by yet newer technologies, is
much higher. We therefore encounter new forms of technology every few years. The
potential and possible application areas of these technologies and the future trends
of technological growth, are aspects which interest any student of co~nmunication.
We will touch upon these facets as we go along.
 New Communication
Tecbnologles
4.2 WHAT ARE NEW COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGIES ?
As the name itself implies, new con~inunicatiol~ technologies are those which are of
more recent origin. Interactivity is their distinguishing feature. For the purpose of
this unit, new communication techiiologies can also be uilderstood as those which
are capable of a much higher degree of interactivity than that offered by the
traditional coinmunication technologies.
Writing, printing and electronic media like radio and television a x examples of
I traditional technologies which are essentially one-way in nature. Therefore, their
interactive capabilities are very limited. Besides, this limited interactivity occurs
after col~siderabledelay. For example, a newspaper which depends on the traditional
1 technology bf print can be said to be iiiteractive to the extent that it publishes
readers letters in its 'letters to the editor' column. Similarly, a radio station too is
interactive in that it broadcasts prograinines which carry responses to audience
queries. We can, therefore, say that interactivity is at best a margitlal property of
traditional comnunication media.
In the new comnlunicatioll technologies, on the other hand, interactivity is the main
property. The me of coinputers in one form or the other, as an integral part of
their system, is what enables theill to be interactive. In the following sections, we
will take ;lp for study some of the 1llai11 technologies under this category.
-

Get in touch with some major organizatioi~sin your place (say an industry,
bank, university, five-star hotel, newspaper office etc.) and find out if they are
using computers in their day-to-day work. List out the purposes for which the
computers are used in the organisation.

4.2.1 Computer Networks

The idea of irterlii~kingand conununicating with the aid of computers was as old
as the mainframe conlputers of the 1970s. Owing to their prohibitive price, the
mainframes came to be owned only by mega-establishments like governments, big
business houses, universities etc. I~idividualscould not afford them for personal use.
At the same time, the high cost of the mainframes required their owners to find
ways and lneans to maximize their utilization in order to make them cost effective.
The networking of computers, it was found, allowed simultaneous access to a single
mainframe by any number of users.,Naturally, this development suited owners and
users alike.
Computer networks thus emerged as a kind of public utility to help users
communicate with a central comp~~ting facility such as a database, and retrieve
information too. In the decades that followed, computer technology advanced by
leaps and bounds. This resulted in the invention of much smaller computers that
displayed greater capabilities at just a fraction of the price. At present the use of
computer networks for various specialized and general purposes has become quite
common, even in the less developed paaslof the world.
In our own country, computer networks are widely used by public sector -
organizations, big business houses, government department etc., for their day-to-day
transactions. Indian Airlines, Indian Railways and a few state undertakings own
computer networks dedicated to managing their operations. The National Informatics
Origir~
Mcdiu

P MODEM

Fig. 4.1 : Dimerent types of networking computers. lu (a) they are Interlinked by ~uultlcorccables. Thb
is called Local Arcs Network (L4N). In (b). they are cmnectecl through telephone network. This is
called Wide .area Network (WAN).
Such real-time flow of information enables planners and other decision makers at New Communicuti~ In
the headquarters to decide on appropriate policies, taking into consideration the Techuologi rs
latest statistics. In the absence of such computer networking in the past, it is said
that vital decisions at the national level had to be taken with the help of data
which were at least a decade old! Apart from helping administrators, NICNET is
also said to be regularly used for other application like exchange of expert nledical
advice by specialists to doctors working in remote areas.

On a global scale, I N E R N E T is the largest computer network which permeated

almost all parts of the world. Co~llposedof thousands of interconnected networks
initially in the united sti~tcs,INTERNET can offer you an imnlense range of
i~~for~ll:~ti(lll
scr\ii.cs sucll ;I\ clcctrclllic ~ l l a i l , l'ilc tr;~nsfer.tlala bases and nmlti-
media. INTERNET also provides connectivity to mobile recelvcn through a \\lrclch\
hroadcasti~lgsen~iceoperating on satellite links.

Colllputcr networks have several advantages over interpersonal communication.

Asynchronocity, that is flexibility inherent in the system to enable information
exchange without the need for the sender and the recipient to be present
si~~~ultaneously,is one such advantage. However, it also suffers from variol~s
drawbacks like the lack of a hunlan touch. Communication engineers constai~tly
endeavour to improve the so-called 'user friendliness' of the system concerned by
approxi~~lati~lg
il to iliterpenona I interaction.

