The Drum Beat 400 - Big Time Participation

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We are excited to announce that this is our 400th issue of The Drum Beat! Through The CI processes, we seek to support you in accessing the information and knowledge you need when you need it, engaging peers for critical support, reflecting on strategic thinking that underpins your work, and negotiating partnerships to improve your development efforts as you want them to be improved. Thank you for being a part of this process.

In this 400th issue you will find some personal reflections from Warren Feek on the state of participatory communication, as well as an update on The CI processes and new developments.

We are, as always, indebted to you as part of this growing network and to the Partner organisations that strategically guide and financially support this initiative. Thank you. 

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Big Time Participation!

It is always interesting to observe the facial expressions and body language of non-communicators in a meeting when the communicator present says something along the lines of "what we need is a participatory process!" Or they provide their assessment that the programme that is the focus of the meeting is not working because there is "insufficient participation". Or any other variation on that central point. There are myriad ways in which the participatory view is marginalised at best and ignored at worst. Cell phones suddenly need to be checked. Bathrooms call. Phrases like "but on the substantive issues", "within the time frame available", "measurable", "practical", "research driven", etc., spout into the ether. Faces appear to go blank. Or the meeting just continues on the track it was on before the 'participation' thought was uttered.

Well - what better time than the celebration of the 400th issue of The Drum Beat magazine to highlight to our economist, physical sciences, medical, legal, MBA and other respected discipline colleagues and partners who are engaged in local, national, and international development decision making that Participation Time has come. Can I respectfully suggest that they "move right on over in the development pool, baby - participation is diving in big time - Yee haa!"

OK - that felt good! But why the irrational (perhaps crazy in the view of some people) exuberance? Four pieces of recent communication and media evidence for the development jury:

1. If it is good enough for the most competitive global businesses then it should be good enough for local, national, and international development.

The recent, best selling book "Wikinomics - How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything," by Tapscott and Williams clearly demonstrates how the most competitive companies in the harshest marketplaces are using participatory processes to make a lot more money. The new technologies enable and support them to do that, of course. But what is most interesting is how these companies - from mining and exploration to service delivery - have harnessed those technologies to improve their effectiveness and efficiency through participatory communication processes. And they have only just begun. This is the trend. So, when someone says to you that a participatory approach is neither efficient nor effective, you can read and quote this book and respectively suggest that they also ride this important wave. Or risk getting dumped in the churning waters.

[For information on this book, click here.]

2. If The World Bank says participation is centrally important for effective HIV/AIDS action, then let's ramp up overall participatory action immediately!

The World Bank is of course dominated by that very special species known collectively as "economists"! Many consider that that discipline has been the most dismissive of "participatory communication and media". Those of us rowing the communication boat always seem to be asked by economists to "attribute causality", "quantify impact", "develop metrics", and a full range of other factors, before we are even allowed into the same development harbour of luxury yachts skippered and crewed by economists. So, imagine my double take - looked, looked away, shook my head and looked again through squinting eyes - as I read this in a press release from The World Bank:

"A new World Bank report on HIV/AIDS launched today in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, says the mobilization of empowered 'grassroots' communities, along with delivering condoms and life-saving treatments, are beginning to slow the pace of the continent's epidemic."

That is participatory communication, my friends - well, the World Bank phrase for participatory communication - "empowered grass roots communities"! Not only does it put participatory communication in the same harbour as physical products [condoms] and the bio-medical folks [life saving treatments] but we are the lead boat! And this on HIV/AIDS, which is generally recognised as one of the most difficult and serious development issues.

[For a full summary and links to the World Bank report "The Africa Multi-Country AIDS Program 2000-2006: Results of the World Bank's Response to a Development Crisis", click here.]

3. If the past teaches then we should learn from it - let's take the media and civil rights, for example.

A key component of participation is voice - whose voice [experiences, perspectives, ideas, analysis, accents, stresses, and roots] is predominantly expressed in the debate, dialogue, and decision making around key development issues. Too often we hear the "bureaucrat" and the "personality" at the cost of the fisherman, market stall seller, and truck driver. But how can we assess the effectiveness [man, I sound like an economist!] of whose voice predominates?

In their recent book "The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation," authors Roberts and Klibanoff do us all a huge favour. They clearly and compellingly demonstrate the central and vital role of the Black Media for the effectiveness of the United States Civil Rights struggle in the 1940s through the 1970s. A Black media that gave voice to the Black experience, analysis, ideas, and aspirations. A struggle that countered the most difficult economic and cultural obstacles. One of the great economic and social change struggles and achievements of our era. Still much to do, of course, but let's recognise achievement. And in this Pulitzer Prize winning study and book, the authors show beyond any shadow of doubt that it was the voice and organisational platform provided by the Black media, particularly at the local level, that was a central driver of this change and development process.

