Development Journalism

The term development journalism first appeared around 1967 to define a notion of journalism according to which reporting events of national and international significance should be constructive in a sense that it contributes positively to development of the country concerned. Its main focus should not be on day to day m news but on long-term development processes. The term “development journalism” emerged in Asia, more specifically in the Philippines, through the efforts of journalists such as Juan Mercado and Alan Chakley.

The term “development journalism” is used to refer to two different types of journalism. The first is a new school of journalism which began to appear in the 1960s. The idea behind this type of development journalism is similar to investigative reporting, but it focuses on conditions in developing nations and ways to improve them. The other type of development journalism involves heavy influence from the government of the nation involved. While this type of development journalism can be a powerful tool for local education and empowerment, it can also be a means of suppressing information and restricting journalists.

The first type of development journalism attempts to document the conditions within a country so that the larger world can understand them. Journalists are encouraged to travel to remote areas, interact with the citizens of the country, and report back. This type of development journalism also looks at proposed government projects to improve conditions in the country, and analyzes whether or not they will be effective. Ultimately, the journalist may come up with proposed solutions and actions in the piece, suggesting ways in which they might be implemented. Often, this type of development journalism encourages a cooperative effort between citizens of the nation and the outside world.

The second type of development journalism can walk a thin line. On the one hand, government participation in mass media can help get important information spread throughout the nation. Governments can help to educate their citizens and enlist cooperation on major development projects. However, a government can also use the idea of “development” to restrict freedom of speech for journalists. Journalists are told not to report on certain issues because it will impact the “development” of the nation in question, and therefore citizens are not actually being given access to the whole picture.

As a tool for social justice, development journalism can be very valuable. By speaking for those who cannot, a development journalist can inform the rest of the world about important issues within developing nations. Looking at the strengths and weaknesses of a country may also help identify ways in which the nation can be helped. This style of development journalism is a tool for empowerment.

The term development journalism first appeared around 1967 to define a notion of journalism according to which reporting events of national and international significance should be constructive in a sense that it contributes positively to development of the country concerned. Its main focus should not be on day to day m news but on long-term development processes. The term “development journalism” emerged in Asia, more specifically in the Philippines, through the efforts of journalists such as Juan Mercado and Alan Chakley.
Development communication is understood as the communication strategy related to an entire society, respectively a comprehensive national development plan. In ideal case development journalism is to be oriented to the needs of the population. It neither aims in endangering the manageability of a state nor being able to be misused to legitimize obviously unjust structures of rule. This notion of development journalism proceeds from the normative assumption that the people affected must be actively involved in the decision- making, planning and implementation of development projects. With that, apart from dissemination of information, two functions of development journalism are particularly emphasized; the motivation to active co operation of the people affected and the active advocacy of their interests Vis a Vis the planners, respectively the government.

Thus development journalism is imbedded in the context of a general management concept of the planning and implementation of development programs, that is, it is ascribed a quite instrumental, socio-technological character. The journalists working within these prescribed norms will become comparable in aspects of one’s profession with the on-site leader of development projects. Development journalism is the synonymous with a “grass root approach”, that is, it is decentralized and participatory. It must not limit itself to the communication channels of the mass media alone but also use the traditional communication media. This development journalism is primarily “local journalism” in the sense that the journalist should be rooted in the local culture concerned.