4.2.2 Teleconferencing

Telcco~ikrc~lcing is ;I llleillL5 by which individuals or groups located at dif'ferent

places call exchange data, speech, visual lnaterials like graphs or diagrams, or
nloving pictures of thenlselves and any other relevai~tinformation. Teleconferencing
is I I I ~ I ~possible
C by the integration of cornputcrs and c o m ~ n u n i c ~ t i oin~ ~such
s a
lllallllcr as to h r ~ na holistic systcn~which call work in real-time.

Dcpelidillg on tllc particular application, scopc and conlplexity in\7olvcd,

telcco~lferc~ici~lg
C~III be classified l~nderthe following types :

- ('on~putel-con~erericing: In t111s cilse, o~llyconlputer data can be exchanged

;I I I I O I ~~l~illtiple
~ 10i-ations.
RealLtime interaction alnorlg
Ihc !or.:llions is possible, but only to the extent of
cn~l,l'il;cr data. Thr physical linkages alllong the
F C \ 1.1i1i c0111puters can bc in the for111 of Iclcpholrc.

\virc\ or through wireless inealm ;IS in lhc case ol

~~~ii.roiv:lvc or salellite.

Aotlio confereneing : 111 this. thc parlicipa~~tscan actually talk to one

i1110thcras if in a face-to-face situation. Facilities are
prnvidrd for any olle location to talk to any other or
all of them simultaneously. In addition, audio
telcconferenccs also enable exchange of colllputer data
on tilt. same physical link (telephone cables or
~irclcss).Audio ~ c l e c i l f e r e l l c i nenables
~ real-ti~nc
excha~igeof inforn~ationwithout losing the liuma~i
touch.

- Ai~clio-(;raphic This is a lnore advanced forlo of audio

confel-encing : teleconl'erencing in which, in additio~~ to audio alltl
colnputer data, still graphics like drawings, rnaps. c l i .
can also be exchanged. Further nfil~enlentsin
tcchllology enable even slow-scan video piclures to hr
exchanged as a part of audio teleconferencing systrlll
The salule pair of tclepho~lewires would suffice 10
carry all the above by 'Band-width Con~pressioa'
techniques which are tech~~ically kliowll as JSDN
(Integrated Services Data Network).
Od@ tad Devdopment d
M& ip h d h
Mpss - Video eonferenclng : This is the highest form of teleconferencing in which
a two-way exchange of moving pictures is possible
without any restriction, in addition to audio and data.

The telecommunication links required for such a

conferencing system prove to be very wstly because
of the fact that moving pictures need very wide band-
widths. Hence, a lower version of video
teleconferencing which is called 'one-way video and
two-way audio' is gaining currency.

In the latter case, the main location (typically the

headquarters of an organization) will have facilities for
sending audio as well as video which are received by
all the remote locations. But the remote locations will
have facilities for sending only audio, and not video.
In other words, while the remote locations can receive
both - pictures and voices -
they will be able to
respond only through voice. Teleconferencing of this
kind has been widely experimented with by many
organizations in India using satellite links.

Already, Teleconferencing is an accepted form of technology in advanced countries,

especially for budness communications. It is only a matter of time before this
technology +comes popular in countries such as ours, because the necessary
infrastructure like telephone links and satellite are already available.
Teleconferencing is gaining popularity due to the minimal physical travel demanded
of its participants. The time-saving involved in this process is also a significant
factor. The experience of advanced countries has been that, apart from economizing
on time and travel, teleconferencing also h e l p in improving corporate efficiency and
participatory management.

Check Your Progress 1

Note : i) Use the space given below for your answers.

ii) Compare your answers with the ones given at the end of this
UN~.

1) Give the names of two organizations using wiiiputer networks dedicated

to managing their operations.

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........................................................................................................................
2) What do you understand by the term 'user friendliness'?

................................................. ....................................................................
......................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
3) State whether the following sentences are true or false :

a) In an audio conferencing system, computcr data can also be

exchanged.
 New Communication
b) 'Audio-graphic' conferelwing refers to a teleconferencing system in Technologies
which voice messages are conveyed in a diagrammatic form.

. c) In a video conferencing, the participants can see each other, but

cannot talk to each other unless accompanied by a separate audio
coi~ferencingsystem.

4.2.3 Teletext
Teletext is a form of broadcast technology by means of which several 'pages' of
textual information (say, latest weather reports, stock exchange figures, airlineitrain
reservations etc.) can be transmitted on an already existing televisioi~channel. The
teletext information is encoded in the so called 'vertical blanking interval' of the
television screen which is invisible in the normal course of television viewing.
However, when activated by a teletext 'decoder' at the receiving end, the
television screen starts displaying the-teletext information in lieu of the
normal TV programme. Facilities exist in teletext to enable viewers to choose
a particular page of teletext containing relevant information which serves
their needs, and recall that particular page. Thus, a busiiless man wanting tq
know the latest trend in the stock exchange can press his decoder for the particular

STATION

n'
