The Drum Beat 54 - Strategy

STRATEGY - WHAT STRATEGY?



In the Drum Beat and Media Beat we cover interesting communication programmes, impact data, web sites, interactive fora, gatherings, communication trends and news reports on development issues. Which begs the question - what does all of this add up to? Given that organisations have finite human resources and budgets, what is the best investment they can make for effective and efficient communication for development? When the issues are big and the resources are small, what is the best we can do? Which strategy should we pursue? This Drum Beat provides some insights into strategic issues. Those insights are grounded in practical experience and observations about general development and communication trends.



Access the URLs for the full papers on the web site. And please send us your presentations on strategic issues.



1. VOICES OF THE PEOPLE - a report on experiences of participatory communication for social change - Alfonso Gumucio. Includes numerous case descriptions.



Extracts:

Selection criteria for the projects that form the information base for the strategy described: Established experiences, not only projects; Community driven communication process; Community ownership of media; Strengthening democratic values & peace Reinforcing cultural identity & principles; Rooted in social development;
Innovative alliances & networking; Not only successful, also failures.



Question of identity: Participatory communication contributes to install cultural pride and self-esteem; It reinforces the social tissue through the strengthening of indigenous & local forms of organization; It protects traditions and cultural values, while being able to incorporate new elements.

2. I'M SPEAKING BUT WHO'S LISTENING - Communicating for Social Change - Muthoni Wanyeki. Includes two case studies.



Extracts:

Whose `knowledge'? - Assuming knowledge within the `communities' with whom we work is the point of `participation'. Participation is key for the success of communications geared towards behaviour change: the input of external knowledge communications as a window.
Participation is also key for the success of communications geared towards organisational or systemic change: the validation of, output of and action upon internal knowledge communications as a mirror.



Scale recognises the value of the multiplicity of `community' experiences:
scale is not necessarily about having every `community' work on every issue
at every level; scale is not about expanding or replicating a `community'
experience at the national, regional or international levels; scale has to
do with linking `communities' with similar issues of concern to enable
knowledge exchange and to expand awareness about strategic ways of acting
upon issues of concern; scale has to do with amplifying the `communities'
voices at the national, regional or international levels to ensure the
forgotten knowledge component (experience) is also input into policy
formulation and implementation processes.



Full Presentation



3. SETTING AGENDAS - the changing roles of development communications in the knowledge age - James Deane. Includes implications of communication trends.



Extracts:

Rise of the Network Society - ICTs. Capacity of people to access knowledge and information for themselves massively increased. Capacity for networking and horizontal communications increased. Economic and social development dependent on extent to which societies can become more knowledge based. This in turn dependent on societies mapping out their own responses to opportunities provided by ICTs.



An unprecedented opportunity: An international climate of debate and openness; the power of new communications technologies; a media revolution that is enabling unprecedented public debate.



IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Join one of the upcoming country discussion forums on the implications of the new technologies for how technical assistance is organised and delivered. Countries covered include: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Egypt, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Philippines, Mali, Morocco, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda.



4. MEDIA ACTIVISM FOR DEMOCRATIC COMMUNICATION - The Situation of Communication for Social Change in Korea - MJ Kim - includes insight into Labor News Production.



Extracts:

Background Information

• 45 million population in South Korea;
• Fast developing (developed) society: economically, hi-tech;
• Strong democratic labor movement since 1987;
• IMF crisis --> Neoliberalist policy;
• Economic booming mainly based on IT industry;
• Widening gap bet poor and rich, job insecurity, cutting wages;
• Corrupt conservative politics which has been losing support;
• NGO movement + New political movement from labor;
• Technological advance: 20 million Internet users, 10 million cellular phones, So called venture capitalists (Kosdaq);
• Causing crisis, providing tools for democratic communication; and Always struggle on communication and media.

Battle on Public Access: New broadcasting law guarantees access to national public TV, satellite TV and cable TV. Article 69 : KBS must carry the programs made directly by the viewers,based on the presidential decree. Article 70 : Cable system operator and satellite operator must air the programs directly made by the viewers if the viewers demand to be aired through local channel or public channel, if there is no special reason for refusing to air. The battle on policy will continue until June. Establishing the association of organizations for viewers participation TV program (AVPTVP) : Exec committee, Policy committee, Production committee, Media center branch (22 orgs)



Full Presentation



5. COMMUNICATIONS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE - Denise Gray-Felder, based on the work of The Rockefeller Foundation facilitated communication for social change network.



Extracts:

Communications for Social Change: a process of public and private dialogue through which people define who they are, what they want, and how they can get it.



Social Change: is a positive change in peoples’ lives - as they themselves
define such change



Critical issues: How can learning be developed/transferred? How do communities learn best? Form vs. Content. Regional training centers based on local realities.

6. SAFER MOTHERHOOD 2000: Toward a Framework for Behavior Change to Reduce
Maternal Deaths by K. Mona Moore



Extracts:

This paper is intended as a tool to encourage dialogue and generate feedback from qualitative researchers and communication program planners, who share the responsibility for design and implementation of effective safe motherhood research and communication interventions. It briefly reviews some recent literature that impacts the design of the communication component of country programs to reduce maternal deaths.



The same attention however has not been given to reprioritizing and refocusing the communication component of programs. Less evidence on which to base the design of effective strategies is available for safe motherhood communication than for other program components. Although the essential role of behavior change and community mobilization in reducing maternal deaths is widely recognized, few models for collaborative behavior change interventions or community entry exist.

VACANCIES

Check out the Vacancies on the Communication Initiative website.


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This Drum Beat compiled by Warren Feek.

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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