"This book presents conceptual and methodological issues related to the use of communication in order to facilitate participation among stakeholders in natural resource management (NRM) initiatives. It also presents a collection of chapters that focus on participatory development communication and N
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RM, particularly in Asia and Africa. There are many approaches and practices in development communication, and most of them have been implemented in the field of environment and natural resource management. But, even when considering participatory approaches in NRM, communication is often limited to information dissemination activities that mainly use printed materials, radio programmes and educational videos to send messages, explain technologies or illustrate activities. These approaches, with their strengths and weaknesses, have been well documented.
Participatory development communication takes another perspective. This form of communication facilitates participation in a development initiative identified and selected by a community, with or without the external assistance of other stakeholders. The terminology has been used in the past by a number of scholars to stress the participatory approach of communication in contrast with its more traditional diffusion approach. Others refer to similar approaches as participatory communication for development, participatory communication or communication for social change.
In this publication, participatory development communication is considered to be a planned activity that is based on participatory processes and on media and interpersonal communication. This communication facilitates dialogue among different stakeholders around a common development problem or goal. The objective is to develop and implement a set of activities that contribute to a solution to the problem or the realization of a goal, and which support and accompany this initiative. This kind of communication requires moving from a focus on information and persuasion to facilitating exchanges between different stakeholders to address a common problem, to develop a concrete initiative for experimenting with possible solutions, and to identify the partnerships, knowledge and materials needed to support these solutions." (Preface)
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"Community radio is best understood against the background of the other forms of broadcasting, namely public service, and commercial or private broadcasting. Unlike these, community broadcasting is not state-owned, but rather community-owned and managed. Neither is it aimed at profit-making, but at
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facilitating communication in communities not specifically served by the mass media broadcasters. From simple death announcements to community mobilization to clean up market places or prevent crime, to promoting cross-gender dialogue, to civic education, community radio gives voice to rural and urban oft marginalized communities. This book traces the development of community radio in Europe and the Americas, and eventual rooting in Africa, all the wile noting its great contributions to development in communities. The author presents a continental overview, and an in-depth analysis of the broadcasting in Ghana, South Africa and Zambia, each with its specific legal, politico-historical milieus and community radio case studies." (Back cover)
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"This reader 'aims to show that ordinary people, even non-technical rural folk, can plan, set up, manage and produce radio programmes by themselves with a minimum of dependence on outside help, whether for technical advice and training or for funds and equipment.' To do so, it highlights case studie
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s from several countries like Homa Bay Radio in Kenya, Radio Apam in Ghana, Radio Sagarmatha in the Kathmandu valley, Tambuli Community radio in the Philippines and others, and it explains the main factors for planning a community radio station, eg, examining the legal framework, applying for a license or doing preparatory work in the community. Moreover, it briefly explains the technical background of broadcasting, such as the difference between AM and FM broadcasting, as well as the basics about the equipment which is needed. What makes the publication particularly interesting is its perspective on community involvement in every step of setting up a radio station - which is, as many community radio stations are built up by institutions like NGO's, churches or universities, not something to be taken for granted." (commbox)
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