Module 9. Definition of DevCom

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OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

  1. explain the concept of development communication in your own words;
  2. discuss the uniqueness and similarity of devcom with other allied fields;
  3. relate how development communication started as a field of study; and give an example of how it is implemented.

ACTIVITY 9

The simplest, most concise and most elegant definition of development communication that I have ever read was that of Nora C. Quebral’s in the Development Communication Primer (Quebral and Gomez, 1976). In it, Quebral states: “Development communication is communication for planned social change.”

Are you able to expound on this?

In my almost 16 years of teaching at the UPLB College of Development Communication, I have seen former students buckle under pressure as they attempt in vain to give a satisfactory definition of development communication using their own terms. Most of these instances occurred while being interviewed for a job. In one instance, a student was being interviewed as a finalist in a beauty contest aired over national television.

Will you be able to fare better? Imagine yourself being asked to define your field using your own words in a job interview?

ANSWER:

For me, development communication is both an art and a science of human communication. It is an art because dev com demands creativity in conveying messages through various communication media, materials, in diverse ways and styles, aiming to capture the attention of our audience. It is a social science because it employs scientific methods to make decisions and plan how to effectively communicate messages.

It is also human communication because the key players in dev com are people, not animals or machines, but humans.

Dev com is not just about publicity, not limited to mass communication, not only about materials or seminars, but is audience-oriented. It emphasizes that dev com is not just a profession but a commitment to social goals.

Unlike other communication fields, Dev Com helps resolve societal problems rather than merely discussing or reporting them. For instance, in Communication Arts, the difference lies in the aim, with Communication Arts acculturating and dev com educating. Similarly, compared to Mass Communication, dev com deviates in orientation, being message-centric and receiver-oriented. The same applies to advertising; while we share the purpose of informing and persuading, dev com offers alternatives for decision-making. Dev com goes beyond reporting; it focuses on addressing societal issues, viewing development as a community effort, using communication as the vehicle to tackle challenges like poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, malnutrition, etc.

Dev com is purposive; we communicate not just to inform but to influence the receiver of our message, with specific goals and desired outcomes.

Dev com is pragmatic or results-oriented, focusing on evaluating impact and success factors.

Dev com is value-laden; messages carry assigned values that may change over time. We have a bias toward the marginalized, focusing on development.

For me, development communicators are scientists communicating with a heart, dedicated to improving people’s lives by providing the right information at the right time and place. Our bias is aligned with the goals we aim to achieve the SDGs. Our communication goal is addressing the relationship between humans and its environment.

NOTES:

  • Quebral’s Definition of Development Communication:
    • Art and Science: Requires creativity and systematic methods.
    • Human Communication: Involves interpersonal and mass media communication at various levels.
    • Speedy Transformation: Acts as a catalyst for social change, achieving results faster.
    • People: Focuses on motivating individuals and groups for behavioral change.
    • Poverty: Addresses the challenge of poverty through targeted communication.
    • Dynamic State of Economic Growth, Greater Social Equality, and Larger Fulfillment of Human Potential: Aims for triple bottom line goals in sustainable development.
    • What Dev Com is Not: Clarifies that dev com is not just publicity, not limited to mass communication, not only about materials or seminars, audience-oriented, and not just a profession but a commitment to social goals.
  • Lent’s Perspective:
    • Clash of Values: Highlights the clash between using dev com as a watchdog or a lapdog of the government.
    • Government Control: Describes how governments in developing countries may use media control as a tool for national development.
  • Cybernatic Definition:
    • Social Cybernetics: Views dev com as communication that prevents or corrects deviation from the prescribed social path.
    • Ideal or End States: Aims for total development and constant movement towards perfection.
    • Negentropic: Counters entropy in social systems through information exchange.
  • Convergence and Cybernetics:
    • Convergence Theory: Discusses the convergence of midpoints in communication for mutual understanding.
    • Point of Reference: Considers the nearest point within the prescribed path in development communication.
  • Values of Development Communication:
    • Purposive: Communication with specific goals and desired outcomes.
    • Pragmatic: Results-oriented, with a focus on evaluating impact and success factors.
    • Value-laden: Messages carry assigned values, which may change over time.
  • Four Requisite Values in Philippine Development (Four Es of Dev Com):
    • Empowerment
    • Environmentalism
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Equity
  • Dev Com and Allied Fields:
    • Mass Communication: Deviates in orientation, with dev com being message-centric and receiver-oriented.
    • Communication Arts: Differs in aim, with communication arts acculturating and dev com educating.
    • Advertising: Shared purpose of informing and persuading but dev com offers alternatives for decision-making.
    • Agricultural Extension: Both aim at economic development but differ in origin and scope.
  • Historical Perspective:
    • Development communication originated from agricultural communication.
    • Evolved in response to the political environment during Martial Law, expanding to address various development concerns.
    • Institutional history traces the evolution of the College of Development Communication at UP Los Baños.
  • Development Communication Defined:
    • Quebral’s definition: The art and science of human communication applied to the rapid transformation of a country and its people from poverty to economic growth.
    • Lent’s perspective: Development communication can act as both a watchdog and lapdog of the government.
    • UPLB Chancellor’s succinct description: “Communication with a social conscience.”