When Small is BIG : An Analysis of Sole Proprietor Newspapers as Grass Roots Media

Abstract

Gone are the days when grassroots communication could be compartmentalized into `local’ level approaches and their universal application out rightly rejected. We are witness to an era where global and local have amalgamated to form `glocal’ which is mostly based on audience interest, choice and perspectives. Thus, the concepts of diversity and pluralism operate at the level of the receiver. Internet has placed the control with the receiver and hence the basic premise of communication is being redefined. The communication in the era of ‘glocal information’ is happening at once amongst one to one, one to many and many to many. What is the role and form of grassroots communication in such a scenario? The participatory communication at the grassroots level fits in the framework of multiplicity. `It stresses on cultural identity of local communities and democratization at all levels- international, national, local and individual’. The sole proprietor can be compared with the citizen journalist who performs the same functions as the local newspaper. That, which started as journalism for the grassroots, is now journalism from the rooftops! This new phenomenon which emerged in a big way after September 11, 2001, has been called as `building blocks of new grassroots’ by Dan Gillmor in his book `We the Media : Grassroots journalism by the people, for the people’. Keywords : Communication, Grassroot, Sole proprietor

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