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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 2, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2016 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 © IJIRSSC

www.ijirssc.in Page 91

Media and Commercialisation of Psychic Reading

Dr. Manash Pratim Goswami*

Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism, Media and Mass Communication,

Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak (MP)

Email: [email protected] ____________________________________________________________________________________________

ABSTRACT : Derived from Greek word, ‘Psyche’ means ‘breath of life’ in context to soul or spirit, is the

method of communicating with those who have passed from the physical world. The word ‘psychic

reading’ means a specific attempt to discern information with clairvoyance. In general, it is associated

with consultation of paranormal needs of the people.

Of different types and methods of foretelling the future of a person, distance reading, psychometric

reading, astrology, numerology, past-life readings and palm reading are some popular methods of

psychic reading.

Although, the practice of psychic reading is often considered controversial, as focus of it assumed to

revolve are skeptical inquiry, but the growing demand and rising faith of the people on these ancient

arts of fortune telling have been fueling the industry to grow leaps and bounds. The proliferation of

media and the growth of disposable amount of money among the people in the last decade have been

also catalysing the business of Psychic Reading a high octane growth. This research paper is a study to

understand and analyze the role of media in commercializing the psychic reading and its impact among

people.

Keywords: : Business, Commercialization, Media, Psychic reading.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I. Introduction:

The word ‘Psychic’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Psyche’, which means ‘breath of

life’ in context to soul or spirit. The word ‘Psychic’ is also referred to ‘sensitive’ or ‘medium’,

where sensitive attunes to the vibration energy of all living things. The word ‘medium’ refers

to a psychic, who communicates with those who have passed from the physical world. It is

believed that a true psychic can be clairvoyant, who has intuitive knowledge of people and

things. French astronomer and spiritualist Camille Flammarion is credited as having first used

the word psychic, while it was later introduced to the English language by Edward William

Cox in the 1870s.[1]

The word ‘Psyche’ as per Webster's dictionary means ‘pertaining to beyond known

physical processes apparently sensitive to forces beyond the physical world’. The word

‘psychic reading’ means a specific attempt to discern information with clairvoyance. In

general, this term is associated with paranormal based consultation provided for a fee over the

phone, at home, chamber or at psychic fairs. Psychic reading is a method of foretelling the

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future of a person. There are two main types of alleged psychic ability: extra-sensory

perception and Psychokinesis. [2]

There are different methods and techniques of Psychic Reading. It is believed that only a

person having psychic abilities can offer such services. Many consider the act of Psychic

Reading as extra-sensory readings. People often believe that they have had a psychic

experience when there appear to be inexplicable correspondences between their thoughts and

events in the real world. [3]

The term is commonly associated with paranormal-based consultation given for a fee in

such settings as over the phone, in a home, or at psychic fairs.

The profession of psychic reading includes distance reading, psychometric reading,

astrology, numerology, palm reading and many other methods. Although, the practice of

psychic reading is often considered controversial, as focus of it assumed to revolve are

skeptical inquiry, but a popular interest in them endures. In fact, in the metropolitan cities, the

industry of psychic reading is emerging as growing business. Some of the popular methods and

techniques of psychic reading to predict future include the followings

1. Aura reading: Aura readings involve the observation and interpretation of auras.[4]. It

involves interpretation and observation of auras around human bodies. The aura is said to be a

set of colored outlines emanating from the surface of a body. These outlines differ according to

shape, color, size and intensity. It is believe that aura reading helps to reveal the individual

characteristics of a person.

2. Numerology: A popular technique, where reading is done on the basis of one’s numeric

values, of the letters in the name, date of birth, etc. In the past, numerology was not included in

the techniques of psychic reading, rather it was regarded as higher mathematics where different

numbers specify different meanings.

3. Distant readings: In this method, the reader and client are do not required to be physically

present in the same place. The answers to the queries of the client from the reader can be

obtained without having face to face interaction.

4. Tarot reading: In this technique of predicting future, the reader may not necessarily possess

psychic abilities to practice tarot reading. A tarot deck contains 78 cards which are used to

unravel and predict love, careers, marriage, etc.

5. Psychometric readings: This method enables the reader to gather information about events

and people at close proximity.

6. Palm reading: This is one of the popular and oldest methods of foretelling the future of a

person based on the shapes, lines, curves and wrinkles on his palm.



7. Cartomancy Reading: In cartomancy method of fortune-telling or divination uses a deck of

cards. [5]. In this method, the common playing cards are shuffled, laid down and interpreted to

find answers to the queries of the client.

8. Astrology: This ancient method of foretelling the future of someone is based on the

positions of planets at time of his birth.

9. Rune Reading: Runes are considered as magic, where they are used by witches to cast

spells on an individual or a group. They are practiced to know the future events.

