Development Communication
Development Communication refers to the use of communication to facilitate social development. It engages stakeholders and policy makers, establishes conducive environments, assesses risks and opportunities and promotes information exchange to bring about positive social change via sustainable development. It includes behavior change, social marketing, media advocacy, communication for social change and community participation.
Definitions:
Nora Cruz-Quebral
Nora Cruz-Quebral, a leading academic in this field defines development communication as:
“It is the art and science of human communication applied to the speedy transformation of a country and the mass of its people from poverty to a dynamic state of economic growth that makes possible greater social equality and the large fulfillment of human potential.”
Fraser and Restrepo-Estrada (1998, p.63)
They elaborated development communication as:
“Communication for development is the use of communication techniques, process and popular media to help individuals towards a consciousness of the circumstances and available options to change, to resolve issues of conflict, to help natives in planning actions to transform and for sustainable development. People acquire the knowledge and skills. They need to improve their condition and the society, to improve the effectiveness of institutions.”
Development Support Communication:
Erskine Childers
“Development support communication is a discipline in development planning and implementation in which more adequate account is taken of human behavioral factors in the design of development projects and their objectives.”
History of Development Communication:
The original idea of development communication started from Britain. Its applicability is in the field of education, health, technology, entertainment and all other fields. Its widespread application began after World War II.
The advent of communication studies (sciences) in the 1950’s, included recognition in this field as an academic and discipline, led by “Daniel Lerner, “Wilbur Schramm” and “Everett Rogers”.
Lerners maintained the social development and social upliftment and he said that development of individual is more important and all the policies should be made for development (mental, physical, social, economic and intellectual).
Rogers stated that the welfare of the individual should be subjugated to the welfare of society. The society should come first. This thought process is also in the theory of Karl Marx. All communist societies follow this thought process.
Purpose of Development Communication:
The major two purposes of development communication are:
- To advance the development and progress.
- To promote the development in all aspects and all levels.
Example:
A recent example of development communication is “Global South Development Magazine”.
Paradigms of Development Communication:
- Dominant Paradigm (Radio & T.V.)
- Alternative Paradigm (Interpersonal)
- Participation Paradigm (People’ Participation)
Knowledge World 