What is participatory media?
A key feature of community media is participation or the active and inclusive involvement of the community.
What is participatory media?
But the concept of ‘participatory media’ refers to more than just the active involvement of local people within local media initiatives.
It also highlights several other important ideas, including self-determination, dialogue and a focus on the process – rather than just the outcome – of communication.
Self-determination
‘Development’ means different things in different contexts, and it should therefore be up to the people in those communities to define their needs and the scope, pace and nature of change. This is the basic premise of participatory approaches to using media for development. As Jan Servaes (1990) explains,
Each society must attempt to delineate its own strategy to development, based on its own ecology and culture. Therefore, it should not attempt to blindly imitate program and strategies of other countries with a totally different historical and cultural background.
Dialogue
Process-oriented
Photovoice
A photograph is the quickest and easiest way for somebody to document the realities of their circumstances. Most people are familiar with photography to some degree, and it can be picked up relatively quickly by all abilities and ages. Photography also crosses cultural and linguistic barriers, with its power lying in its dual role as both a form of creative expression and a way to document facts. It provides an accessible way to describe realities, communicate perspectives, and raise awareness of social and global issues to different audiences. Its relatively low cost and ease of dissemination encourages sharing, facilitating dialogue and discussion, even for those who have never picked up a camera before.
Follow this link to a ‘picture essay’ in The Guardian about a participatory photography project by Save the Children in Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp called, ‘My Own Account’. Zaatari’s children: life in a refugee camp – a picture essay
References
Servaes, J. (1990) ‘Rethinking development communication: one world, multiple cultures’, Journal of Development Communication, 1(2): 35–45.
Reach your personal and professional goals
Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.
Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.
