Broader Approach to Communication

These basic considerations need still a further dimension to show that communication education is not only about Mass Media but needs a much broader approach which includes especially also the cultural dimension. The Second Vatican Council was the first Catholic Church assembly of that level which issued a document on “Social Communication,” Inter Mirifica.

The expression Social Communication was proposed by the preparatory commission for the document in saying that expressions like Mass Media, Media of Diffusion, Audio-visual means and similar would not be sufficient to express what the Church is concerned about. This proposal
was accepted and became the standard expression in the Catholic Church but it was later adapted by secular communication institutions especially in Latin America.

Social Communication refers, beyond mass media, to all means and ways of communication in and of human society. It includes communication through traditional means like storytelling, dance, theater, music etc. as well as the modern means. It covers the whole range of human communication in society and thus creates a special challenge also for the communication education in seminaries.

Future Christian ministers must be open and possibly be trained in the proper application of communication means and methods which are part of our cultures. Many times, especially in rural areas, this communication is still more effective than modern technical means because it includes the direct personal involvement of the communicating parties. Such an awareness and support of traditional communication can also help to mitigate or even integrate possible negative effects of globalization especially on young people.

Christian faith has to be contextualized and inculturated which is not done necessarily with the modern means. This broader approach to communication, however, which gives equal ‘right’ to the basics of human communication and the traditional means of communication leads towards that.

Curriculum for social communication

How could a Curriculum for Communication in seminary education look like?

1. It first has to be stated again, that there is the basic need for communication formation on the
human and spiritual level. This is not done with a course alone but through the whole formation program and an open communicative atmosphere in a seminary. The three basic steps of human and Christian communication, to go, to embrace and immerse and to lift up (cf. Mk 1,31) are not only taught but practiced in daily life. If especially at the beginning of theological studies an introductory course could be given to make the students more aware of the basics of this human/Christian communication it would set the tone for all the following studies and activities in theology. In fact, I am teaching such a course since almost 20 years at the Divine Word School of Theology in Tagaytay, Philippines. Every school year the students of the first year of theology have in the first semester an obligatory course “Introduction to Social Communication” where we talk mainly about human communication, the theological dimension of communication and only in passing about the basics of media and group communication. (This is reflected in the textbook we use: “Communicating in Community,” where the first two chapters are more extensively covered, whereas the others are given only in the basics as far as time allows.)

2. We can not escape the fact, that the modern world is a world of communications. Pope John Paul II calls the world of communication “the first ‘areopagus’ of the modern age which is unifying humanity and turning it into what is known as a ‘global village’. The means of social communication have become so important as to be for many the chief means of information and education, of guidance and inspiration in their behavior as individuals, families and within society at large. In particular the younger generation is growing up in a world conditioned by the mass media.” (Encyclical Redemptoris Missio 1990, 37c) This requires from every theology student more than from others the ability of critically seeing and using the means of communication in daily life. It is the purpose of Media or Communication Education to bring this basic knowledge and develop a critical mind especially in young people. It actually should be an obligatory course and training already on the high school and college level. Such education introduces into the workings of modern media, their structures, means and methods. It shows e.g. the basic elements of a news item, how the different radio and TV programs are produced but also how communication companies are structured and try to exercise power in conquering the mind and taste of people for their purposes…

3. After this basic training there is a need for a special course on pastoral communication especially in the later development of theological studies: how to communicate in Ministry and Mission. How do the modern means of communication influence and determine those people we live with and we are to care for? How can we make good use of these means in our ministry to serve the needs of people better and bring them nearer to the Lord? The people we work with are living in a world determined by the media and even we are consciously or unconsciously part of it ourselves. How can we let the Holy Spirit come into such a situation? The same holds also for those ministries, who serve people from or in other cultures. Our communication has to adjust and be determined by these cultures because it is always the recipient who is the ‘basis’ for our decision making and our communication approach. Jesus starts with the life and concerns of the people. We have to do the same in our time!

In addition to these basic courses and approaches for every seminarian there should be also some offers for more specialized courses, especially for students with greater interest and some communication capabilities of their own. Thus there could be a film-club as a regular activity where seminarians once or twice a month watch a movie, discuss the content, methods in presenting the story and a critical evaluation. Cardinal Roger M. Mahony from Los Angeles has written 1992 a “Pastoral letter for Film Makers, Film Viewers: their challenges and opportunities” (cf. Eilers: Church and Social Communication. Basic Documents. Manila 1997) which could be very helpful for such an activity. Talented seminarians could also themselves practice radio and television productions or become part of such either on their own or in existing companies. Journalistic practices can be developed and taught. When I was a seminarian we had a “Press-group” where we wrote news items and articles for existing newspapers and periodicals; they were printed and published and we were very proud of it. Many of us saw our names printed for the first time…

Today we have new communication and information technologies. How are we going to ‘use’
them in our ministry and how can they help? What’s about E-vangelism, cyber-missionaries or
similar activities and possibilities?