[For information on "Race Beat", click here.]

4. Uh Oh - the WHOLE WORLD is participating...

OK - that was an admittedly attention grabbing over-exaggeration! But think about the trend. Email - wow - can reach anyone; instant messaging - wow again - real time chat; YouTube - share and discuss your video; message boards; online communities - "old wooden boat owners"; blogs - not only read what someone wrote but rate and discuss it; kids' virtual community spaces; playing online games across continents; and so on.

For virtually any global interest that you can name there will be an online gathering point[s] where people share, discuss, and increasingly organise in pursuit of their interest - from the frivolous to the deadly serious. But we have not seen anything yet - some of the participatory communication plans I saw at a recent Silicon Valley meeting of organisations involved in this work are really remarkable. And as the technologies improve, speed up, and spread out and the costs come down - in particular, broadband access and cost - more and more people and organisations will participate.

Participatory networks will grow and strengthen. Hierarchical organisations will diminish and weaken. And the virtual online will morph with the face-to-face communication.

There we have it - 4 really important trends, arguments, data, and history (and far too many water-based metaphors) for why participatory communication will become front and centre in local, national, and international development. Not "should become" or "might become" or "could become" - but "WILL become". Not only because participatory communication is vital from the perspective of principles and ethics. But because it works. And, because the conditions are now right for tremendous growth in this approach to local, national, and international development.

Which brings me to that old saying - "Beware what you wish for!" With this trend comes any number of significant challenges. Let's hope that we media and communication folks are not the ones in the future who raise eyebrows, check cell phones, head for bathrooms, ignore comments, and just move on, regardless, as our views and ideas are questioned. But more of that later - over the next 100 issues of The Drum Beat! Should be a hell of a [boat] ride!

Finally, let me also take the opportunity of this 400th issue to thank everyone - Network, Partners, Staff and others involved with The CI Partnership process - it is you who make it happen. Below is an update on those efforts and who is now doing what within The CI staff. Thanks.

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative
June 22 2007

PLEASE NOTE: if you'd like to comment on this issue of The Drum Beat, please either fill out the comments form at the bottom of this page or email Warren directly at wfeek@comminit.com We would love to share your perspectives as published reviews of this issue. Many thanks!

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Participate in a POLL

Media reform is a free-standing social movement.

[For context, please see The Drum Beat #397.]

Do you agree or disagree?

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THE CI PROCESS

The Communication Initiative network is an online space for sharing the experiences of, and building bridges between, the people and organisations engaged in or supporting communication as a fundamental strategy for social development and change. It does this through a process of initiating dialogue and debate and giving the network a stronger, more representative, and informed voice with which to advance the use and improve the impact of communication for development. This process is supported by a web-based knowledge base of summarised information and several electronic publications, as well as research, review, and discussion platforms providing insight into communication for development experiences. Currently, The CI network process includes: The Communication Initiative - in English, with a worldwide overview and focus; La Iniciativa de Comunicación - in Spanish, with a worldwide overview and focus on the Latin American experience and context; and, Soul Beat Africa - in English, with a focus on the African experience and context.

The Communication Initiative is strategically and financially supported by a group of 28 Partners, including: ANDI, BBC World Service Trust, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Calandria, CFSC Consortium, CIDA, DFID, FAO, Fundación Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano, Ford Foundation, Healthlink Worldwide, Inter-American Development Bank, International Institute for Communication and Development, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs, MISA, PAHO, The Panos Institute, The Rockefeller Foundation, SAfAIDS, Sesame Workshop, Soul City, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNICEF, USAID, WHO, W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

THE NETWORK

The CI network continues to grow as more and more people and organisations subscribe to our e-publications and comparatively few people unsubscribe. From available data, there are people in over 195 countries working on the full range of issues [from agriculture to rights] and with the full spectrum of communication tools [from local festivals to global web-networks] and approaches [from marketing to community participation] and from a broad set of organisational bases [from the United Nations system to volunteer work in a local community]. Approximately 75% are in non-Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) participating countries; approximately 80% are development communicators; and approximately 20% work through other disciplines with an interest in communication.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

One main aspect of The CI network process is the summary of experiences, opportunities, challenges, and thinking in the development communication field. Our aim is that this information flow primarily from people and organisations in the network - people seeking to have their communication programme initiatives, research results, training programmes, books, papers, and other knowledge shared and used by their peers through The CI interactive and dissemination processes - to others within the network. Following our editorial policies, we continue the principle of attempting to put all knowledge submitted onto the relevant site based on the principle that users themselves will decide what is most useful and relevant to them. It is not our purpose to select and promote what is "best" through our websites. The CI provides the knowledge base and search processes so that people in the network can very quickly find and connect with the information and people that are most useful to them.

