Understanding the media’s role in development
How can we begin to make sense of the numerous different ways in which media matters for development?
The video above gives an introduction to four different ways of thinking about why media matters:
Media for development: The media can be a tool for communicating useful information, in order to help audiences make positive changes to their behaviour.
Media development: Journalism can be a means of promoting good governance, by holding governments accountable for their actions.
Media representations of development: Media coverage about other parts of the world can not only help raise money for charities, but also educate audiences about international development issues.
Participatory communication: Local or community media can help to facilitate inclusive dialogue within communities, to promote empowerment.
How useful to you find these four different approaches? Go back to the previous step and consider how well these four approaches apply to the examples given there. Do they help summarise and categorise the examples? What do they miss out?
Share your ideas and responses in the comments below.
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