A Coursework in Development Communication

A Coursework
in
DC – DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATION

Unit 3: COMMUNICATION, CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

 Lesson 7: Media of Communication

Prepared by: AIMEE F. ROMERO

Instructor

Disclaimer: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This coursework is a compilation of works from

internet sources, manuals, and books from different authors
and will be used for educational purposes only. Due recognition
is given to the authors who are the source of some parts found

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 1

in this coursework. The compiler/ owner does not clam
copyrights to any part taken for other sources.
 A Coursework in Development Communication

A Coursework
in

Development
Communication

Name: ___________________________________________
Course and year: ___________________________________________
Class Schedule: ___________________________________________
Contact No: ___________________________________________
Instructor: AIMEE F. ROMERO

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 2

 A Coursework in Development Communication

COURSEWORK OVERVIEW
A Coursework in Development Communication is an interactive and self-
instructional material designed to assist your learning in Development Communication in
the collegiate education. This material is anchored on the learning competencies of
Development Communication set by the communication experts of the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED). This coursework thoroughly discusses the content of the course
to achieve its desired learning outcomes in the best way possible, which are specified on
knowledge, skills, and values. With these target objectives, you are guided on what you
have to acquire.
This coursework provides learning activities that are related to real-life situations
and experiences to make your learning meaningful. The activities are developmentally
appropriate for you to arouse your motivation and interest in learning. You are also given
an opportunity to explore more of your potential, especially in communicating effectively
and appropriately to multicultural audiences for various purposes.
Through this coursework, it is hoped that you would become a relevant and
effective communicator in a multicultural world and help you achieve your academic and
professional goals.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 3

 A Coursework in Development Communication

OBJECTIVES
The development of this coursework is in accordance with the learning
competencies set by CHED for Development Communication. As mentioned in the
preceding part, the desired outcomes of the subject are specified on knowledge, skills,
and values.
At the end of this coursework, you are expected to:
1. describe the environment, major issues, problems, and trends of development and
underdevelopment;
2. discuss basic concepts, models, and principles of development and
communication;
3. explain the functions of communication in development;
4. define the meaning, core values, domains, and areas of development
communication; and
5. identify the roles and competencies of a development communicator.

This coursework is designed to help students practice of applying processes,

strategies, and principles of communication to achieve positive social change and to
understand different issues of the society and deepen their understanding how
communication develops the lives of many. It also includes information dissemination and
education, behavior change, social marketing, social mobilization, media advocacy,
communication for social change and community participation.
Since this coursework is self-instructional, you need to work independently. It only
means that you need to read, analyze, and reflect on everything presented in every
coursework. The learning tasks/activities and assessments/quizzes are provided to help
you assess your progress and understanding on the lessons as you go through the
module. Your answers to these activities and quizzes will be checked by your instructor
or mentor.
Explore, discover, and learn about Development Communication at your own pace.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 4

 A Coursework in Development Communication

UNIT 2
COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS
AND PRINCIPLES

At the end of this coursework, you shall have:

1. Explain the primary roles of communication in development;
2. Discuss the communication issues and trends; and
3. Apply the importance of communication in our lives.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 5

 A Coursework in Development Communication

Lesson 7

Media of Communication
Learning Objectives:
After studying this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Give the advantages and limitations of the various communication
media;
2. Explain how the various media are used; and
3. Discuss the implications of new communication technology
on development.

R
E
NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS
A
D

INTRODUCTION

B efore we go into the nature and characteristics of specific mass media,

let’s look at the interpersonal media and mass media first.
INTERPERSONAL
CHARACTERISTICS MASS MEDIA
MEDIA
Senses stimulated at a time All senses Limited to one or two
Opportunity for feedback Maximum, immediate Minimum, delayed
Control of pace Controllable Uncontrolled
Message codes used Verbal and non-verbal Highly-verbal
Multiplicative power Slow Fast
Direction of message flow Two-way One-way
Message accuracy Low High
Power to preserve a
Low High
message
Ability to select receiver High Low
Ability to overcome
High Low
selectivity and noise

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 6

 A Coursework in Development Communication

Ability to meet specialized

Served specialized needs Serves common needs
needs
Speed to a large audience Low High
Possible effects Attitude and action change Knowledge gain
Figure 7.1 Interpersonal media and mass media

From the table, it is easy to see why interpersonal communication media are
more suitable in some situations than mass media channels.