10. Cleromancy: The method of Cleromantic readings usually involves casting small objects

and reading them by their position, orientation, and mutual proximity. There are several

variants of Cleromantic reading practiced throughout the world.

11. Lithomancy and crystallomancy: The method of lithomancy readings usually involve

especially suitable gems or stones that are immersed in water, or tossed as a set and read by

mutual proximity.

The act of Psychic Reading, which was considered to be sacred services offered by

religious people for the benefits of the mankind, has no more in the custody of religion.

Psychic Readings are attempts to predict the future by utilizing extrasensory perceptive

abilities possessed by professional called as psychics.

The profession of Psychic readings offered by experienced and proficient psychics has

been emerging as popular business. The psychics of different domains have been practicing all

methods of psychic readings. In fact, an interested person can avail the services of Psychic

reading from different media platforms such as websites, TV channels, newspapers, magazines

etc. Most common Psychic Reading related topics discussed in such platforms include marital

issues, love, career, financial problems etc. The profession of Psychic Reading is not only

restricted to men, there are many female psychics offering services with remarkable ability of

clairvoyance. With the growing stress and problems of modern day life, people approach such

psychic services whenever they feel the need for peace and composure in the distraught lives.

In the recent times, media has been found active in offering different services of psychic

reading and replying queries of the audiences. It is not only print or electronic media but social

media has also been found active in offering such services.

A number of websites have been offering numerous services of Psychic Readings for free

to certain level, thereafter the services are charged. An interested person can contact psychic

through email, voice chat, video chat, phone, letters or similar networks available online.

Newspapers offer such services based mainly on date of birth of the client. The television

channels, especially the news channels both in Hindi and regional languages, telecast shows

every morning on Psychic Reading. The studies conducted on the popularity of such Psychic

Readings suggest a considerable growth of its business with times.



Gone are the days when psychic readings were rare services and people had to try hard to

avail psychic advice from a clairvoyant. In the recent times, media has been emerging as

popular vehicle in commercializing Psychic Reading services among the people of different

segments of the society. Media in the forms of newspapers, magazines, TV channels, Radio

and internet, all have been offering contents or services on psychic reading. The rise of

television rating points (TRP) of Psychic Reading programmes on TV, the high traffic of

queries from readers, phone calls, horoscope uploads on websites, subscription of daily fortune

on e-mail, etc are clear indication of growing popularity of psychic reading among people.

With no standard education requirements and yet rakes in cash for revealing spiritual

truths is growing as promising business. According to Pew Forum on Religion and Public

Life, with about 1 in 3 people in world consulted a psychic or fortune teller in 2009, the

business of fortune telling is rocketing new highs in every passing years.

With no exception, the statistical figures suggesting huge market growth of

fortunetelling, India is emerging as promising trade centre. Perhaps, the art and science of

psychic reading being a part of India since ages have been the key reason for the popularity of

the business of Psychic Reading in the recent times. Interesting, the flow of traffic seeking for

psychic advice is high on online platforms. Besides tarot card reading and horoscope, people

look for services of Qi gong, Reiki, etc. to know their future in more than 6.3 million sites on

the web. With rise in the penetration and connectivity of internet in every passing year, India

looks to have more consumers for psychic services in near future. The report, published on 22

November 2004 issue of Outlook magazine, suggests that the industry of fortunetelling in India

is worth 40,000 crore and counting.

Looking at the growth figure, it’s evident that industry of psychic reading has getting

momentum with online services available 24X7. The television rating points, readership survey

and other statistical information suggest growth in electronic and print media as well. Looking

at the growth of people seeking for Psychic Readings and the online and offline business

associated with it, it will be interesting to study and understand the role of media in the

commercialization of Psychic Reading.

II. Research Statement:

The enthusiasm to know the future is natural instinct. From the ancient times, human

beings have been fascinated by the techniques of knowing the future. They have been trying

different techniques to know the future. But the only difference, unlike the past, the techniques

and the psychic advisers are easily available. It is the media, which is found to be responsible

for commercializing such services and making it available at home round the clock. In this

research paper, an attempt is made “to understand and analyze the role of media in

commercializing the Psychic Reading and its impact on people”



III.Significance of the Research:

Telling fortune is a lucrative business these days. It is doing wonders to the fortunes of

Psychic Readers to multiply their incomes from the high demands of such services in the

market. According to leading magazine, Outlook, fortune telling and insurance are primed to

be the two growth industries of this decade.

Despite of the skepticism of scientists, the industry of fortune telling has been growing as

emerging business spawning thousands of telephone lines, internet sites, several TV shows and

forecast columns in newspapers and magazines. Another addition to the medium of fortune

telling, mobile phone providing Tele-Astros, where 80% of the callers use the 24x7 astrology

services in the form of daily predictions via SMS or phone calls.

