Development: Concept and

UNIT 6 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION Theories

Structure
6.0 Introduction
6.1 Learning Outcomes
6.2 Approaches to Development
6.3 Concept of Development Communication
6.3.1 Definitions
6.3.2 Philosophy
6.3.3 Features
6.4 Media and Development Communications
6.4.1 Mass Media
6.4.2 Alternative Media
6.4.3 Traditional Media
6.5 Development Communication and New Technologies
6.6 Peoples’ Participation and Development Communication
6.6.1 Participatory Communication
6.6.2 Participatory Democracy
6.6.3 Policy Formulation and Citizen’s Participation
6.7 Let Us Sum Up
6.8 Further Readings
6.9 Check Your Progress: Possible Answers

6.0 INTRODUCTION
You have read about the evolution of the field of Development Communication
in the previous unit. Development communication is the process of deploying
communication as a catalyst of social change aimed at improving the lives of the
poor in sustainable ways. Since its inception, the field of Development
Communication pertains to a process of strategic intervention through various
forms of mass media and interpersonal methods of socio-cultural engagement.

The focus of Development Communication approaches has since shifted from a

top down, government propaganda and aid agency jargon to strategies for
deepening democracies, encouraging peoples’ participation and sharpening
approaches for bottom-up decision making. These shifts emerged and the focus
changed from a predominantly economic growth-driven model of development
to a participatory model in which social and cultural factors play an important
role.

Development Communication today deals with concerns of inclusive growth in

developing countries, where millions of people face abject poverty and
deprivation. The subject area is as much about our understanding of development
priorities as it is about communication needs for a better and less unequal world.
In this unit, we shall discuss various pertinent issues relating to the concept of
development communication and its potential as a tool for inclusive growth and
empowerment.
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Media and Development
6.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES
After going through the unit, you should be able to:
• differentiate between different perspectives of development and the role of
Development Communication;
• explain the concept of Development Communication;
• describe the elements and philosophy of Development Communication;
• explain the role of Media in Development;
• discuss the scope of ICTs as a tool of empowerment; and
• describe mechanisms of peoples participation and the role of participatory
communication in inclusive growth.

6.2 APPROACHES TO DEVELOPMENT

The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth continues to be a buzzword
in news stories and is treated as synonymous with a nation’s development.
However, this is contested by a large number of practitioners and development
thinkers and the inadequacy of economic indicators like GDP, Gross National
Product (GNP). They argue that social indicators such as the Human Development
Index (HDI), Physical quality of the life index (PQLI), Multidimensional Poverty
index (MPI), are better measures of a country’s development and the well-being
of its people.

The expanded concept of development perceives it to be a multidimensional

process leading to the improvement in both economic and social conditions of a
country. Current notion of development also emphasises enhancement of peoples
freedoms, capabilities and entitlements for a better life. Thus apart from basic
problems of underdevelopment (Poverty, Health, Hunger, Food security, Illiteracy,
Unemployment etc.) that continue to plague most of the less developed countries
including India, issues of social inclusion, equitable growth and social justice
have become the focus of the development agenda and consequently the focus
and role of Development Communication.

Inclusive growth and Social justice

Development Communication tackles development issues in ways that can help
the poor people lead a life of dignity and equal opportunities. Promoting inclusive
economic growth is the new model that is related to providing equality and
opportunity to all, for achieving a productive and meaningful life with freedom,
equality and dignity. Through its initiatives, Development Communication
promotes core values of a socially just society that encourages basic human rights,
equitable distribution of resources, equal opportunities, peace and security and
the realisation of human potential. Development policies hence need to address
issues of social and economic challenges and the multiple deprivations faced by
the poor and marginalised groups.

Mainstream Gender and Marginalised Communities

One of the biggest challenges of Development Communication is to mainstream
gender and marginalised communities. Poverty exacerbates inequalities which
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further leads to worsening of poverty and backwardness. Further under- Development Communication
development of the marginalised and gender inequality is correlated. Women of
India continue to face multiple deprivations and form one of the most neglected,
poorest segments of the population. The same can be said about the marginalised
communities like the dalit, tribal and various backward communities. With limited
or poor access to education, healthcare, employment, communication and other
services they remain enmeshed in the multiple webs of poverty.