SOURCE

page contai~liilgstock inarket news, and get thc display on' his TV screen instantly.
He will be able to view that page as loilg as he wishes, or he can turn over to
some other page or revert back to the norit~alTV prognlnnie as per his wish.

T'V stations equipped with a teletext service, normally update the information in
regular intervals, say every half an hour, for the benefit of the viewers. About 300
teletext pages (a page means one TV frame containing information) can be
accommodated per TV chailnel and a collection of these pages goes by the name of
'teletext magazine'. The pages of a teletext magazine can incorporate illustrations
like graphs, bar charts etc., in addition to simple text.

The Delhi Station of Doordarshan provides a teletext service on the second channel;
access to it is possible with the help of a decoder. The magazine con:ains specific
pages earmarked for natioilal and international news, travel information, sports, local
announcements, weather reports etc. A few main pages of the magazine are also
putout in the 'picture mode' i.e. on the main channel itself for the benefit of ose
not equipped with decoders. It is possible to extend this service to other
Doordarshan statioiu for the benefit of viewers all over the'country:

Teletext is a simple techi~ologywhich can be used to advantage for public

coinmunication. The advantages inherent in broadcast media such as instant and
widespread teach, to an unlimited clientele, are applicable to teletext as well.
Different countries have teletext services which confirm to different technical
standards, and a universal code of transmission is yet to be invented. Its essential
simplicity, instantaneous dissemination of messages and ease of updating information
make it a worthwhik technology with myriad applications.

4.2.4 Radiotext
Better known by the term 'Radiodata systems' (RDS), Radiotext is a technology
similar to Teletext but with the important difference that it works in conjunction
with FM Radio (frequency Modulation) while Teletext works on television.

4STEREO
RECEIVER

m'
SOURCE

While conventional radio broadcasts on mediumwave and shortwave bands have the
advantage of larger service areas for a given radio station, the severe congestion of
radio stations in these bands in recent years has forced the use of higher frequency
bands for radio transmission. Use of these higher frequency bands as in the case of
the FM Radio, however, would mean restricting the reach of a radio station
essentially to line of sight range which is about 30 krn radius. FM stations are ideal
as local radio stations, as they can offer programmes of local community interest,
high fidelity music, local news etc., to the public.

Radiotext is to be seen as a value-added service on FM Radio. This technology

essentially consists of transmitting data and other textual material piggy-back on the
FM camer so that the listeners/viewers who are equipped with a radiotext 'decoder'
can extract this signal from an ongoing M transmission and watch the same on a
computer screen which fonns a part of the radiotext receiving system. Facilities are
available in a decoder to select either the radiotext or the nonnal FM transmission
at will. In addition, the listenels or viewers, as in the case of teletext, will be able
fo select the particular page of information of their interest and hold on to it for
any length of time. Audio signals of speech quality (i.e. of restricted bandwidth) can
also form part of a radiotext signal. This would mean that institutions like Open
Universities can transmit their avr;Nolessons or radiotext, while simultaneously
transmitting portions cf "bir print material.

Experiments of thin kind are already undenvay with the joint 'collaboration of All
India Radio and Yashwantreo Chavan Maharashtra State Open University, Nasik. An
important deterrent for widespread use of Radidext for such applications, however,
is that the receiving system works out to be several times costlier than the FM
Radio set itself. Moreover, FM Radio is still in its infancy in our country and the
availability of FM radio sets is rather rare. Under the circumstances, the widespread
use of Radiotext in our country is unlikely in the near future.
 New Commuakstion
Technolodes

Many FM Radio Statioiw hive been set up in different parts of India,

especially in the early 1990s. Find our if all, or even some of them, provide
.
Radiotext facility. Perhaps paying a visit to your nearest Informatics Centre
would help you to get this information.

4.2.5 Videotex
Videotex (please note the absence of 't' at the end of the word) is another form of
interactive communication technology which is in wide usage in several advanced
countries. While the teletext operates on television and radiotext on FM radio,
videotex dorks with the help of the public telephone network. The hoine computer,
telephone connectioi~and the domestic TV set/computer screen form integral
components of a videotex system. Cusroiners provided with videotex facilities can
make use of it for such varied applications as electronic shopping, access to data
bases, tele-banking, or exchanging messages with friends.

As videotex is essentially interactive it has much inore to offer than teletext or

radiotext in ter~nsof selective information exchange and retrieval. However, a well
deve!opcd and reliable telephone network is essential for operating a videotex
service.
1
1 For this reason, as of now, videotex services are popular only in advanced countries.
With gradual iinproven~entstaking place by way of digital telephone exchanges and
replacenlent of coilventional telephone wires with optical fibres, the reliability as
well as capacity of telepboi~esysteins everywhere are bound to increase in due
