Participatory Development Communication: An Audience-Centered Initiative

Abstract

There have been criticisms that participatory development communication researches usually lacked rigour and accuracy; are often undisciplined, sloppy and involving only subjective observations that reflect only selected members of the relevant communities. This paper seeks to refute these claims and to portray that critics have focused on pseudo-participation rather than genuine participatory development communication. The paper also presents a three-step methodology for genuine participation which involves approaching and establishing contact with a local community, bringing local people together to identify a development problem; and preparing a communication plan that would bring solution to problem identified by the local people. The work is anchored on the participatory communication theory, which is the framework that emphasizes dialogue or two-way communication as a means of providing consensus for sustainable action in development activities.