What’s a good example of this?

In a science classroom situation where students need immediate feedback, an

interpersonal channel such as a lab instructor will be able to fill this need much
better than a mass media channel such as a video tape and video playback system.
The instructor is better able to encourage two-way discussion with participants,
control the pace of learning, meet specialized needs (e.g., draw out the shy students),
and move them to a quieter/cooler room when needed (i.e., ability to overcome noise).

On the other hand, mass media channels reach out faster to large groups in
times of emergency. Radio and TV have a special role to play during times of man-
made calamity, natural disaster, or national crisis.

Furthermore, because of mass media’s power to accurately preserve a

message, they have become important tools in the documentation of scientific data.
Even in the social sciences, the mass media have become indispensable. Can you think
of examples?

Well, tribal groups with an oral tradition pass on their history around
campfires or as they trek across kilometers of forest land. This tradition is altered
or lost as the people who preserve it die or fail to accurately pass on the stories
from their past. Now, anthropologists can get all these down on video and prepare a
written history available to all and preserved for generations to come.

The important thing to remember in all this is that, we should understand the
strengths and weaknesses of both interpersonal and mass media so that we can
decide when to use one and skip the other (or use both!) in any given communication
situation.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 7

 A Coursework in Development Communication

A quick look at data from the Philippine Information Agency will show that
radio still tops the list as the most relied upon, most used, and most depended on for
current events/issues (PIA, 1997). Of course, these are national averages. With this
in mind, let us proceed with our discussion of the advantages and limitations of the
mass media most commonly used in development communication.

RADIO
Radio is available in almost all countries, reaching mass audiences cheaply and
rapidly (Barghouti, 1973). Among its advantages, radio:
1. is available and affordable—even in remote communities
2. can repeat messages at low cost
3. reaches illiterate audiences
4. supports other communication channels
5. announces events and developments as they happen
6. is flexible in style (ranging from drama to lectures, folk songs to interviews)
7. creates awareness and sets agenda of priorities for people’s attention.
On the other hand, among its main disadvantages are that radio cannot:

1. illustrate complicated technical concepts

2. gauge immediate audience reaction, participation, or interest in messages
broadcast
3. provide or respond to immediate feedback
4. repeat messages upon demand
5. pace itself according to audience needs
6. overcome some geographical barriers (such as high mountain ranges) to
reach the remotest communities.

Because of these limitations, development communication depends more often

on community radio stations that prepare broadcast for specific audience groups.
These community radio stations cover local events, explain and promote local
projects and development efforts. At the same time, these stations continue to
provide some national coverage, striving all the time to strike a balance between
national and local coverage.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 8

 A Coursework in Development Communication

The UNESCO Tambuli projects have placed radio transmitters in small

communities in an effort to provide a community medium for the exchange and
dissemination of important community information. Tambuli radio stations are an
example of narrow casting where the broadcast area is the size of a small to medium
sized community. The residents pick up the broadcasts over their regular radio units
but the information they receive is highly tailored to their knees as well as those of
their communities.

Another broadcast effort is the Community Audio Tower System or CATS,

which was part of a FAO-UNESCO project implemented by the Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).
Here, participating communities received karaoke sets hooked up to four loud
speakers attached to a high pole outside the barangay hall. Development programs
are then broadcast through this system, reaching the barangays and some nearby
communities.

The community broadcasting effort with an unusual twist was the project
Enabling Rural Women to Participate in Development: The Case of Women’s Radio
Philippines. Sponsored by the International Development Research Center, the
project equipped rural women to participate in development broadcasting.

Trained to produce their own radio programs, the project enabled the women
to convey information about their needs, problems, values, and attitudes. More than
this, it gave them a venue to explore their views and suggestions on how to solve
their problems.

It is important to note that in these and similar efforts, development

communicators equip the people of participating communities to run and manage the
equipment as well as write and produce the programs. This helps ensure the
localization of the programs and gives the people of the communities a sense of
ownership and control over the medium.

TELEVISION
The beauty of television lies in its ability to communicate or explain
complicated messages because of its combination of sound and picture (Barghouti,

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 9

 A Coursework in Development Communication

1975). Among the mass media, it is the closest to face-to-face communication and is
successful in reaching out to both literate and illiterate audiences.

The main disadvantage, of course, is accessibility and availability. In areas

where television sets are available, reception may be poor. On the other hand, in
areas where reception is good, a poor family may have no access to a television set.

