COMMUNICATION IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE USE OF THE MASS MEDIA IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT
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To mobilize the vast illiterate masses of rural developing
countr ies, extensive change in knowledge and attitudes are
needed. Earlier attempts to achieve these fundamental targets
through the face-to-face method (using extension services
agents, public enlightenment officers and literacy teachers),
proved ineffect ive because of prohibitive costs, shortage of
good extension agents and too large rural target populations.
Communicationwise the mass media information carriers are
incomparably more efficient, but their early use also proved to
gi ve little real results. The explanation is to be found in their
improper use primarily for professionals or the government
instead for rural masses themselves.
Instead of centralized mass media (TV, radio, newspapers), for
the sake of development. decentralized formats should be used
i~ which local people, aided by local experts produce programs
answering their own problems. The access must be enhanced
by introducing the viewing centers (for TV) and reading groups
(for newspapers ). At the same time the support in the form of
traditional, interpersonal channels should be created, especially
social forums, mar ket and school channels.
The paper finally proposes the types of programmes for the
three mass media channels in each of the three developmental
stages (mobilization, implementation, consolidation).
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