Sustainable economic growth and human development rest on equal participation

of women and the marginalised sections of society. Development policy, issues
of governance as well as development planning need to be looked at from the
perspective of inclusion and exclusion. Providing them greater voice and
prioritising the needs of the economically and culturally vulnerable is key to
their societal mainstreaming and our nation’s development.

Environment Sustainability
Development communication also plays a key role in reinforcing the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) and its principle of environmental sustainability
and spearheading processes for empowering people to act and deal with the
environmental challenges communities are facing. Any successful endeavour
will require amalgamation of traditional and scientific knowledge, debate on
policy and programmes, and collaboration between governments, corporates and
civil society at the national and global levels.

Institution Building
Strengthening capacities of development professionals and building institutional
infrastructure of organisations involved in development is necessary to enable
effectiveness of development delivery and efficiency in utilisation of development
aid. Development Communication supports the building of strong vibrant
institutions, facilitate freedom of expression in which all groups are able to voice
opinion and participate in development debates. An independent media that serve
the public interest; enables transparency and accountability in development
programmes and involve divergent stakeholders in debates are a key thrust area
of Development Communication.
Check Your Progress 1
Note: 1 Use the space below for your answer.
2 Compare your answers with those ones given at the end of this Unit.
1) How the HDI-based indicators are different from GDP growth rate based
markers of development?
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2) What are the key aspects of current development paradigm?

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Media and Development
6.3 CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATION
Let us now examine the term ‘Development Communication’. Several scholars
have provided definitions of Development Communication that vary in their
perspectives. These definitions not only help to understand the boundaries that
define the field of development communication but also better comprehend how
it has expanded in its nature and scope.

6.3.1 Definitions
One of the earliest definitions was provided by Nora Quebral. According to her
(1975), “development communication 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 larger fulfillment of the human potential.”

Quebral highlights the importance of development communication for not just

informing and persuading people to adopt new ideas and technologies but also
understanding the root cause of people’s problems, inequality and marginalisation
that they face. These insights need to be combined with the theory and practice
of communication for creatively developing appropriate programmes and media
strategy for alleviating poverty and improving peoples quality of life.

According to Everett Rogers (1983) “development communication refers to the

uses to which communication is put in order to further development. Such
applications are intended to either further development in a general way, such
as by increasing the level of the mass media exposure among a nation’s citizens,
in order to create a favourable ‘climate’ for development, or to support a specific
development programme or project (this type of development communication is
often termed as ‘development-support communication’ DSC”).

Rogers, in his Diffusion theory focused upon the application of communication

for the purpose of disseminating information and messages to induce change.
The flow of information (mostly one-way), help create a suitable environment
by providing relevant information and effective messages for persuading people
to adopt new ideas or innovations at a fast pace.

F. Rosario Braid is of the opinion that development communication is “an element

of the management process and the overall planning and implementation of
development programmes”. And in a broad sense, “the identification and
utilisation of appropriate expertise in the development process that will assist in
increasing participation of intended beneficiaries at the grassroots level.” While
Erskine Childers in her definition said “Development support communications
is a discipline in development planning and implementation in which more
adequate account is taken of human behavioural factors in the design of
development projects and their objectives”. Thus, development communication
plays a key role in engaging people and understanding their varied perspectives
and ideas. Incorporating people’s viewpoints in the various processes of
development projects enables projects to become more people-centric, leading
to greater receptivity towards new ideas, ownership of projects and their
consequent success.
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In 1997, through Article 6 of General Assembly Resolution 51/172, the United Development Communication
Nations adopted the following definition “Communication for development
stresses the need to support two-way communication systems that enable dialogue
and that allow communities to speak out, express their aspirations and concerns
and participate in the decisions that relate to their development”. The Rome
Consensus of the First World Congress of Communication for Development
(WCCD), held in Rome in October 2006 defined it as: “a social process based
on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It is also about seeking
change at different levels, including listening, building trust, sharing knowledge
and skills, building policies, debating and learning for sustained and meaningful
change. It is not public relations or corporate communications”.

These definitions focus not only upon the participatory nature of development
communication but also on its transactional nature and the opportunities that
need to be created for people to freely articulate their ideas and dialogue about
issues most relevant to them. Focusing upon both the socio-cultural context as
well as people’s capacities; they draw attention to the diverse factors that can
influence integration of multiple voices in development programmes and policies
and action towards sustainable change.

