Educational Qualification: A Major Factor That Determines Understanding of Media Content among Rural Masses

Objective: To determine how educational qualification acts as a major factor for the rural masses in understanding and to be able to comprehend the messages and information provided by the Government through various media vehicles while seeking assistances for government schemes and grants to alleviate poverty. Methodology: A descriptive, cross sectional study design, collecting relevant quantitative and qualitative data from the respondents was conducted. A data on retrospective histories and experiences of poverty was captured to link how being literate is important to understand information through media vehicles. Setting: Rural communities of Khasi tribal people in three Blocks of East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya ie,. Mawsynram, Pynursla and Mawryngkneng. Results: Poverty in communication is one of the root causes of economic poverty. One of the major causes of poverty is people not being aware of government schemes and grants. People do not watch, listen or read certain exhibits of the media because they do not understand the language. Conclusion: The rural masses failed to understand that illiteracy is actually a barrier between them and government’s information. They are not able to comprehend the content of such messages nor are they able to follow up to .attain these facilities.


Sl. No Kms Mawsynram Pynursla Mawrynkneng
The minimum sample sizes were selected taking 20% from the total number of Villages that fall into these various categories of distance.  The villages in these four categories were randomly picked determined based on the distance.
The samples for the number of households chosen were based on the systematic calculation of 10% each from the total number of households available.

Ethical Issues
Approval for the study was obtained from the University Research Ethics Committee.
Informed consent was taken from the community leaders and village heads of all the villages.
The consent of the villagers was also taken before the interview was conducted or before the questionnaires were given to them for filling them up.

Main Results
The objective of this research is to study how educational qualification acts as a major factor for the rural masses in understanding and to be able to comprehend the messages and Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies Volume: 7 -Issue: 3 July -2017 information provided by the Government through various media vehicles while seeking assistances for government schemes and grants to alleviate poverty. The educational qualifications of the respondents are segregated as follows: 14% others said that they have never gained any help from such exposure to programs on government schemes and grants.11 % said that they are aware and updated about such exhibits, while only 10% said that they are thoroughly informed. It may be noted that in both these categories, those passing within Class 12, were the maximum respondents. Statistically, there is a significant difference in the help / guidance gained through the exposure of television on government assistance on the respondents across educational level when tested using Chi Square (p=.000) ( Table I D). Note: GCR1 -It has personally helped me a lot; GCR2 -It has vaguely given me an idea; GCR3 -It was not very brief; GCR4 -No, I cannot understand much of what is being written; GCR5 -It has not been of any help.

Responses On The Usage Of FM Radio
79% said that they do not listen to FM Radio. Significant respondents in this category are those who have passed below Class 8 and Class 12. Only 20% said that they do listen to FM Radio with majority of the respondents belonging to the educational level of Class 12.
Statistically, there is a significant difference in listening to FM Radio across educational level when tested using Chi Square (p=.000) ( Table I H).
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies Volume: 7 -Issue: 3 July -2017 Only 1% said that they do receive such SMS every day. 8% said that they receive these SMS only sometimes while only 6% said that they do not know how to read these SMS.
Statistically, there is a significant difference in receiving messages on developmental activities across educational level when tested using Chi Square (p=.000) ( Table I I).
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies Volume: 7 -Issue: 3 July -2017 Note: IDA1 -Everyday; IDA2 -Sometimes; IDA3 -Don't know how to read SMS; IDA4 -Do not receive any such SMS

Responses of the Respondents on the Causes of Poverty -Poor Quality of Schools
61% said that they agree that poor qualities of public schools are a major cause of poverty in our State. Majority of the respondents belong to the educational levels of those who have passed below Class 8 and Class 12. 22% said that poor quality of public schools is just a minor cause while only 16% said that it is not a cause at all. Statistically, there is no significant difference in the opinion of the respondents on the causes of poverty in our State across educational level when tested using Chi Square (p=.477) ( Table I J).
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies Volume: 7 -Issue: 3 July -2017 13% said that it is just a minor cause while only 5% said that it is not a cause at all.
Statistically, there is no significant difference in the opinion of the respondents on the causes of poverty in our State across educational level when tested using Chi Square (p=.215) ( Table I K).
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies Volume: 7 -Issue: 3 July -2017 never given due importance. One can very well assume that poverty in communication patterns have a direct impact on economic poverty and the need of the hour is to understand the impact of media channels as an effective tool to lessen communication poverty which will in turn uplift the economic lives of the rural masses in our country.
Media channels could have a far better coverage even to the most interiors of the State through proper planning and implementation. And in doing so, area identification and specification of required programmes should be part of the planning process. Language is a barrier if it is not understood by all the recipients of the message.
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies Volume: 7 -Issue: 3 July -2017