Other disadvantages include (Barghouti, 1975):

1. Educational/development shows face severe competition from entertainment

programs.
2. Preparation of development communication programs for TV requires much
planning, preparation, technical, creative, and communication skills than for
other media.
3. It costs plenty of money to produce and air TV programs.

With these disadvantages, what are the options for development

communication? Right now, development communicators have two options: (1) educate
staff of national television stations so that they can find ways of using TV for
development purposes, and (2) explore local television alternatives such as
community cable stations.

NEWSPAPERS
Philippine Information Agency data show that fewer Filipinos read the
newspapers than listen to the radio or watch TV. Nevertheless, development
communication uses newspapers because, according to Barghouti (1973), they can
present technical data in clearly designed text and provide detailed information.
Furthermore, he feels that important topics can be covered in a series of articles.
Newspapers are still influential in creating awareness and mobilizing public opinion.
And, like other print media, articles can be shared or kept as reference materials.
What are the disadvantages of newspapers in dev com work? One glaring
disadvantage is that its audience is limited to those who can read. Furthermore,
current prices make a newspaper relatively expensive. Also, it represents one-way
communication as feedback is difficult to monitor. With the high cost of production,
it is difficult for small communities or businesses to publish newspapers.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 10

 A Coursework in Development Communication

CINEMA
We would all agree with Barghouti (1973) that cinema has the power to catch
attention, reach big audiences, can be relatively cheap to show, and can reach even
the lowest strata in most developing countries. In some countries, it can be expensive
to view and any educational messages may end up buried in a plot that is primarily
meant to be entertaining. For us, to use cinema as a medium would require much time
and money. The film should have popular appeal, can be inexpensively distributed,
and yet clearly contain developmental messages.

OTHER MEDIA
Barghouti (1975) also lists other media that are useful in the dissemination of
development messages. He lists their main advantages and disadvantages, then
comments on how they can be best used for development purposes. The next table
(Table 6.2) is based on a compilation prepared by Johns Hopkins University staff
(for their training course on Strategic Communication Planning for Family Health)
from Barghouti’s list.
These include video fora, filmstrips, slides, flipcharts, and flannel boards.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 11

 A Coursework in Development Communication

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 12

 A Coursework in Development Communication

Figure 7.2 Advantages and disadvantages of using various media

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT)

There are many new information and communication technologies (ICT) being
generated, that it is difficult to keep track of them all. However, the following is a
table adapted from Marken’s Office Systems (1990). It should give you an idea of
when to use these relatively old ICT.

Figure 7.3 Comparison of media presentation

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 13

 A Coursework in Development Communication

SUMMARY
Each medium used in development communication has advantages and
limitations. It is important for us as students of development communication to
understand when and how to use these media to best achieve our objectives.
Furthermore, it is important that we understand information and communication
technologies so that we are able to (1) use them for the benefit of society, (2)
equip others and ourselves, and (3) prepare for their influence/impacts on our
work.

REFERENCES
Barghouti, S.M. (1973). Reaching rural families in East Africa. Nairobi:FAO.
Gomez, E.D. (1993). Enabling Rural Women to Participate in Development. The case
of women’s radio (Philippines). IDC Faculty Paper Series. IDC: Los Baños.
Gross, N. (1997). Into the wild frontier. Business Week. New York: McGraw Hill
Companies.
Johns Hopkins University. (1997). Pros and cons of different media, materials, and
techniques for communication support. Handout for Strategic Communication
for Family Health Training.
Marken, G.A. (1990). Visual aids strengthen in-house presentations. Office Systems.
Morino Institute. (1995). The promise and challenge of a new communication Age.
Accessed 26 April 2006 from http://www.morino.org/under_sp_pro.asp.
Philippine Information Agency Media Studies Division. (1996).
Philippine Media Profile. Quezon City: PIA.

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 14

 A Coursework in Development Communication

ASSESSMENT

Directions: Based on your experience and knowledge, answer the following questions:
1. Which medium do households all over the Philippines most commonly own?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____

2. Which medium do households least commonly own over the Philippines?

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 15

 A Coursework in Development Communication

3. Which medium are most Filipinos exposed to? Which medium are they least
exposed to?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

4. Which medium do they depend on most for information on current events/issues?

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

GE-DC (DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION) – FIRST SEMESTER, A.Y. 2020-2021 16