The Drum Beat 260: Analysing Communication and Development - Network Perspectives

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In this issue of The Drum Beat, we review the analysis perspectives we have featured throughout this past year - twelve focused opinions and analyses of communication and development questions or concerns. If you missed any over the past year, we encourage you to take a look. If you caught them all throughout the year, we hope they make helpful reading a second time. Please share your opinions on these perspectives through our "drumbeatchat" discussion forum [see below or just email drumbeatchat@comminit.com]

We continue to be interested in featuring a range of critical analysis commentaries of the communication for change field. These will appear regularly on the first Monday of each month and are meant to inspire dialogue throughout the month. Though we cannot guarantee to feature your commentary, as we have a limited number of issues to be published each year, if you wish to contribute please contact Deborah Heimann dheimann@comminit.com Many thanks!

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1. Reporting on Development Issues
Paulo Lyra, Communications Advisor within the HIV/AIDS Unit at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), examines traditional approaches to improving media coverage and reporting on development issues.

2. Communication Art!
Warren Feek, Director of The CI, examines examples of communication "art" as it is applied to development issues, in the face of an increasingly "science" based definition of "communication". "In the face of overwhelming problems, with very little money but with an abundance of ideas, skills, energy and motivation, local and national groups can creatively make a real difference with their communication...."

3. International Days: a burden or an opportunity?
Alfonso Gumucio Dagron, development communication specialist, examines the usefulness of international and national "days."

4. Science Envy
Argues that the predominant, primary international development strategy of SI = T x I x F - where - SI = Sustainable Impact; T = Technical Assistance; I = a specific intervention; and, F = Funding was [a] not working and [b] did not reflect the qualities required for effective and sustainable change.

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Discussion

See something you agree with or want to add to? Or do you strongly disagree? Share your opinion with The Drum Beat Network through the forum (no longer active). To read archived contributions please click here

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5. The Power of Movement
Continues the argument from "Science Envy" (The Drum Beat #217 - see #4 above) by identifying a new equation for development. In this new model, Degree of SI = level L x scale V x focus A - where SI is Sustainable Impact; level L is the level of Leadership by people most affected by a development issue in confronting that issue; scale V is the strength of their Voice within the public debate and relevant decision making fora; and, focus A is the local resonance of priority development Agenda in any given context.

6. Context is Everything: 2 Dangerous Quick Fixes to Avoid
Professor John Van Zyl, Managing Director of ABC Ulwazi - Radio Training & Production House in South Africa, examines what he considers to be two "dangerous quick fixes" communicators should avoid - an emphasis on either media determinacy or individual volition - because they ignore the influence of situational, community, historical, and gender contexts.

7. Electing Our Leaders
Looks at the process for appointing leaders of international development organisations. "If democracy is so good and wonderful, why do no we not elect, democratically of course, the people to fill the main leadership posts in international development?"

8. Reality Check: Trade, Resource Allocation, Development & Communication
Chris Morry, Director of Special Projects and Technical Development of The CI, explores trade and overseas development assistance in relation to ending global poverty and hunger. He examines some of the statistical trends and contradictions that have occurred to him while collecting data for The CI's Base Line section and asks some questions about the communication challenges within those contradictions.

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PULSE POLL

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's Economic Adviser Jeffrey Sachs says that "African countries should refuse to repay their foreign debts."
[BBC News July 6 2004 - click here for the article]

Do you agree or disagree?

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9. De-stigmatizing HIV & AIDS in Popular Music
Tawanda Chisango, a member of the Media Unit at SAfAIDS in Zimbabwe, examines what he considers to be the mostly negative role popular music is playing in AIDS action in Zimbabwe.

10. Money makes the...
Addresses the seeming lack of funding for communication projects and the perhaps "unseen" challenges of substantial funding. "The reality is that big resources often come with ropes rather than strings. And the nature of these investments, mirrored in many many other cases, heightens the need for a debate on strategy not money. It is the strategy that really matters. No amount of cash or loans can cover a bad strategy...."

11. Video for Development Communication
Elizabeth Wickett, documentary filmmaker and sociologist consultant for development projects, examines the use of video as a tool for planning and implementing rural development projects.

12. 20 Wishes for 2004
Warren Feek, Director of The CI, outlines 20 communication "wishes" at the start of the new year. These include: 1) Given the nature of recent world events, that we do not use the term "target" group in 2004, and 14) Given the complex and embedded nature of the development issues that we are all confronting that development funding organisations change their grant time frames from 3 and 5 years to 7 and 10 years.

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Health Journalists' Window

...providing specific support to journalists
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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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