Media and Society: Role, Media Literacy and Development Communication
Role of the media
- Watchdog and Fourth Estate: holding power to account.
- Agenda-setting (McCombs and Shaw, 1972): the media tell us what to think about, not what to think.
- Framing: the angle, words and pictures chosen shape interpretation.
- Cultivation (Gerbner): repeated exposure shapes perceptions of reality.
- Spiral of silence (Noelle-Neumann): fear of isolation suppresses minority views.
- Uses and gratifications: audiences actively choose media for information, identity, integration and entertainment.
- Gatekeeping: editors decide what passes; in the digital age, algorithms also gatekeep.
Media literacy
The core skills are access, analyse, evaluate, create and act. Ask of any message: who made it, for what purpose, what techniques are used, what is omitted and who benefits. Verify before sharing by checking the original source, the date, the image and the claim.
Development communication
This is the planned use of communication for social change in health, education, agriculture and the environment. Key ideas: diffusion of innovations (Everett Rogers) with innovators, early adopters, early and late majority and laggards; the KAP model moving from knowledge to attitude to practice; extension education; participatory communication; community radio and folk media. Kerala examples include the Total Literacy Campaign of 1989 and the Kerala model of development, where public communication reinforced social indicators.
Worked example
A district wants to raise oral rehydration use during a diarrhoea outbreak. A one-way poster campaign fails the KAP logic because knowledge alone does not change practice. A stronger plan uses community radio spots in Malayalam, ASHA worker demonstrations, local testimonials and a feedback channel, so attitude and practice are addressed along with knowledge.
Traps
Describing agenda-setting as telling people what to think. Treating the hypodermic needle model as current. Equating media literacy with computer literacy. Writing development communication as government publicity rather than participatory planning.