Impact of exposure to mass media on female empowerment: evidence from India

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate if women’s exposure to mass media, i.e. television, radio, and print media, is a determinant of female empowerment in India. Indicators of empowerment include female autonomy in domestic decision-making, freedom of movement, financial knowledge and independence, attitudes regarding acceptability of violence against women, actual and desired fertility and use and decisions about contraception. Design/methodology/approach Data for the analysis come from two rounds of the National Family and Health Survey, a large-scale nationally representative household survey. First, ordinary least squares estimation is used to obtain the parameter estimates. To overcome endogeneity concerns, instrumental variables estimation is also used. Findings The results reveal a strong positive effect of exposure to mass media on women’s status in India. Research limitations/implications These findings highlight the effectiveness of mass media in influencing women positively. Originality/value This paper captures the cumulative effects of three types of media: television, radio and print media. It also takes advantage of the most recent data available together with using instrumental variables estimation to overcome endogeneity concerns.

Mass Media Exposure and Women’s Household Decision-Making Capacity in 30 Sub-Saharan African Countries: Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

“…For example, it leads to reduction in fertility. Hence, policymakers, especially those in low and middleincome countries, are beginning to pay particular attention to issues relating to women empowerment, which includes their household decision-making capacity (Upadhyay et al, 2014;Prata et al, 2017;Dasgupta, 2019). Generally, women's empowerment concerns women's aptitude to have access to various aspects of development, including "health, education, earning opportunities, rights, and political participation" (Duflo, 2012), and their capability in making free choices (Torp, 2012).…”

“…Previous researches have revealed that mass media influences women empowerment, including their ability to take household decisions (Jensen and Oster, 2009;Ting et al, 2014;Dasgupta, 2019). However, such studies have largely, often focused on telenovelas and radio programs and their influence on women's child-naming practices (La Ferrara et al, 2012), use of prenatal services (Ghosh, 2006), and participation in social groups (Olken, 2009).…”

“…However, such studies have largely, often focused on telenovelas and radio programs and their influence on women's child-naming practices (La Ferrara et al, 2012), use of prenatal services (Ghosh, 2006), and participation in social groups (Olken, 2009). Dasgupta (2019), for instance, notes that mass media exposure is likely to change some socio-cultural norms such as gender stereotyping especially in low-literate areas. In such areas, through mass media, gender stereotyping can be challenged by revealing information pertaining to some empowered women in such settings (Jesmin and Amin, 2017).…”

“…Based on the objective of the study, it was hypothesized that women who are exposed to mass media (radio, television, and newspaper) would be more likely to have the capacity to take household decisions compared to those who are not exposed to mass media. This is desirable because previous studies (Jensen and Oster, 2009;Ting et al, 2014;Dasgupta, 2019) were done in India, a geographical setting where the socio-cultural environments might be different from the SSA context. Notably, women's household decision making in India may differ from that of SSA.…”

Panel Data Analysis of Press Freedom and Women Empowerment

“…For example, Bleck and Michelitch (2018) found that women's empowerment is positively associated with rural women's political knowledge and opinions in Mali. In a recent study, Dasgupta (2019) found favorable impact of exposure to mass media on female empowerment using household survey data.…”