Philosophy and goal of Development Communication

Development Communication is communication with a social conscience. It takes humans into account. Development communication is primarily associated with rural problems, but is also concerned with urban problems. It has two primary roles: a transforming role, as it seeks social change in the direction of higher  uality of values of society.  Development communication seeks to create an atmosphere for change, as well as providing innovations through which society may change.

Definition

Development communication has been defined in several ways by economic

development experts, sociologists and communication experts.

The terminology development communication originated in Asia.  Definitions differ from region to region depending on the definers view of development. 

Nora Quebral (1975) defined development communication as the art

and science of human communication applied to the speedy transformation of a country from poverty to a dynamic state of economic growth and makes possible greater economic and social equality and the larger fulfilment of human potential.

Development Communication is communication with a social conscience.   It takes

humans into account.  Development communication is primarily associated with rural problems, but is also concerned with urban problems. It has two primary roles: a transforming role, as it seeks social change in the direction of higher quality of values of society. In playing its roles, development communication seeks to create an atmosphere for change, as well as providing innovations through which society may change.

Philosophy and goal of Development Communication

Three main ideas which define the philosophy of development communication and make it different from general communication are:

1.  Development communication is purposive  communication, it is value-laden; and it is pragmatic.  In the development context, a tacit positive value is attached to what one communicates about, which shall motivate the people for social change.

2. Development  communication is goal-oriented. The ultimate goal of development communication is a higher quality of life for the people of a society by social and political change.

3. The goal of development communication is not purely in economic terms, but also in terms of social, political, cultural, and moral values that make a person‟s life whole, and that enable a person to attain his or her full potential. The goal of development communication in a specific society will be influenced by the ends and values of that society.

Development communication has to deal with two types of audience:

i) the communicators comprising development bureaucracy, media practitioners and professionals, and
ii) the people i.e. the audience who can be informed or uninformed; educated or semi-literate or literate.