Publication

Abstract : There have been satire in every social and political life of Kerala since ages. The tradition started from the time of Chakyarkooth and Ottanthullal where the artist dared to mock even those in the power. This is the day when this role has been adopted by the anchors of Television News Satires. It is a kind of sword that keeps audience cautious and involved in political developments in recent days when other sources of traditional mass media fail to communicate politics effectively. This study attempts to throw light on the viewing habits of the selected satirical programmes in Malayalam News Channels. Structured questionnaire were distributed among 200 samples and the responses were collected. The samples were selected using simple random sampling method. The study shows that there is difference in viewing behavior of satirical programmes in Kerala gender-wise, age wise, income-wise and education-wise. Male respondents of above 35 age group prefer satires more. The majority of the respondents said that they choose satires to gain information through fun. They also admit that satirical shows are sources of political information. This study employs Uses and Gratification Theory to explain the reasons for choosing satires.