Section Article

Changing Patterns of Media Consumption Among Indian Families
Author(s): Prof. Anita Samuel

Abstract
The landscape of media consumption among Indian families has undergone striking transformation during the last two decades driven by technological penetration affordability of smartphones the expansion of digital platforms and the emergence of personalized media. This shift has redefined how families engage with information entertainment news and social communication. Traditional media such as television newspapers and radio once dominated Indian households providing a shared cultural experience in living rooms. However this collective model of consumption has gradually been replaced by highly individualized and on-demand media engagement supported by mobile internet digital streaming services and algorithm-driven content delivery. The transition is not merely technological but sociocultural reshaping family interactions communication patterns time-use habits value transmission and generational dynamics. As digital consumption expands Indian families now navigate multiple screens simultaneously and the boundaries between public and private media spaces are dissolving. The influence of globalization localization of digital content and the rise of regional language platforms have further democratized access and shifted preferences. This research paper analyzes the evolution of media habits in Indian households focusing on the interplay of socio-economic factors age groups content preferences and digital literacy. It investigates how children youth working professionals homemakers and elderly members experience media differently yet coexist within the same family environment. It also examines how digital convergence affects interpersonal relations parenting norms educational exposure and family cohesion.