course. Value-added services like the videotex too are expected to gain in popularity
alongside such developinei~ts.

Check Your Progress 2

~ o t d: Fill in the blanks by selectii~gappropriate words fro111 those given

within brackets :

1) An existing Television channel call be used to transmit a ........................

Service. (Teletext, Radiote.xt, Videotex)

2) Teletext signals can be ,viewed. with the help of a ........................

(decoder, encoder) ,
Origin and Development of Mass
Media in India 3) Radiotext works with the help of ...................... (Television, M radio,
AM radio, telephone)

4) The total set of pages of a teletext service is called a teletext

.......................... (book, periodical, magazine)

t 4.2.6 Interactive Cable Distribution Systems

Dissemination of television programmes via cable to a community of households
started in the '50s. To begin with advantages of cable distribution was seen as
improving the reception conditions of television in isolated mountainous- regions.
Later on, TV signals received via satellite were put out on cable distribution
systems, thus offering many more TV channels for the viewers. With this, the
popularity and spread of cable distribution systems grew dramatically. Concurrently
with the distribution of satellite channels, facilities like 'pay TV' in which
individual viewers have the choice of receiving programmes of their preference at a
price, have also been introduced. In other words, the cable systems have been
endowed with interactive properties.

Advancements in digital technology and fibre optics have resulted in further

improved versions of cable distribution. For example, viewers in advanced countries
can now make use of the cable for receiving programmes of their choice at the
press of a button. The selected programme is then down-loaded by the cable
company onto the viewer's terminal as a compressed 'digital packet' in a matter of
seconds. The programme is then held in the electronic memory of the receiving
terminal which can be viewed straightaway or some time at leisure. The
asynchronocity of interactive cable distribution systems is a unique advantage in the
. gamut of new communication technologies.

4.2.7 Communication Satellites

Transnational television, i.e. transmission of television programmes from one country
to ,another, became a reality with the development of Communication Satellites.
These satellites are stationed in an orbit above the earth's equator at a height of
about 36,000 km. called the geo-stationary orbit. All satdllites parked in the geo-
stationary orbit have a period of rotation equal to 24 hoqrs and hence, appear
stationary to an observer on the earth. Besides, the great distance of the orbit also
offers the advantage for the satellite to 'see' as much as one-third of the earth's
surface thus enabling it to cover such a vast area.

Communication Satellites are owned by various individual nations as well as

collectively by groups of nations to cater to several applications like broadcasting,
television and telecommunications. INTELSAT (International Telecommunications
Satellite Consortium) is an international body consisting of more than 90 member
countries of which India is one. The satellites commissioned by INTELSAT cater to,
the collective needs of the member countries as per a mutually agreed tariff
structure. Ground terminals (these are known as earth stations) for receivinglsending
signals from/to the satellites are located in several places in the member countries.
111 India, two such earth stations have been established for the INTELSAT network
- one near Pune and the other near Dehradun. Most of the international
telecommunications traffic and exchange with other countries of live coverage of
events takes place via the INTELSAT network.

India is credited with taking several major initiatives in the field of satellite
communications. The famous SITE experiment (Satellite Instructional Television
Experiment) during 1975-76, in which about 2400 remote villages in the country
were served with television programmes via satellite, is a case in point. The
experiment has proved the efficacy of satellite communications as a cost effective
means for countrywide dissemination of educational and developmei~talTV
programmes. Gradually, our country has developed its own satellite system, INSAT
(Indian National Satellite System).
INSAT is a multi-purpose satellite service catering to telecommunications, radio and New Communication
T V transmission and weather forecasting. The second generation of INSAT satellites Technologies
which are currently in operation, have a larger number of transporters which can be
used for further expansion of satellite communications. In particular, regional
telecasting can be extended in all language zones and new services like
teleconferencing introduced.

Mushrooming of satellite-based transnational television in recent years is a cause for

concern as well as hope. The sudden spurt in the availability of satellite channels
all over the country fro111 across our borders would inean a potential threat to our
own national broadcast media. The virtual absence of any legal inechanisms to
check or control these translnissions of extenla1 origin can jeopardize our own
priorities in the coinmunication sector and divert the attention of the populace away
fro111 iinportant infor~nationon developn~entalactivities. On the other hanc(, the
competitive presence of ekternal channels call inotivate the local broadcasters to
become more professional and quality conscious.

Direct Broadcast Satellites '(DBS) are specially designed for broadcast applications so
that the signals transmitted from thein can be directly received by home receivers
