There are illiterate people in villages in India who become possessed by a ghost, and when they are possessed you can ask questions and they answer. 
I think, channeling is an American translation of the old idea of being possessed, and word ‘channeling’ has come from television. The poor and illiterate people in countries like India cannot think of channeling, that word is not yet meaningful to them. 
Channeling has no spiritual significance. I don't know why anybody becomes interested in it.