Development communication refers to the use of communication to facilitate social development.Development communication engages stakeholders and policy makers, establishes conducive environments, assesses risks and opportunities and promotes information exchange to create positive social change via sustainable development.Development communication techniques include information dissemination and education, behavior change, social marketing, social mobilization, media advocacy, communication for social change, and community participation.The practice of development communication began in the 1940s, but widespread application came about after World War II. The advent of communication sciences in the 1950s included recognition of the field as an academic discipline, led by Daniel Lerner, Wilbur Schramm and Everett Rogers.
One of the first examples of development communication was Farm Radio Forums in Canada. From 1941 to 1965 farmers met weekly to listen to radio programs, supplemented by printed materials and prepared questions to encourage discussion. At first, this was a response to the Great Depression and the need for increased food production in World War II.
During the period of world war II, the term “Development Communication” was first introduced.This dominant paradigm rooted in the concept of development as modernization. It emerged after World War II. The central idea of this dominant paradigm was to solve development problems by "modernizing" underdeveloped countries. This approach advised the society, how to be effective in following in the footsteps of richer, more developed countries. Development was equated with economic growth.
But generally,Communication was associated with the dissemination of information and messages aimed at modernizing "backward" countries and their people. Mass media were at the center of communication initiatives that relied heavily on the traditional vertical or one-way model
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