equipped with a small dish antenna (typically half a meter diameter) and an
interfacing unit. Use of such satellites obviates the need for land based
retransnlitting stations (called LPTs). DBS are in extensive use in Europe, the USA
and Japan.

As inentioiled earlier, the application arei~sto which multi purpose satellites like the
INSAT can be put to use are many and varied. Satellites comlnunications have in
fact become sg coininon that we take then1 for granted. Whenever you dial a long
distance telephone call, say from India to the USA, your voice and that of the
person you have called travel via some hatellite route or the other, most -probably
via the INTELSAT network. You may notice in such cases, a very small but clearly
discernible delay of a fraction of a second in receiving the response of the other
person. A siinilar delay will be felt by the person at the other end while receiving
your voice. This is because of the extraordinarily long journey of thousands of
kilonleters which the voice signals have to traverse on the satellite route. Of course,
such delays are conlnlon not only to telephone conversations but also all other
traltic taking place through satellite conui~unications.

Many national newspapers which are published siillultaneously froin inultiple

locations take advantage of satellite con~~nunicationsfor instant trai~snlissionof their
pages from one publishing center to anoflier. For exanlple The Hindu has
arrangeinents for publishing its Delhi edition by transnutting pages from Madras to
Delhi through INSAT.
- -

Check Your Progress 3

Note : i) Use the space given hrlow for your answers.

ii) Coinpare your answen with the ones given at .the end of this
unit.

1) What was thc initial purpose scrved by cable distribution systems?

2). What is ineant by geo-stationary orbit?

.......................................................................................................................
Orlgln and Development of Mas*
Media in Iadia 0
3) When was the SITE conducted? Comment on this experiment
very briefly.

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........................................................................................................................
4) What is DBS? What is its advantage?

........................................................................................................................
5) What are the main application areas of INSAT?

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........................................................................................................................

4 3 COMPARISON OF NEW COMMUNICATION I

TECHNOLOGIES

In the faregoing sections, we have surveyed the salient features of some-of the 'new
communication technologies individually. It is to be noted, however, that real-life
situations often employ the simultaneous use of more than one technology in a
given situation. For example, the STAR TV programmes that you receive on your
home TV set, reach you by means of satellite communications upto the point of
your cable operator's terminal, and from then on, via cable. Similarly, a long
distance telephone call may get connected via microwave or a submarine cable for
part of the route and via satellite for the rest of its journey. Such combinations,
however, usually do not affect the technical quality of the communication in
question. So, the users for the most part remain unaware of the details of the
technology mix involved. Nevertheless, every technology has its distinct attributes,
advantages and disadvantages, because of which an optimal technology selection is
possible for any given application. Some of these have already been discussed in
the concerned sections earlier; what follows is a relative assessment of the various
technologies with regard to communication parsmeters like interactivity,
asynchronocity and dernassification.

Interactivlty : While interactivity is a property in which the new communication

technologies, as a rule, excel over the traditional ones, some of rhem are evidently
much more interactive than others. Teleconferencing and video teleconferencing can
be cited as the most interactive while, teletext or radiotext can be placed at the
other end of the interactivity scale. Even in the traditional co~nmunicationmedia,
the ordinary telephone is a very good interactive device. The strength of the new
technologies in this regard, is that their interactivity is much :nore extensive and is
not necessarily limited to just two individuals as in the case of telephone.

Asynchronocity : The term asynchronocity refers to that property of the medium

whereby the simultaneous presence of all the participants in a communication
exercise is not compulsory. For example, in a computer network, facilities like
"store & forward" enables the message to be retrieved at a convenient time other
than the one at which the message has actually been sent. Thus, while real time
exchange of communications is possible through such a technology, it offers the
added flexibility of asynchronocity. The degree of asynchronocity varies from one
technology to the orh1.r. It can be said to Ix the higl~cslwlicrc only ctrnlputers are New C o m m ~ n
'reehno~cs
required to interact without live huma11 intervention, as i n the case of Electronic
Mail, or conlputer data are only kind of teleconferencing. It is least in a two-way
video teleconferencing.

Demnssification: Traditional media like press, radio or tekvision are instances of

'one-to-many' kind of communications. Therefore, they am unsuitable where the
con~municationneeds are more individualised. Demassification refers to the extent to
