INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION PAPER VII DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION 1 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION Unit I : Definition and meanings of development - Role of communication in development – Concepts - Communication for development in third world countries - Developments in different sectors in India - Communication infrastructure and new media growth - Communication as a tool for social and economic change. Unit II : Mass media and dissemination of development news - Communication networks and opinion leaders in development - Communication for literacy and empowerment of women and the rural poor - Mass media and rural development - Community media and development l Challenges and issues Unit III : Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Development - Technology related factors - Strategic ICT management in developing countries - New media growth - Access and control issues - Govt. and private agencies in development campaigns. Unit IV : Globalisation - IT Polices - Implementation of IT projects in India - Private participation – Competition - Public information and services through ICT - Specific development projects in Tamilnadu - Diffusion of innovation and adoption. Unit IV : e-Government : Concept and functioning of e-governance - System and operational control and management of e-government - Public and private participation- Information and services to the rural poor - e-Government projects in Tamilnadu - Policies and programmes of e-governance in India - Problems of access and use and challenges for the future. 2 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual. - Albert Einstein UNIT I: INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION Objectives of the unit: Definition and meanings of development Role of communication in development Concepts Communication for development in third world countries Developments in different sectors in India Communication infrastructure and new media growth Communication as a tool for social and economic change. 1.0 Definition of Development: Development is a complex issue, with many different and sometimes contentious definitions. A basic perspective equates development with economic growth. The United Nations Development Programme uses a more detailed definition- according to them development is 'to lead long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living and to be able to participate in the life of the community.' Achieving human development is linked to a third perspective of development which views it as freeing people from obstacles that affect their ability to develop their own lives and communities. Development, therefore, is empowerment: it is about local people taking control of their own lives, expressing their own demands and finding their own solutions to their problems. “A process which enables human beings to realize their potential, builds self- confidence, and lead lives of dignity and fulfillment. It is a process which frees people from fear of want and exploitation. It is a movement away from political, economic, or social oppression. Through development, political independence acquires true significance. And it is a process of growth, a movement essentially springing from within the society that is developing.” 3 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION “Development consists of a set of practices, sometimes appearing in conflict with one another, which require for the reproduction of society the general transformation and destruction of the natural environment and of social relations. Its aim is to increase the production of commodities (goods and services) geared, by way of exchange, to effective demand.” - Gilbert Rist’s 1.1 Meaning of Development: 1. The act of developing or disclosing that which is unknown; a gradual unfolding process by which anything is developed, as a plan or method, or an image upon a photographic plate; gradual advancement or growth through a series of progressive changes; also, the result of developing, or a developed state. 2. The series of changes which animal and vegetable organisms undergo in their passage from the embryonic state to maturity, from a lower to a higher state of organization. 3. The act or process of changing or expanding an expression into another of equivalent value or meaning. 4. The equivalent expression into which another has been developed. 5. The elaboration of a theme or subject; the unfolding of a musical idea; the evolution of a whole piece or movement from a leading theme or motive. 6. The process of economic and social transformation that is based on complex cultural and environmental factors and their interactions. 7. The systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge to meet specific objectives or requirements. Nora Quebral, a leading academic in this field defines development communication as follows: 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. 4 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION Fulfillment of the human potential. (Quoted in Development Communication - rhetoric and reality by Pete Habermann and Guy de Fontagalland). 1.2 Role of Communication in Development: A decisive role can be played by communication in promoting human development in today's new climate of social change. As the world moves towards greater democracy, decentralization and the market economy, conditions are becoming more favorable for people to start steering their own course of change. But it is vital to stimulate their awareness, participation and capabilities. Communication skills and technology are central to this task, but at present are often underutilized. Policies are needed that encourage effective planning and implementation of communication programmes. If we are to keep the promises made in the Millennium Development Goals to reduce poverty and improve poor people’s lives then policymakers must recognize the essential role played by communication in development. 1.3 Political processes Poor people must have their voices heard and be able to participate in the debates and decisions that affect their lives. 1.4 Good governance Governments must be open, accountable and responsive to their citizens - there must be free flows of information so that civil society can monitor government performance. 1.5 Civil society Countries need a healthy, vibrant civil society with networks of individuals, groups and organizations; change is much more likely where people are involved in discussions on issues that affect them. 1.6 Economic development Economic development depends on accessible information and communication at all levels - governments should try to ensure that new information technologies are available to everyone. 5 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION 1.7 Role of the media The media are central to development and to holding the powerful to account - this will only happen when the media are diverse, dynamic and free, working in a supportive regulatory environment. 1.8 Communication for Development in Third World Countries: 1.8.1 Communication for development: The discipline of communication offers the development process a number of inputs: a way to survey a new environment especially by establishing consultative vehicles a way of raising consciousness and awareness amongst communities of issues pertaining to a better life for all - something to aspire to a way of promoting feedback - a dynamic two-way process can be set up between people and ‘developers’ a way to teach new skills selling a national dream and a vehicle for programmes directed at nation building. 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. Communication for development is .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. The evolution of communication for development has mirrored broader shifts in theories and models of economic and social development. For much of the post- World War II period, communication for development was informed by the ‘modernization’ paradigm, which sought to transform ‘traditional’ societies into modern, Western societies through the transmission of attitudes, practices and technologies. Correspondingly, communication initiatives adopted a diffusion 6 DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION approach, which uses communication to carry out a transfer of information. This includes large-scale media campaigns, social marketing, and dissemination of printed materials, ‘education-entertainment’ and other forms of one-way transmission of information from the sender to the receiver. Proponents of diffusion theory recognized the limitations