Communicator Roles in Third World Development
Robert A. Agunga, Ph.D.
Although the importance of communication in development has been acknowledged as far back as the late 1950s, only now is attention focusing on the professionalism of the communicator. What exactly, are, or ought to be, the functions of the communicator in development? What are, or ought to be the qualifications of a development communicator? And where are such trained professionals to be found? These questions must be answered if communication is to play a meaningful role in the development of Third World countries. The contribution of this study is that it answers the first of the three questions: What are, or ought to be, the functions of the communicator in Third World development programming?
Using qualitative methodologies, the researcher pulled together the views of several development experts on the topic. Respondents included American communication specialists who have worked in developing countries; communication scholars from all over the world, identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as the best in the field of development communication; and officials of development ministries from five countries in Africa.
Respondents were unanimously agreed on the functions of the professional communicator in development programming. They felt that the professional communicator must perform a multiplicity of roles. These include the following: (1) Advising governments on communication policy; (2) Assisting project managers in designing and implementing communication strategies; (3) Mobilizing and training community groups and individuals for participatory decision making; (4) Training field Extension workers in communication skills; (5) Promoting coordination and linkages among development agencies (networking); and (6) Production of multimedia and audiovisual aids. In short, the professional communicator is a facilitator, ensuring the overall success of the project or program.
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