which a given technology Can lend itself to such individualised communication. The
normal telephone system is an ideal example of a technology endowed with a high
degree of demassification. New communication technologies in general possess this
characteristic while at the same time enabling communication among large groups or
individuals dispersed over large areas. In other words, the new communication
technologies are the reverse of the traditional technologies. Teleconferencingor
computer~communicationare high in their demassification while teletext is at the
lower end of the denmssification ladder.

Check Your Progress 4

Note : a) Answer the following in two sentences each.

b) Check your answers with those given at the end of this unit.

1) How many types of teleconferencii~gexist? What' are they?

........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
................................................................................ "...............,.......................
........................................................................................................................
2) Give two uses of teletext.

...............................................................................................................
.
.
.t

........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
3) State whether the given sentences are true or false.

a) Advanced hbric designs have resulted in further improved versions

of cable distribution. ,

[ ] True ' [ ] False

b) The telephone is an example of a communicsiion technology which

has a high degree of demassification.

[ . ] True [ ] False

c) INSAT is a single purpose satellite service.

[ ] True [ ] , False

d) Electronic Mail. is an example of computer confenncing.

. [ ] True [ , ] Falee -
Origla and Development of Mess
Media i India 4.4 SOCIAL ISSUES

As we have noted earlier, the new communication technologies have not yet
penetrated sufficiently in Third World countries like ours. Therefore, we will not be
able to determine their likely impact on our society with any degree of certainty.
What we can conjecture in this regard is by studying the experience of developed
countries like the USA which have been using these technologies over a
considerable period and by extrapolating the impact of soine of the present
technologies like television. Noted communications scholar, Everett Rogers, says that
the new communication technologies have a marked social impact in the following
respects, especially during their adaptability stages.
- As the new technologies are relatively costlier and knowledge-intensive, they
will be adopted only by the higher echlons of society at first, who can really
afford them. Thus, ironically, communication gaps would widen among
seve~alsections of society because of the new communication techi~ologies.
This phenomenon is, of course, not unique for the new technologies. When
television was introduced, a similar thing has happened as only the rich could
embrace this medium in the beginning. As the ownership of TV sets
gradually increased, the initial imbalances too have become less pronounced.
A similar situation is expected in the case of the new technologies. Despite
initial imbalances, however, overall infornution flow in the society is bound
to go up.
- What happens by way of information imbalance within a society is also true
of situations among countries at large. Advanced countries which are already
information-rich tend to become richer, thereby widening the information gap
between countries. This may lead to an unfavourable situation for the Third
World countries which are already at the receiving end of the technological
supremacy of the First World.
- Information overload is likely to happen, which in turn poses problems of
coping witb selective retrieval of required information, from heaps of
randomly accumulated information. Here again, the new technologies
themselves are likely to come to our rescue, as for example special computer
software which may enable users to obtain such selective display of
information as is relevant to them.
- Unemployment may abound in certain sectors as the new technologies would
eliminate or render surplus certain traditiotlal jobs and occupations. Some new
jobs and new occupations may be created in their place, but not in numbers
sufficient enough to compensate the loss of traditional jobs. Displacement of
jobs may be felt more acutely during the introductory phase of the new
technologies, than when the technologies in question get integrated fully into
society.
- The universal presence of computers and easy access to. them via networks is
likely to raise problems concerning privacy and security of communications.
Use of special passwords and the like are of course an obvious protection,
but they too have their limitation. Clever use of special software may also
enable computer miscreants/hacken to break the secret passwords and get at
the classified information straight away.
- Greater use of the new tecbno!oges may enable the organisations concerned
to become more decentralised in their decision making and other functions.
Here again, an exact opposite may be possible as the new technologies permit
much tigdter monitoring on the movements and performances of subordinate
staff thereby bringing about a 'Big-Brother' kind of centralized control.
Much depends on the way the managements want to use the new
technologies.
- It is feared the gender-inequality will increase. Though unfounded, the
apprehension is prevalent that boys rather than girls will .adapt themselves
faster and more easily to things like computer programming, due to their
supposedly inherent superiority in mathematical skills. This is of course a
 debatable point. Howcvrr, in the initial stages of adoption of the new New Cr .,:..duication
