UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF MEDIA

STUDIES

DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
PREPARED BY: DR.KAMALJEET KAUR

Theories of Development communication

DISCOVER . LEARN . EMPOWER
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 Lecture Objectives
1 To understand about the various theories of .

2 To be aware about the roles & responsibilities of Journalist in

developing countries.

3 To know the requirement of development communication.

lecture Outcomes
LO ELEMENTS Level
Number
LO1 To understand development and its various aspects  Apply
LO2 To be aware about the roles & responsibilities of Journalist
in developing countries Analys
e Development Communication
 

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Development Communication Theory
• The main idea behind development communication theory is media
for development of people in a nation or to help the target population.
• Communication seeks to serve the people without manipulation and
encourage genuine response.
• There is no propaganda as ulterior motive of communication.
• Communication is to develop critical consciousness which can be
about self-responsibility, social conscience and self-determination for
right judgments and for social communication.
• The theory was used for social change.
Development Communication Theory
• Explanation of Development Communication Theory
• Development used to be taken as bridging the disparity between the
so-called 1st world and the 3rd world countries before the 20th century.
• Development was believed to be the process which made the third world
countries follow the first world countries/ western countries, which were
considered to be fully developed.
• The under-developed countries had to follow their kind of political and
economic systems, like heavy industries, capital intensive technology, etc.
• All other countries had to replicate a single form of development process
which was practiced in some specific countries.
Development Communication Theory
• Thus, development was linked with Westernization.
• Development communication was at first based on the developmental theory
of westernization but later had its own basis in the developmental theory of
modernization (1950s)
• The definition of development communication has been evolving with time
from considering people as audiences who were to be influenced (one way)
and the process rooted in the SMCR Model. 
• The unilateral communication flow was criticized for cultural imperialism.
• The socially engineered messages were disseminated for a propaganda to
control the culture of the poor countries by glorifying the conditions of the
rich nations.
Development Communication Theory
• The theory focused on passive audience which was not participatory.
• This gave the notion that development was being, like the developed
countries, one way influence.
• After that, the aspect of feedback was added.
• Then, communication was said to be horizontal.
• Today, development communication is about working for local
development and creating opportunities.
• Its objective is to uplift the quality of life of people not only economically
but also socially, culturally, politically, etc. by using the tools of
development communication.
Development Communication Theory
• The theory later became known for its use in the developing and
under developed countries.
• The concept of participation was later added which paved the way for
model to be used for social change, development communication and
democratic-participant communication theory.
• Development communications process can be adjusted according to
the needs, which improves the program as a learning process, as the
concept of development communication is continuously evolving.
Development Communication Theory
Major Features of Development Communication Theory
•  Development roles and objectives
•  To help people
•  No manipulation or propaganda
•  Generates genuine response from the audience
•  Used to develop critical consciousness
•  Self-responsibility and self-determination
•  Two way communication flow
• Uses development communication tools
Development Communication Theory
Strengths of Development Communication Theory
• Specified tools for communication makes communication effective.
• Helps in international development projects.
• Participation in communication media makes it inclusive.
Weaknesses of Development Communication Theory
• It enforces westernization more than modernization.
• Cultural hegemony is occurred through development communication
implementation.
Theories of Development communication
• Economic,
• Political
• Psychological
• Sociological
• Others

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Economic theory
• During the 1950s economic analysts rejected wealth distribution from rich to poor
countries as the source of economic progress in favor of the notion of growth.
• Walt Rostow's The Stages of Economic Growth (1960) was very influential through
the early 1960s
• five successive stages:
• (1) traditional society,
• (2) preconditions for "takeoff,“
• (3) "takeoff,“
• (4) "drive toward maturity," and
• (5) self-sustained growth
Psychological theories
• Although economists commonly interpreted development to mean
broad changes in the social and economic structure of a country,
psychologists approached the problem at the level of the individual,
taking development to be a problem of "modernization" of the people
and not just of abstract macro-social or macro-economic structures.
• Few could deny the importance for development of individual level
changes, but experience was showing that in many cases social
structures were much more difficult to change than at first had been
imagined, and even willing and able individuals or groups could often
make little or no significant changes in their social environment

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Communication theories of development
• Another group of social scientists addressed development from a
different perspective.
• Considering communication as one factor affecting a central process
deemed to be social, psychological, political, or of any other nature
• communication to be at the centre of the development process
• Incorporating all other aspects in one form or another.

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 BOOKs & REFERENCES
Text Books:-Nibedita Phukan , Development Communication: 

Online References
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1041&context=tepas

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 Assessment Pattern
• Internal Examination
• External Examination
• Assignments
• Quiz
• Tutorial
• Surprise Test

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Summary
• Theories of Development communication
• Concept of various theories.

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THANK YOU

For queries
E-mail ID:- kamaljeet.e7384@cumail.in

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