From above definitions you would have understood that development

communication does not merely involve the transmission of information about
products, ideas and or facilities for improving peoples’ lives, or the exchange of
information for problem-solving. It extends to include developing empathy for
others, raising aspirations, building new skills and capacities as well as increasing
peoples’ participation in development activities. Interweaving both mass media
and interpersonal communication systems, development communication helps
people to understand the linkages between local events and national and global
issues; develop new perspectives as well as nurture relationships between different
stakeholders groups, for effective management of development activities and
realising the full benefits of development.

6.3.2 Philosophy
Communication for Development differs from other forms of communication,
such as corporate and internal communications. Corporate communication helps
to build organisational identity and communicate organisational values, mission
and activities consistently to the public. Internal communication on the other
hand is the flow of information within an organisation and enables timely and
effective communications among staff for greater coordination, work efficiency
and outputs. Development Communication is a specialised field differing from
others because of the role it plays in empowerment processes. It strives towards
sustainable change by involving different stakeholders, establishing a conducive
environment and use appropriate media and methods for inducing behaviour
and social change.

Development Communication can be further differentiated from other fields by

three aspects, i.e. it is Purposive, one looks for specific behavioural objectives;
Positive, affirmative prosocial values are attached to what one communicates
about; and Pragmatic, practical and having specific purpose, it is evaluated by
the results achieved (Jamias,1975). For example as a Development communicator,
one looks for specific behavioural objectives, such as adoption of high yielding
variety of seeds by farmers. This can increase their harvest manifold and hence 25
Media and Development has a definite positive value attached to it. The development communicator plans
interventions knowing well that mere increase in the flow of information does
not necessarily result in behavioural changes desired. The intervention efficacy
is later revaluated by examining what were the objectives, the intended results,
what led to the success/failure of the communication. In this regard, feedback is
taken from different stakeholders and not merely by the communication activities
performed, such as the number of posters printed or visits made and so on.

Activity - 1

In your community look for at least two posters/hoardings put up by any

government agency. Analyse the message and state if it is Purposive, Positive
and Pragmatic

6.3.3 Features
From above analysis, the following features of Development Communication
emerge:

• Communication is vital for human growth and progress and use of

Communication for Development makes a difference to human
development.
• Development Communication is an essential part of programmes and
initiatives aimed at achieving development goals as well as those
challenging existing hierarchies and power structures for achieving
development priorities in an equitable and sustainable manner.
• Participation is fundamental to processes of development communication
and enables multiplicity of voices, especially of the poor and marginalised,
to be incorporated in development programmes and policy.
• Dialogic processes are central to development and empowerment practices.
Based on horizontal, two-way processes, Development Communication
prioritises communication systems and processes sensitive to the local
context, that enable people to deliberate and speak out on issues important
to their own well-being.
• Development Communication helps create a constructive environment
where stakeholders participate in defining problems, arrive at a common
understanding of issues, consider and discuss ideas, negotiate, and
collectively find solutions.
• Development communication processes include, among other things,
analysing the socio-economic and political context of communities,
identifying and prioritising needs, assessing risks and opportunities,
empowering people and strengthening institutions.
• Development Communication utilises multiple communication methods
and media, which include Interpersonal communication, Mass media, ICTs
etc, for information dissemination, behaviour change, social mobilisation,
advocacy for sustainable social change.
• Development communication encourages advocacy to build networks and
collectives to influence policy formulations.
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The two primary roles Development Communication plays are - transforming Development Communication
role and socialising role.

Transforming role: As it seeks pro-social change in the direction of improving

the quality of life of people. Promoting immunisation of children and institutional
deliveries of pregnant women, encouraging enrollment of girls in schools,
adoption of toilets by families, breaking myths surrounding menstruation or social
customs like early marriage are some initiatives for improving the lives of people
with communication being an integral component for achieving these objectives.

Socialising role: By seeking to maintain some of the established values of the

society development communication seeks to create an atmosphere for change
as well as providing innovation through which society may change. Each society
has some traditional values that give people an identity, a sense of belonging and
within which their aspirations are intricately embedded. As people of different
cultures meet, the values, customs and beliefs of societies make inroads into
each other’s societies, slowly influencing and changing them. Communication
can play a very vital role by making people aware of differing values and beliefs,
critically examine new ideas as well re-analyse the relevance and richness of
their own values, customs, beliefs and, above all, aspirations in changing contexts.
Check Your Progress 2
Notes: 1) Use the space below for your answer.
2) Compare your answers with those ones given at the end of this Unit.
1) Define development communication.
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2) How is Development Communication different from other types of
communication?
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3) What types of communication media and methods does Development

Communication use?
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4) What processes are central to Development Communication initiatives?

