Definition of Development Communication (according to Quedral)

Dr. Nora Cruz Quedral of UPLB defined Development Communication in 2012 as “the science
of human communication linked to the transitioning of communities from poverty in all its forms to a
dynamic, overall growth that fosters equity and the unfolding of the individual potential.”

What Development Communication is Not…

1. …Publicity per se or getting the maximum media exposure for someone or something for
image-building – Development communication uses media only for the purpose of stimulating
public awareness and understanding of planned change.
2. …Mass communication alone – Development communication uses any available channel that
will achieve its goals.
3. …Just a slide-set, a leaflet, or a seminar – Development communication is an approach or a
point of view that analyzes all aspects of the problem.
4. …Source-oriented but audience-oriented – Development communication’s priority is to think of
ways on how to make people understand and use information to improve their lives.
5. …Only an exercise of profession but a commitment to social goals – A development
communication practitioner is a social worker with a sense of mission to mankind, his country,
and the ideals of development.

Lent’s Perspective of Development Communication

John Lent’s Perspective (1977): Lent observes that development communication can impinge
press freedom, and has been used as a government tool by the control of media in planning and
implementing national development strategies. He maintains that it can both be a watchdog or a lapdog
of the government.

Cybernetic Definition of Development Communication

Cybernetics is the study of human/machine interaction guided by the principle that numerous
different type of systems can be studied according to principles of feedback, control, and
communication. As Development Communication is understood and described as a communication
with a social conscience, it can be derived that cybernetics is associated with it in terms of social
science studies and as a communication theory.

Values of Development Communication

1. Purposive Communication. We communicate not only to inform but also to influence the
behavior of the receiver of information.
2. Pragmatic. To be pragmatic means being results-oriented. We evaluate if we indeed made an
impact, if we accomplished our purpose.
3. Value-Laden. Information sources, consciously or unconsciously, assign values to every
message they communicate.

Historical Perspective of Development Communication and Allied Fields

 1954 – Development Communication began at the Office of Extension and Publications of the
College of Agriculture of the University of the Philippines.
 1960 – Erskin Childers took up the methodology of communication appraisal, planning,
production and evaluation for selected developing country projects supported by the United
Nations Development Program and the UNICEF.
 1962 – The Office of Extension and Publications was converted into the Department of
Agricultural Information and Communications under the College of Agriculture, and its first
curricular offering was the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications.
 1965 – Master’s degree program for agricultural communications was offered.
 1968 – The Department of Agricultural Information and Communications was renamed into
Department of Agricultural Communications.
 1970 – Nora C. Quebral, then Chair of the Department of Agricultural Communications of the
University of the Philippines College of Agriculture, pursued Childers’ idea of development
support communication.
 1973 – The agricultural communication’s master’s program was reconstituted into a
Development Communication program.
 1974 – The undergraduate curriculum in development communication was instituted.
 1975 – The Department of Development Communication was born.
 1977 – The doctoral program for Development Communication was offered.
 1987 – The Department of Development Communication grew into an Institute.
 1998 – The Institute of Development Communication was elevated into a College of
Development Communication

Allied Fields
 Development Journalism
 Development Support Communication
 Mass Communication
 Communication Arts
 Advertising
 Agricultural Extension
 Sociology
 Anthropology
 Economics
 Psychology