.I ccl~uologles
tech~lologies,social pressures may be generated bemuse of gender inequalities.
4

From the above discussion, you may be inclined to think, that since these new
technologies have certain uadesirable effects on society, they might as well be
avoided entirely. Such thinking, however, would be too short sighted and techno-
phobic to be tnle. The history of technology is replete with iiista~lcesof social .
instability and resistance upo11 ~iitroduc~ic~nof 111;ljortc~c.l~lwjIogicnl
innovations.
Eventually, however, as the socicty adapted itself to these new innovatioi~sand
assimilated their full impact, the initial resistances were found to have melted away.
Not only that, the ncw technologies the~llselveswere found to be instrumental in
finding solutina~to the very probleii~swhat they had generated in the first place. In
case any particular technology was found unable to coiiforni to the above pattern,
sociological forces would auto~i~atically tend to relegate such a technology into
oblivion. The case of the new conlmynication techi~ologiesthat we have discussed
in this unit, can be no exception to this overall trend.

Check Your Progress 5

Note : i) Use the space given below for your answers;

ii Compare your answers with the ones given at the end of this
unit.

1) What is meant by the folldwiiig terms?

a), Interactivity .........................................................................

. .
..........................................................................
b) Asynchronocity. .........................................................................
.........................................................................
c) Demassificafioil .........................................................................
.........................................................................
2 Describe the pessin~isticas well as optimistic viewpoints concerning the
following social issues, in the context of the new comn~unication
techi~ologies.

Pessitllistic . Optimistic
view . view

a) Informnation flow

b) Unetnplo ynient

c) Gender inequality

4.5 LET US SUM UP

h r w Conimunication Technologies are those which are of more recent origin. Unlike
l l ~ rtraditional technologies of print, radio, television or film, the new technologies
0- lad Derdopment of Mass have interactivity as!a distinct feature inbuilt in them. They invariably use
Me& km InlC computers in some form or the other. Some of the main new communication
technologies and their features are as follows :

Computer Networks : Computer networks have become very common even in the
developing countries, Use in organisations like Indian Airlines, Indian Railways, etc.,
for their day-today operations. NICNET of the National Informatics Center is used
for data collection from district centels on developmental parameters useful for
plamels and policy maken. I N J 3 of the Telecom Commission is used for various
public services including international networking.

Teieconferencing : Different types of tekconferencing are in vogue. Computer

conferencing is the oimplest case where only computer data gets exchanged during
the conference. Audio conferencing enables the participants in distance locations to
exchange speech as well as data. Audio-graphic conferencing is a more sophisticated
version which includes facility for exchange of visual material like maps, drawings,
etc. Video conferencing is the most sophisticated form of teleconferencing enabling
a two-way exchange of video pictures as well as audio and data. A more
economical version is 'one-way video and two-way audio' system of
teleconferencing, experiments regarding .which have been conducted by various.
institutions in our country.

~ e l e t e x t: This is a means by which textual material can be transmitted on an

existing TV channel. It is generally used for conveying latest information on
weather, traidairline reservations, news, etc.

Radiotext : Also known as Radio Data Systems (RDS), it is similar to teletext but
works on FM radio instead of television.

Videotext : This is an interactive system consisting of a home computer, TV screen

and telephone. Popular application areas are tele-shopping, tele-banking and the like.

Interactlve Cable : Cable distribution systems were originally intended for local
distribution of TV signals. Subsequent developments have made cables interactive
and enabled new interactive services such as 'pay TV'.

Satellite Communications : Satellites are routinely used for multiple applications

such as telecommunications, transnational television, weather forecasting and disaster
warning. Direct broadcast satellites @BS) are specially designed for direct reception
of satellite television into home receivers thereby avoiding retransmitting stations
(called LPTs).

Real-life situations ofien employ a mix of technologies rather than any single
technology exclusively. The new communication technologies have individual
advantages, disadvantages and specialities; so an optimal technology selection will
have to be done for a given application. Interactivity, asynchronocity and
deinassification are the three main attributes "hich distinguish the new technologies,
although in varying degrees.

Communication scholars predict the following social consequences during the

ii~troductorystages of these technologies :
1) information gaps
2) infontlation overload
3) privacy and security
4) unemployment
5) gender inequality
6) decentralisation

.Activity 3

Prepare a comparative chart in the proforma '8hown below to assess various

communication technologies (both new and old) in respect of interactivity,
 New Communlcatioo