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Media and Development
Activity-2
Analyse the socialising and transforming roles of any programme being
implemented in your area for women or adolescent girls drawing upon points
discussed above.

6.4 MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNICATIONS
As the concept of development communication has evolved with time,
consequently the nature of communications and the role of media have also
changed focus. Earlier it was expected to convey all the relevant information
regarding a development programme and the benefits that may be reaped by the
community. Media was expected to build a favourable climate to implement
such programmes by removing doubts, apprehensions or fears about them.
Development communications was characterised by the use of mass media that
considered people as passive audiences ready to be influenced by the messages
they received, and was simple one-way asymmetrical communication
(Mefalopulous, 2008). Later the focus of Development Communication moved
from a ‘communicator’ to a more ‘receiver-centric’ orientation. Advocating
‘bottom up’ two-way symmetrical approaches it recognises and adopts various
participatory methods for inclusion and active participation of the target audience.
The emphasis of Development Communication processes has shifted from
persuasion to information exchange; from information transmitted to the meaning
sought and attributed by audience groups; and disseminating information for
which there is a need than creating a need for the information being disseminated.

6.4.1 Mass Media

Mass media as you are aware play a significant role in taking development to the
people. Being able to reach large number of heterogeneous audiences scattered
over vast geographical area, their ability to provide the same messages
simultaneously to a vast and diversified audience remains unparalled. They have
a definite role in spreading information about development, making people aware
of their rights and responsibilities, exposing anomalies and corrupt practices,
and promoting transparency and accountability through encouraging participation
in of development schemes. By not only reporting facts about specialised areas
of development, it also strives to provide an interpretation and analysis.

Communication interventions for development are made through various media

platforms such as the newspapers magazines, radio, TV, Internet or movies and
theatres etc. In a country like India, where literacy level is low, the choice of
mass media is of vital importance, as they reach out to different groups of
audiences. The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE, 1975-76)
was one of the earliest projects primarily undertaken to develop special
development programmes through the satellite communication. Later the Kheda
Communication Project, the Indian National Satellite project (INSAT) (1982);
Educational programmes (ETV) Gyan-Darshan Educational Channel (2000);
E-Choupal and others have demonstrated the potential of using mass media for
development.

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The mass media has played a particularly positive role in enlightening farmers Development Communication
on the use of various technologies to boost agricultural development; Women
programmes cover a range of subjects related to empowerment of women as
well as programmes on a range of topics like health, sanitation, family planning,
education, conduct of democratic exercises like free and fair elections and
monitoring of expenditure or implementation of development plans are some
areas media has focused upon.

6.4.2 Alternative Media

Recent years have seen the emergence of a range of alternative, participatory
media forms that are separate from and provide an alternative to commercial
media as well as state-run public-service media. Also called ‘community media,’
‘citizen’s media,’ ‘grassroot journalism’ it has created local alternatives to
mainstream broadcasting like local community newspapers, radio stations, as
well as traditional media such as theatre and puppetry. Differing from mainstream
media in their aesthetics, independent non-profit orientation, non-dominant
discourse and serving the needs and interests of a community it enables peoples
participation and their greater access and control of the media and communications
in their community. Contesting and challenging mainstream media discourses,
community media aids in raising people’s awareness, representation and the
consequent emergence and democratisation of an alternative public sphere. Some
of the most successful alternative media for development are community radio,
community video, and community newspapers. You will read in detail about
alternative media in Unit 16 of this course.

6.4.3 Traditional Media

Traditional cultural forms such as peoples’ theatre, puppets, song and dance are
also being designed to engage people and communities in positive social change.
Sensitive to the needs and context of the communities, folk media are an integral
part of the fabric of rural communities. Social ideas, tradition and culture are
preserved and disseminated through these highly intimate, flexible and dynamic,
traditional media forms. Enjoying immense popularity and appeal they have
traditionally been used for entertainment, social communication and persuasive
communication. Now, several initiatives have involved folk media for conveying
development messages. By presenting messages subtly in local popular artistic
forms, they carry the message of development among the masses.

