Song & Drama Division (SDD) - India

Used a centrally managed, mass approach with itinerant performances by local groups on government decided themes. Folk media such as dance-drama, poetry, songs and puppetry were seen as a necessary complement to the modern mass media. Objectives were: a) changing traditional attitudes and habits which impede development and b) informing people about government services and programmes.

Health, agriculture, education, children, youth, family planning, economic development, political development.

The SDD was used to consolidate the state's authority, advancing its programme and enlisting support for it. It propagated the major themes of the government's modernisation strategy-savings, capitol intensive agricultural production, family planning, etc. It used a mass communication approach, but left out a critical ingredient - mass mobilisation and active participation of the people - therefore becoming a top-down propaganda exercise. The target audiences are the mass general public.