History of the development communication 

Development communication, as a field, began in the 1940s and gained widespread application after World War II. It emerged in response to global challenges related to poverty, socio-economic growth, and development. In the 1950s, scholars such as Daniel Lerner, Wilbur Schramm, and Everett Rogers helped establish communication as an academic discipline, formalizing its role in addressing global development issues. The term "Development Communication" was first coined in 1972 by Nora C. Quebral, who defined it as:"

The art and science of human communication linked to a society's planned transformation from a state of poverty to one of dynamic socio-economic growth that makes for greater equity and the larger unfolding of individual potential."

The practice and theory of development communication have continued to evolve, adapting to diverse cultural, geographical, and ideological contexts. The field employs different techniques such as information dissemination, education, behavior change, social marketing, media advocacy, and participatory development communication. These varied approaches are applied flexibly to address specific issues in different settings.

Manyozo (2006) identified six major schools of thought in development communication, each shaped by distinct historical and cultural contexts. These schools include:

1. The Bretton Woods School 

Emerging after World War II, with the establishment of the World Bank and IMF in 1944, this school emphasized development communication based on Western economic models, focusing on industrialization, modernization, and economic growth.

  

2. Latin American School

 This school arose independently of Western theories and focused on post-colonial issues, adult literacy, and liberation theology. It stressed more participatory, bottom-up approaches to development.

  

3. Indian, African, Los Baños, and Participatory Schools 

These schools emphasized localized, community-driven methods of development communication, each shaped by their specific geographic and cultural contexts.

The Bretton Woods School promoted Western development strategies and communication methods, focusing on economic growth and modernization. Key theorists, including Lerner, Schramm, and Rogers, advocated for mass media as tools for development. However, this approach faced substantial criticism, especially from Latin American scholars like Luis Ramiro Beltran and Alfonso Gumucio Dagron. They argued that Western-centered approaches failed to address the actual needs of developing countries, particularly in regard to local conditions such as agricultural reform and economic justice.

In the 1960s, Western scholars tried to develop Latin America using modernization concepts, but their approach failed and was criticized. The exploitation of resources and the dependency it created were major concerns. As a result, underdeveloped countries started creating their own paths for development, aiming to build systems that were more beneficial to their unique needs and contexts.

By the 1990s, the limitations of the Bretton Woods model became increasingly apparent. The failure of top-down development approaches to address the needs of marginalized populations led to the rise of more participatory models.

In the 1990s, scholars and development practitioners started focusing on participatory development communication. This approach placed emphasis on local communities actively participating in their own development, using communication as a tool for empowerment. Notable shifts included greater attention to cultural diversity, human rights, and gender equality. Communication for development began incorporating techniques like community radio, dialogue-based media, and interactive platforms to ensure that local voices were heard in the development process.