Indian People Theatre Association (IPTA), used some of the popular regional
theatre forms like “Jaatra” of Bengal, “Bhavai” of Gujrat, “Tamasha” of
Maharashtra and “Burkatha” of Andhra Pradesh to increase social awareness
and political education. Other initiatives include the Kerala Sastra Sahithya
Parishad (KSSP) which organised Science Jathas, a science procession using
different folk art forms to spread the message of people’s involvement in the
development process. The International Planned Parenthood Federation and
UNESCO used traditional media for promoting family planning. Folk songs
have played a very important in the Chipko and Narmada movements.
Organisations like Katkatha for puppetry, Jan Sanskriti, Sahmat and several theatre
groups are using the traditional media innovatively for spreading messages to
both urban and rural audiences.

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Media and Development Check Your Progress 3
Notes: 1 Use the space below for your answer.
2 Compare your answers with those ones given at the end of this Unit.
1) How has the role of media changed in Development Communication?
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2) What are the characteristics that distinguish community media from
mainstream media?
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Activity- 3

In your community, identify development messages being given through two

different media forms. Are these messages reaching the target groups? Analyse.

6.5 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION AND

NEW TECHNOLOGIES
The new communication technologies such as the Internet, ICT, mobile phones
and satellites have radically transformed the concept and nature of development
as well as communication. In today’s information societies, communication
networks occupy a central place. The way citizens connect with each other depends
on their access and use of these technologies.

These technologies enable fast exchange of information and overcome time and
space barriers and have immense potential for providing effective solutions to
various problems. Many countries have evolved technology-enabled systems to
make development programmes more effective. Enabling real time information
about projects technologies is leading to better monitoring of projects and decision
making, disbursement of benefits and targeted deliveries of goods and services
to the poor. The system of grievance redressal is leading to reduction in corruption
and is making development both transparent and accountable. E-governance
initiatives seek to provide essential services, such as providing drinking water,
healthcare, power supply and civic amenities, to the citizens in ways that are
simple, speedy and inclusive.

Apart from being cheap and user-friendly the use of new technologies also offers
varied opportunities for two-way communication to people to voice their ideas
and access relevant information. Farmers get weather or market-related
information on their mobile phones, ASHA workers get alerts about monitoring
pregnant women’s health, beneficiaries receive SMS when money or entitlements
are transferred in their accounts, data regarding government schemes on websites
is helping minimise corruption. These concepts are giving new directions to the
30 very idea of development communication leading to empowerment of citizens.
Technology and Digital Divide Development Communication

It is true that the digital divide separates the ‘digital haves and have-nots’. People
with higher levels of education and prosperity are able to make better use of ICT
and knowledge products than those who are less privileged. The divide works as
a roadblock for use of technologies for removal of poverty and inequality. The
access to digital technology goes a long way in providing benefits to the users in
terms of skills, knowledge, capabilities and consequently incomes, increases the
divide further. Hence, one of the biggest challenges of development
communication is to work towards enabling the digital have-nots to access ICT
and digital services.

Differences in the availability, access and use of these technologies pose several
challenges. In India, with a large section of the population not being technology
literate, users need training in basic computer use as well as skills to communicate
effectively on the Internet. Gender and socio-cultural differences impede the
availability and use of ICTs by several community groups. Several researchers
have pointed out that how ICTs are embedded and utilised within specific local
contexts and needs will determine their effectiveness as instruments of social
change.

Further, the new technologies are also seen to be dominated by vested interests
and market-driven forces that are leading to hi-tech systems becoming tools of
exclusion rather than inclusion.

However, despite such limitations, ICTs can and do play a major role in
development communication. Apart from being used for information
dissemination, technologies also have the potential to support horizontal
communication processes. Technologies such as IVR systems, Mobile apps, low
power technologies used by community radio and participatory video are proving
to be powerful instruments in promoting people’s participation and empowerment.
Check Your Progress 4
Notes: 1) Use the space below for your answer.
2) Compare your answers with those ones given at the end of this Unit.
1) In what ways are new media technologies transformative?
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2) What are the challenges of using ICTs for rural communities?