The mobile service operators have been experiencing a boom in India with ranges of

Value Added Service (VAS) of fortune telling and even astrologers sitting at call centers have

been proving psychic services for customers across the country. With call rates priced around

Rs.6 to Rs.7 per minute, thousands of queries answered every day are a significant source of

revenue for mobile service providers and fortune tellers.

Online sites and tele phone services with language preferences and wide ranges of

fortunes telling techniques such as Vedic astrology, palmistry, life prediction, career

prediction, love horoscope, health forecasts, Janam Patrika, match making and a lot more have

been selling like hotcakes. From astrology to numerology and from palmistry to tarot card,

each branch of telling future is not running short of customers. Looking the high demand, it

seems that no sector of the society is untouched by it. Be it housewives, businessmen, students,

government or private sector employees, all spending time and money for know their future.

Even degree, diploma and certificate course are offered in subjects like astrology,

palmistry, numerology and vastu shastra. The tech savvy psychic readers are emerging as

entrepreneurs for their online services. The TV shows of forecast telling are drawing

unprecedented eye balls.

Although the predictions based on Sun Signs and Moon Signs find significant place in

the content of media all over the world, but in this context Indian media reached to a new level.

With dedicated programmes claiming to predict the future based on astrology, numerology,

tarot card reading, cartomancy and crystallomancy, many national and regional TV channels,

newspapers, magazines, radio stations and websites have been drawing unbelievable responses

from the viewers/readers.

In the study of relevant literature and observation on the current topic, it has been found

that there is a growing and potential trend of the psychic industry in India. In fact, Indian media

and Mobile Value Added Service have been responsible for glamourising and shaping the

Psychic Reading a profitable business. But several questions arise, such as, up to what extent

media is responsible for commercialising and glamourising Psychic Reading business?, what is



the degree of influence of such services on people?, how much time and money involved to

enjoy such services?, why do people look forward for such services? and for finding answers

for many such questions the researcher feel the need for a systematic and comprehensive study.

IV.Objectives of the Study:

In fact, with the growing interest of the people, abundance of such psychic reading services in

different media platforms and the competition to hold attention of the consumers and satisfy

them with personalized information have been establishing the psychic reading industry a

lucrative business of the future. The following objectives have been set as the focus of the

study.

1. To understand the magnitude of the psychic reading industry and its influence in the

lives of people.

2. To examine the role of media in commercializing the industry of psychic reading

3. To comprehend the perspective of the people towards psychic reading services.

V.Hypothesis:

On the basis of the review of literature, interactions with some consumers of such

services, read, listen and watch such services on different media platforms, personal

observations and preliminary analysis, the following assumptions have been made for the

current study.

1. With the proliferation of different media platforms in the recent times, more and more

people have been getting inclined to the services of psychic readings.

2. Looking at the growing demand for the services of psychic reading, a deliberate

involvement of media to commercialise and glamourise such services to produce

revenues.

3. With the growing in the consumer base and number of methods of fortune telling

techniques, the business of psychic reading is growing as potential business.

VI.Methodology:

The national capital, Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) were chosen for the

present study. Along with being the national and political capital, for the presence of offices of

almost all leading print, electronic and major Indian web sites and the existence a huge chunk

of the subscribers of such psychic reading services, Delhi and NCR has been chosen the area

for the current study.

From the universe of people aged between 15- 50 years, comprising of different sections

and classes of people, a total of 200 respondents were surveyed with systematically prepared

questionnaire. With each questionnaire, consisting of relevant questions to meet the objectives

and testify the hypotheses were prepared with necessary deliberations. Each individual,



including both male and female, filled the questionnaire was picked up through simple random

sampling.

Statistical Analysis

The collected primary data was coded, tabulated and analyzed statistically to draw

interpretations of the study. The standardized statistical tests that include percentage analysis,

graphical representation, cross tabulation, etc. were carried out to draw interpretation for the

present study.

VII. Result and Discussion :

Finding of the Study:

On first the question, whether the respondents who filled the questionnaire go through different

psychic reading contents provided in the different platforms of media or not, 62% of the

respondents replied that they go through and 38% of them do not.

Figure No: 1

Of the different mediums that offer psychic reading services, 46% people prefer

newspapers for these readings, 25% prefer magazines, 29% prefer Web, 4% prefer Radio, 33%

prefer TV, 21% prefer going for personal readings rather than any other medium. While 38% of

them were having no interest in psychic readings to know their fortune. It is noted that a

remarkable percentage of people (21%) prefer personal readings than any medium to know their

fortunes.



Figure No: 2

Over the years various types of psychic readings have evolved around the world. The

survey revealed that 44% of people prefer astrology over any other types of psychic reading.

The other readings vary, as 10% for Numerology, 14% for Palmistry, 11% for Tarot card

reading. 20% of people don’t go for psychic readings and 1% of them go for other techniques

to know their fortune.

