ABSTRACT
The role of the media has already been recognised in the process of democratisation and ensuring the survival of democracy. This chapter analyses the role of the news media in influencing political participation and democratic deepening in the world’s largest democracy. It uses the concept of democratic deepening beyond the participation of marginalised groups in electoral politics and expands its definition by including the participation of these groups and the ordinary public in the process of democratic transformation, as well as in public arena activities. The chapter discusses the theoretical framework by conceptualising political participation and democratic deepening in India. It outlines the evolution of Hindi media after 1947 and how it has assumed significance in the political sphere. The chapter examines the role of the media in influencing the participation of vernacular publics in public arena activities and its potential in deepening the process of democratisation.