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Activity - 4
Give four examples of digital divide from your surroundings.
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Media and Development
6.6 PEOPLES’ PARTICIPATION AND
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
We have discussed in the previous section that people’s participation is central
to Development Communication. It is recognised that inclusive development
cannot be achieved without involvement of community in various stages of
development projects. However, people’s participation is known to range from
tokenism to proactive involvement and is deeply linked to prevailing power (im)
balances, empowerment and equality within communities. Often a misinterpreted
concept, significant and meaningful participation requires the application of two-
way participatory communication processes.

6.6.1 Participatory Communication

A dynamic, interactional, and transformative process, participatory
communication enables people to articulate their ideas, recognise common
concerns, and seek solutions from within their community. By generating an
open environment, participatory processes enable stakeholders to engage in
dialogic processes, build trust and confidence among each other. Consequently
they lead to raising awareness about critical issues, improving access to
information, increase utilisation of services, mobilise people around a common
issue and encourage them to engage in their own and their communities’
development (Singhal, 2003). All participatory communication activities
ultimately endeavour to encourage certain changes in attitude or behaviour at
the individual, family, and/or community levels.

Underpinning participatory communication is the idea of providing

communication rights for ordinary citizens. Providing a voice to the voiceless
they stress the need to create alternate communication spaces for the poor and
the marginalised that strengthen the diversity of cultures and languages in ways
not provided by the conventional media. The movement for communication rights
was spearheaded by the UNESCO and the MacBride Commission through its
report (1980), Many Voices, One World. The Commission highlighted the
problems of commercialisation of media, unequal access to information and
communication and of a rising communication deficit in the developing and
under-developed countries. The commission called for democratisation of
communication and this became the basis of many community media projects
throughout the world including the community radio movement in India.

6.6.2 Participatory Democracy

Participation is strongly related to the power dynamics in decision making. Letting
the poor and marginalised make strategic decisions about programmes and policies
influencing their lives involves devolution of power. The 73rd and 74th
Amendments of the Indian Constitution provide a participatory framework by
giving powers to panchayats and urban local bodies and subsequently for people
being in-charge of development of their areas. A significant aspect of these
provisions is planning by people through locally constituted District Planning
Committees (DPCs) who consolidate and implement plans prepared by the village
panchayats and urban municipalities. The success or failure of these plans, and
thereby the future of development depends significantly on the citizens’ awareness
levels and participation through effective communication strategies.
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Another very important aspect of participatory development is the community Development Communication
monitoring of development schemes. The MG-NREGS has the objective of
providing rural employment, and enhancing livelihood security. The scheme also
has the provision that the Gram Panchayat hold regular social audits of all
development works by making available all relevant documents to the gram
sabha.

6.6.3 Policy Formulation and Citizens’ Participation

The task of creating awareness and promoting citizen participation in policy
formulation is one of the new challenges of development communication. There
is a near absence of institutional mechanisms for ordinary citizens to intervene
in the processes of legislations or policy making, and policy making continues
to be treated as a matter of expert knowledge, mostly left to the ‘specialist’ and
not something which can be shared with ordinary citizens.

The inclusion of ordinary people in policy formulation has become all the more
important in the post-liberalisation era when the state has retreated from some
key areas in the economy leaving space for the private sector or Public Private
Partnerships. It is in this backdrop that the citizens’ participation is required to
check the possibility of the policy process being dominated by powerful vested
interest groups and has direct bearing on inclusive development.
Check Your Progress 5
Notes: 1) Use the space below for your answer.
2) Compare your answers with those ones given at the end of this Unit.
1) Define Participatory Communication.
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2) Why is it important for the citizens to engage with the Policy formulation
process?
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Activity- 5

Identify a news item reported in the national and local newspaper about your
city/town/area. Do you think there is a difference in what is presented in the
two newspapers? How would you like the content to be presented?

6.7 LET US SUM UP

It was explained in this unit that the concept and meaning of both development
and communication are undergoing rapid changes in the modern world. We also
discussed that high GDP-growth rate cannot be equated with inclusive growth
and top-down, economic growth driven models of development are giving way 33
Media and Development for culturally sensitive participatory models. Thus, the focus of development
communication has shifted to more inclusive and participatory development to
include the marginalised and vulnerable sections of society.

Various definitions expanded the scope of development communication to include

developing empathy for others, raising aspirations, building new skills and
capacities as well as increasing people’s participation in development activities.
Its role in empowerment and philosophical foundations of being positive,
purposive and pragmatic enable the understanding of the various aspects of
Development Communications.