Figure No: 3

On the frequency of going through the psychic readings, 32% of the respondents opted

for ‘rarely’, 20% for ‘frequently’, 29% for ‘occasionally’, whereas 19% of them had never

gone through for psychic readings.


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Figure No: 4

While finding the reason (s) for going through the contents of psychic readings, 32% of

the respondents do it for just for fun, 22% for knowledge, 19% for being conscious about their

fortune, 11% of them have other reasons, whereas only 16% seriously belief on such contents.

Figure No: 5

On the predictions of psychic readings, 41% of respondents had the opinion of finding

occasionally the psychic reading predictions to be true, 30% found the predictions rarely true,

whereas 9% always found such predictions true and 20% found such content never to be true.

Figure No: 6


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On the views of the respondents in regards to the suggestions provided by psychics, 29%

rarely follow their suggestions, 26% follow them occasionally, 36% never follow and only 9%

follow such suggestions seriously.

Figure No: 7

Regarding the respondents showing importance to psychic readings, 45% of the

respondents on an average give importance to such reading, whereas 27% of them show very

less importance. Only for 5% shows much importance and 23% give no importance to such

contents.

Figure No: 8

26

9



On the effects of psychic readings in the lives of the respondents, for 35% of the them

contents of psychic readings have no effects, whereas for 8% such contents have great effect in

their lives. For 31% of them, these contents have average effects, while 26% had the opinion of

having less effect of such contents in their lives.

Figure No: 9

On the suggestions of psychics to people, 18% being influenced often change their decisions,

29% of them do sometimes where as 53% never changed their decisions.

Figure No: 10

In the age of technology and wide ranges of mediums of communication, people

subscribe psychic reading contents to satisfy their curiosity to know the future. In the survey, it

was found that 21% people have subscribed to such readings, 19% of them sometimes do so,

whereas 60% never had.



Figure No: 11

Psychic readings are meant to forecast the future. But the big question arises, whether do

such readings benefit to improve the future. When asked the respondents, 42% of the

respondents donot belive so, according to 38% of the respondents it does sometimes, whereas

for 20% such readings always improve their future.

Figure No: 12

A majority of people, 58% of the respondents, were found not ready to pay for psychic

readings, only 12% have shown their intent to pay, while 30% of them donot prefer to pay

always for psychic reading services.

Figure No: 13



72% of the respondents had the opinion that psychic readings have evolved as an

industry, 18% cann’t say, whereas 10% didnot think so.

Figure No: 14

On the question, whether the media is glamorizing the psychic reading industry, 80% of

the respondents feel that media involves in glamouring psychic reading, 15% of them were not

sure about it, whereas 5% did not think the so.

Figure No: 15

VIII.Conclusion :

While conducting the survey of 200 respondents between age group of 15 years to 50

years in the national capital, Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR), the pre study

assumption that with the proliferation of different media platforms in the recent times, more

and more people have been getting inclined to the services of psychic readings is found to be

correct. Unlike the past, in the age of communication revolution people find several media

platforms to look for such psychic reading services. Easy accessibility, around the clock



dedicated services, glamourisation of such services, rise in the number of people having

disposable amount of money, etc. are some of the other reasons for the growing inclination of

people for psychic readings.

With endorsement of psychic readings by celebrities, description of the stories of

celebrities following such readings for professional growth, presenting such services as much

need for status and personal and professional growth, etc. media have been found involved in

commercialising and glamourising the business of fortune telling. Therefore, the hypothesis

looking at the growing demand for the services of psychic reading, a deliberate involvement of

media to commercialise and glamourise such services to produce revenues, is found to be

valid.

The analysis of the data collected in the survey also proves that with the growing in the

consumer base and number of methods of fortune telling techniques, the business of psychic

reading is growing as potential business, to be true.

Psychic reading, the method of telling future, is a technique of extra-sensory reading.

Considered as sacred in the past, the art of psychic reading is not a new in India. The

globalization of economy, exchange of ideas and thoughts, proliferation of media, rise of

people with disposable money, etc. have given the industry a high octane growth.

References:

[1] Melton, J.G. (1996). "Psychics". Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology. Thomson Gale:

Farmington Hills, MI

[2] Irwin, H. J. (2004). An introduction to parapsychology. McFarland & Co Inc: Jefferson NC

[3] Whitworth, B. (2003). New Age Encyclopedia: A Mind Body Spirit Reference Guide. New Page

Books: NJ, USA.

[4] Huson, Paul. (2004). Mystical Origins of the Tarot: From Ancient Roots to Modern Usage.

Destiny Books: Vermont.

[5] Morris, R. L. (1986). What psi is not: The necessity for experiments. In H. L. Edge, R. L. Morris,

J. Palmer, & J. H. Rush (Eds.), Foundations of parapsychology: Exploring the boundaries of

human capability (pp. 70–110). London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

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