asynchronocity and demassification on a three-point scale (high, medium and . Technologla
low). Example of 'print' is given to facilitate understaading. In addition to the '
technologies discussed in this block, you are free to include others like
E-Mail, Fax, etc., which have not been specifically discussed.

Technology/Medium Interactivity Asynchronocity De~mssification

1. Print Low High Low a

4.6 GLOSSARY

Interactivity : 1) The ability of a deviceitechnology to respond to user's

queries and communicate with them in real time.

2) The.ability of a ~ilediumto repIicate face to face

interaction among its distant participants.

Transponder : A satellite-borne electro~licsunit with the help of which

signals received by the satellite are frequency-converted and
amplified for retransmission back to earth.

Geo-stationry : Apparently static when viewed from earth. 'Geo-stationary

orbit' is an orbit above the earth's equator at a height of
35,000 kms. Satel!ites in this orbit have a period of revolution
equal to 24 hours; so they appear to be stationary. All
communication satellites are placed in this orbit.

DBS : Direct Broadcast Satellite. They are higher powered than

normal communication satellites and are custom-built
excll~sivelyfor broadcast application so that their signals call
be received by home receivers directly.

INSAT : Indian National Satellite System.

INTELSAT : International Telecommunications Sateltite Consortium.

4.7 FURTHER READING

Rogers, Everett, 1988. Communication Technology - New Media in Society, Free

Press, New York.
Veith Richard H., 1983. Television's Teletext, North Holland.
RndiotextlSCA System in FM Broadcasts, Research Department, All India Radio,
New Delhi.
Dertouzos, Michael L., 1991. Communications, Computers and Nenvorks, Scientific
Anierican, September 1991 issue.

1 4.8 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS : MODEL ANSWERS I

I Check Your Progress 1
II
I 1) . Indian Airlines. Illdial1 Railwavs.
Orlgln and Development of Mass
Media in India
2) The user friendliness of a technology is a measure of the ease with
which it can be handled by any user, not necessarily an expert. Its
operation does not involve any complicated procedures.

3) a) True
b) False
c) False

Check Your Progress 2

1) Teletext
2) Decoder
3) FM Radio
4) Magazine

Check Your Progress 3

1) Initially cable distribution system were used to improve the reception

conditions of television in isolated mountainous regions.

2) A geo-stationary orbit is an orbit above the earth's equator, at a height

of about 35,000 kms. A satellite circling in this orbit, has a period of
rotation of 24 hours. It thus appears stationary to any observer on Earth.

3) The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment was conducted from 1st

August, 1975 to 31st July 1976. 2,400 villages in six states were
provided with television sets to receive programmes specially made for
them. The programmes were on topics agriculture, education, basic health
and hygiene, development etc. They were transmitted from production
centers via satellite. This satellite was borrowed from the American
organisation, National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA).

4) DBS is the acronym of Direct Broadcast Satellites. Its advantage is that

home receivers of broadcast signals can directly receive signals with the
help of a small dish antenna and an interfacing unit. There is no need
for Low Power Transmitters which are land-based retransmitting stations.

5) The main application areas of INSAT are (i) in long-distance telephone

calls, via INTELSAT network for international calls (ii) in bringing out
editions of a single newspaper from different ones placed in the country.
It is possible to transmit these pages instantaneously from one publishing
center to another (iii) Radio & television transmission (iv) weather
forecasting (v) regional broadcasts in different languages.

Cheek Your Progress 4

1) There are four main types of teleconferencing. They are computer

conferencing, Audio conferencing, Audio-graphic conferencing, Video
conferencing.

2) To transmit latest information and news; to make local announcements.

3) a) False
b) True
c) False
d) True

Check Your Progress 5

1) a) Interactivity is the property of communication technologies which
allows interaction between persons working in the communication
media and their audiences. The degree of interactivity varies
 New Communicatiou
according to whether the technology allows audience feedback to be Technologies
conveyed to the source, and if so, how quickly and efficien'tly.

b) Asynchroi~ocityis that property of com~l~unication technologies

which does not require the simultaneous presence of participants in
the conlmunication exercise. It permits flexibility.

c) De~nassificatio~lis the extent to which a communication technology

can lend itself to i~ldividualised communication, that is, on a 'one
to one' basis.

2) a) Information flow

Pessinlistic view : It will widen the comnunication gap between the

rich and the poor.
Optinlistic view : Eventually i~lfonnatio~l
will be distributed Inore or
less equally among the haves and the have-nots.

b) Unenlployrnent

Pessimistic view : New technologies would eliminate traditional jobs

and occupations and not fill the void with an equal nuinber of new
jobs.

Optimistic view: Displacen~e~~t

of johs may gradually not be felt as
hard as at first.

C) Gender ineq~lality

Pessiluistic view : This will increase with the adoption of new .

technologies as boys adapt faster than girls, to these latest
technologies.

Optimistic view : Such discrin~i~latio~l betweell men and wonlell will

initially create social pressures but soon this notion of i~ltellectual
inequality of the sexes will be proved wrong.