COMMUNICATION IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE USE OF THE MASS MEDIA IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT

To mobilize the vast illiterate masses of rural developing countr ies, extensive change in knowledge and attitudes are needed. Earlier attempts to achieve these fundamental targets through the face-to-face method (using extension services agents, public enlightenment officers and literacy teachers), proved ineffect ive because of prohibitive costs, shortage of good extension agents and too large rural target populations. Communicationwise the mass media information carriers are incomparably more efficient, but their early use also proved to gi ve little real results. The explanation is to be found in their improper use primarily for professionals or the government instead for rural masses themselves. Instead of centralized mass media (TV, radio, newspapers), for the sake of development. decentralized formats should be used i~ which local people, aided by local experts produce programs answering their own problems. The access must be enhanced by introducing the viewing centers (for TV) and reading groups (for newspapers ). At the same time the support in the form of traditional, interpersonal channels should be created, especially social forums, mar ket and school channels. The paper finally proposes the types of programmes for the three mass media channels in each of the three developmental stages (mobilization, implementation, consolidation)