Participatory Communication in the Third World: A Latin American Perspective
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Abstract
Notions of access and participation in communication have gained significance mainly in the last ten years or so. They can be found in the texts and resolutions of international organizations, in reports of communication specialists, and in the political programmes of many governments today. These there have because popular in international seminars and are being mentioned frequently in journals and communication publications. However, it is important to emphasize that, in practice, public access and participation in communication hardly exist, except, in a very limited way, in a number of small localized experiments. At the same time, the growing importance of these concepts should not be under-estimated and their origins should be explored.
Description
This document explores the emergence and importance of access and participation in communication, particularly in the context of Latin America and the Third World. It critiques the dominant top-down communication models and highlights the influence of sociopolitical structures and media control by elite groups. It stresses the need for horizontal, participatory systems that empower marginalized communities. Examples like Brazil’s Movimento de Educação de Base and Radio Sutatenza are cited as grassroots communication efforts aimed at consciousness-raising.
Keywords
Participatory Communication, Access and Participation, Marginalization, Consciousness-Raising, Social Change