THE DRUM BEAT

The Communication Initiative began publication of The Drum Beat September 1 1998; we have been able to distribute information on over 4,000 programme initiatives, evaluations, research results, opportunities, books, and papers related to communication for development, and to direct readers to numerous other projects and publications on our website. To subscribe, click here. For further information, contact dheimann@comminit.com

COMMENTARY

Beginning February 2 2004 and over the past 3 years The Communication Initiative has developed a series of commentaries or "analysis" Drum Beats which are meant to spur discussion and dialogue online (through our discussion forum and polls), in your work contexts, and perhaps even around the "water coolers" during breaks. We hope to continue to build this collection of insights and analyses through one issue of The Drum Beat each month. For further information or to contribute, contact dheimann@comminit.com

SON DE TAMBORA

174 issues of Son de Tambora have been published by La Iniciativa de Comunicación since launching June 27 2001. This has enabled La Iniciativa de Comunicación to distribute information on over 1,900 programme initiatives, evaluations, research results, opportunities, books, and papers related to communication for development, and to direct readers to the other knowledge shared through the website. Son de Tambora publishes periodic "analysis" issues as well. To subscribe, click here. For further information, contact Juana Marulanda jmarulanda@comminit.com

THE SOUL BEAT

86 issues of The Soul Beat have been issued by Soul Beat Africa since launching September 10 2003. This has enabled Soul Beat Africa to distribute information on over 1,000 programme initiatives, evaluations, research results, opportunities, books, and papers related to communication for development, and to direct readers to the other knowledge shared through the website. Though "analysis" Soul Beats have not yet been launched, plans are to do so within the next year. To subscribe, click here. For further information, contact Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com

REDESIGN

We are in the end stages of a redesign of our public "face" of our websites as well as our entire data structure within them. Once we launch our redesigned sites, you will notice changes in URLs and in the location of information. Every effort will be made to ensure that all of the up-to-date information on the websites is still available to you, regardless of these changes. We will let you know more about this, through The Drum Beat, as we get closer to our launch.

THE TEAM

Though many of you are familiar with members of our team(s), we wanted to acknowledge everyone who is currently working hands-on to make sure The CI process exists and grows.

Current Team:

Adelaida Trujillo, Director - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Anja Venth, Editorial Director - Soul Beat Africa
Carlos Arturo Mejía, Translator - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Chris Morry, Director - Coordination and Special Projects - The Communication Initiative
Claudia Nieto, Assistant Director and Researcher - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Daniel Valbuena, Technical Coordinator, La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Deanna Brotherston, Network Manager - The Communication Initiative
Deborah Heimann, Director - Editorial Policy and Content - The Communication Initiative
Gladys Riano, Network Coordinator, Researcher - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Jair Vega, Universidad del Norte (Consultant) - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Jason Edge, Web Designer (Consultant) - The Communication Initiative
Jennifer Savidge, Vacancies Co-Manager (VIDEA) - The Communication Initiative
Jonathan Schlackl, Sr. Developer (Consultant) - The Communication Initiative
Juana Marulanda, Editorial Director - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Julie Levy, Editor - The Communication Initiative
Kier Olsen DeVries, Senior Editor - The Communication Initiative
Kiyuri Naicker, Coordinator of the Polio Project (VIDEA) - The Communication Initiative
Lesley Palmer, Vacancies Co-Manager and Avian Influenza point person (VIDEA) - The Communication Initiative
Ligia Macias, Researcher - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Liliana Sandoval, Administrator - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Lucero Soacha, Red Salud Coordinator - La Iniciativa de Comunicación
Mike DeWolfe, Technical Team Leader and PHP Developer - The Communication Initiative
Nedjo Rogers, Drupal Programmer (Consultant) - The Communication Initiative
Nombuso Dlamini, Senior Journalist - Soul Beat Africa
Nsiki Mfeka, Intern - Soul Beat Africa
Reboot Consulting, (Consultant) - The Communication Initiative
Seipati Fountain, Online Writer - Soul Beat Africa
Titus Moetsabi, Director - Soul Beat Africa
Victoria Martin, Administrator and Co-Owner - The Communication Initiative
Warren Feek, Executive Director and Co-Owner - The Communication Initiative

Not mentioned above are various individuals who have contributed their time and energy to The CI process over the years - we are grateful to them.

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The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

Please send material for The Drum Beat to the Editor - Deborah Heimann dheimann@comminit.com

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