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Community Media: Its role in positive transformation in developing countries

In the recent past, the role of media in society has changed a lot. Community media was developed to maintain two-way communication between professional communicators and the audience in certain community groups caused a progressive push in media development. The members of these special groups are united in some ethnic, minorities or others special views or needs. Media funds topics in such communities are chosen by professional communicators. They are always concentrated around the main theme and certain community’s interests.

This type of media influencing society exists in many countries. Its role is indispensable in the country’s development as it lays between regular media which is destined only to transfer the info from one source to another and society who always was just like the listening auditory.

According to the UNESCO studies of the late 80s led by a researcher at Institute of Educational Technologies Frances J. Berrigan, a media role in society is much more powerful than just a supplying information. Let’s review some important points of mass media with its influence on society since the 80s till nowadays. Moreover, these scientific custom writing experts are willing to find more information concerning mass media and its influence on society.

What is the main assumed mass media effect on society?
The main community media specialty is that it is oriented informationally and is absolutely non-commercial. It is under the communicators’ control. These may be an independent website, or blogs, forums or other internet platforms which are free of political or business influence, where every member has a right to express their thoughts on some topic. It is a media built on democratic principles. They are independent and totally under control of their community.

Every group has a community service with professionals in head – people who are ready to serve this community. Their main roles here are to validate and strengthen their community, covers topics related to the theme or common interests and initiate debates and discussions on these topics.

Unlike other more usual media methods, the auditory members are not passive receivers, but active participants of communication.

Media effects on society in education and development of the country spheres.
There is a total belief that community media may do more for development than other social communication means.

Most followers of community media believe that through constant communication of both sides – informers and other members and total involvement toward understanding and polishing the information from different points of view, the development can be progressed.

A total of all these components gives a groundbreaking input in the development processes of any sphere – education, agriculture and social development, unemployment or hunger problems in poor countries. Especially they provoke fast high raising in social awareness. The municipal authority or mass media don’t have the main tool for solving operational problems, they don’t have a full resource of communication – the fast feedbacks. Communicator’s role is in starting projects and discussions – all this will help to know and bring new ideas.

How is Community Media represented?
Despite a fast-growing popularity of blogs and forums platforms, independent radio stations are still actual.
Also, it is worth to mention social network groups or “pages” which are very popular too. Today almost everyone has a Facebook page. The notifications are received in every third smartphone immediately – this is a very convenient way of spreading information and receiving feedback on it. The posts in topical pages are commented, liked and shared with others. Some pages have thousands of followers.

Technically the platforms in social networks differ from more traditional forums in their underlined orientation on current events, on a present moment. Such groups or pages make several fresh posts every day, the messages change and displace each other. These groups appear and disappear, their members may flow from one to another group or page. More and more people start using them.

To sum up all the foregoing, we would like to add that the existence of such resources as blogs, forums, etc. doesn’t deny the necessity of the existence of traditional mass media as they work within niches and only complete each other.

About The Author

author

Emma

Emma Rundle is a 31-year old journalist, researcher and writing enthusiast extremely interested in the problem of resource mobilization.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the role of community media in development?
The basic objective of the community media is to strengthen the marginalised communities so that they can define their development, its pace and its process.

What is the main assumed mass media effect on society?
The main community media specialty is that it is oriented informationally and is absolutely non-commercial. It is under the communicators’ control. These may be an independent website, or blogs, forum

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How is Community Media represented?
Despite a fast-growing popularity of blogs and forums platforms, independent radio stations are still actual. Also, it is worth to mention social network groups or “pages” which are very popular too.

What is the role of community media in society?
The prime role of community radio is giving a voice to people who do not have access to mainstream media to express their views on community development.

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