Development Communication utilises multiple media, which include mass media,

community media and ICTs, for information dissemination, behaviour change,
social mobilisation, advocacy for sustainable social change. A key aspect of
development communication is promoting peoples’ participation and providing
them greater voice through participatory communications. Consequently it strives
to improve citizens’ awareness and engagement with governance and demanding
greater transparency and accountability in development processes and policy
making.

6.8 FURTHER READINGS

McPhail Thomas L (2009), Ed. Development Communication: Reframing the
Role of the Media, Wiley Blackwell

Ninan Thomas P (2011), Negotiating Communication Rights: Case Studies from

India, Sage Publications, New Delhi

Pavarala V and Malik K (2007), Other Voices; The Struggle for Community
Radio in India, Sage Publications

Raghunandan T R (2012), Ed. Decentralisation and Local Governance: The Indian

Experience, Orient Blackswan

Saith A, Bijaybhaskar M and Gayatri V (2008), ICT and Indian Social Change:
Diffusion, Poverty, Governance, Sage

SenAmartya (1999), Development As Freedom, Alfred A Knopf, New York

Sen A and Dreze J (1989), Hunger and Public Action, Oxford University Press.

6.9 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS: POSSIBLE

ANSWERS
Check Your Progress: 1
1) Social indicators like the HDI, PQLI, and MPI are better indicators of a
country’s development and the wellbeing of its citizens. HDI indicators
recognise that GDP growth rate is not synonymous to a nation’s
development. To measure development, they account for both social
upliftment and economic growth.
2) Current notion of development emphasises enhancement of people’s
34 freedoms, capabilities and entitlements for a better life. In addition to
 poverty, health risks, food insecurity, illiteracy, etc. that continue to plague Development Communication
the less developed countries, issues of social inclusion, equitable growth
and social justice have become the focus of the development agenda.
Check Your Progress 2
1) Development Communication, apart from sharing of information to improve
people’s lives extends to include developing empathy for others, raising
aspirations, building new skills and capacities as well as increasing people’s
participation in development activities.

2) Development Communication is a specialised field differing from other

communications because of its role in empowerment processes. It strives
towards sustainable change by involving different stake holders,
establishing conducive environment and uses appropriate media and
methods for inducing behaviour and social change.

3) Development Communication utilises multiple communication methods

and media, which include IPC, mass media, ICTs, etc., for information
dissemination, behaviour change, social mobilisation, advocacy for
sustainable social change.

4) DevComm stands on three philosophical ideas: it is Purposive, one looks

for specific behavioural objectives; Positive, affirmative pro-social values
are attached to what one communicates about; and Pragmatic, practical
and having specific purpose, it is evaluated by the results achieved.
Check Your Progress 3
1) Earlier, media was expected to build a favourable climate i.e. to convey all
the relevant information regarding development programmes and their
benefits. The advent of participatory approach led to increased emphasis
on horizontal communication processes, and people dialoguing to evolve
their own development strategies. The alternative communication paradigm
favours multiplicity, smallness of scale, locality, and decentralisation.

2) Community media differs from mainstream media in their aesthetics,

independent non-profit orientation, non-dominant discourse. It serves the
needs and interests of a community, and enables people’s participation
and their greater access and control of the media and communication in
their community.
Check Your Progress 4
1) The emerging new technologies such as the ICTs, mobile phones have
radically transformed development and communication. Communication
networks occupy a central place; the way citizens connect with each other
depends on their access and use of these technologies. Enabling fast
exchange of information and overcoming time and space barriers, these
technologies have immense potential for providing effective solutions to
problems faced by people.

2) Digital divide separates the “digital haves and have-nots”. There is a need
to work towards enabling the digital have-nots to access ICT and digital
services. People with higher levels of education and prosperity easily use
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Media and Development ICT and knowledge products than those who are less educated and go a
long way in providing the benefits to the users.
Check Your Progress 5
1) Participatory communication is a dynamic, interactional, and transformative
process, that enables people to articulate their ideas, recognise common
concerns, and seek solutions from within their community.

2) Policymaking largely remains a matter of specialised knowledge; best left

to the ‘experts’ and is often not shared with ordinary citizens. It is in the
interest of inclusive development that ordinary people engage in policy
formulation.

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