Other fields like Media or Communication Ethics should also not be overlooked. They can be
part of Moral Theology but really would need a broader study in our times.

5. The need for serious research in the field of social communication and theology has also to be mentioned here. When Pope John Paul II talks about the “new areopagus” he also mentions that there is now a “new culture”. This culture “originates not just from whatever content is eventually expressed, but from the very fact that there exist new ways of communicating, with new languages, new techniques and a new psychology.” Such a situation calls for deeper research and study which is very often missing in our Christian communication activities. We very often live and work more according to trial and error than based on serious study and research. This is not only a call on theological faculties or other specialized bodies. Also seminary students should be involved in research and looking deeper into issues. They can be encouraged to write respective papers or even do their thesis on a communication related subject. They can be involved in surveys to discover a certain communication situation. Thus I did two years ago with my students a study on how young people in the areas around the theological school and in some parts of Manila use and see modern media in their lives. Unfortunately we have only very few scientific publications specializing in this field. It is high time that we go deeper to explore the ‘market’ but also to see better the different possibilities for God’s Word in our time.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION: IN TANZANIA

Education and communication on environmental degradation should be aimed at enabling one to come to terms with the fact that, while it is true that nature should be exploited for man’s survival, that exploitation should not be total, or destructive. That man should not get rich at the
expense of nature or by destroying the environment, as this in the long run might lead to mankind’s extinction!

Now, the big question is: Who will be, responsible for steering this education and communication?

In answering this question there are different schools of thought. There are those who believe that this should be spearheaded by the government and NGOs should play a supportive role. The government should take leadership of the campaign where its input is required. At the moment the environmental portfolio in Tanzania is held by the Vice President’s office.

But there are those who think that our gove rnments are not env i ronment sensitive and due to corrupt tendencies wh i ch have been regi s t e red and are still being regi s t e red there is no way politicians (who are in power) are going to arm the people with we apons they k n ow will in the end be used against them. Whence then the education? It is re c o m m e n ded that the lead should be taken by non-gove rnmental bodies such as NGOs, media organ i z at i o n s , f riends of the env i ronment gro u p s all over the country etc.

Information, Education and Communication (IEC)

Communication Planning is an integral part of planning for sustained development. The
development of human society has largely been due to its ability to communicate information and ideas with each other and to use such information and ideas for progress. The Programmes being implemented by the Ministry aim at sustainable holistic development in the rural areas. The success of these Programmes is critically dependent on the participation of the people,
particularly target groups, in the implementation process. To enable people to participate in the
development process, it is necessary that people have adequate knowledge about the nature and
content of these Programmes. Information, Education and Communication, therefore, assumes added significance in the context of the Programmes of the Ministry.

The feedback received on the implementation of Rural Development Programmes in the field indicate that these Programmes are critically dependent on the awareness level about them, transparency in the implementation process at the field level, participation of the people in the development process and accountability. In this context the Ministry has , adopted a 4- Pronged strategy of creating Awareness about the Programmes, ensuring Transparency in the implementation, encouraging People’s Participation in the development process and promoting the concept of Social Audit for ensuring Accountability. All the four elements of the above strategy are complementary to each other and appropriate IEC activities are an essential part of actualizing this strategy.

Information, Education and Communication plays a pivotal role in creating awareness, mobilizing people and making development participatory through advocacy and by transferring knowledge , skills and techniques to the people. It is also critical for bringing about transparency in implementation of the Programmes at the field level and for promoting the concept of accountability and social audit.

Though for the past few years, particularly since 1994-95, the Ministry has been undertaking IEC activities, their impact in terms of creating awareness and participation of people in the development process was not found to be substantial. Therefore, an Advisory Committee on Media comprising eminent journalists and media persons under the chairmanship of Shri P. Murari, former Secretary (I&B) was constituted by the Ministry in August,1998, to review and assess the impact of various media and other activities and to advise the Ministry on appropriate IEC strategy.
The Committee in its report submitted in October,1999, observed that the IEC efforts of the
Ministry need to be stepped up with more intensity and that it is necessary to go beyond undertaking merely media activities.

In pursuance to the 4- pronged strategy adopted by the Ministry and in light of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Media, the IEC activities have been substantially enhanced during 2001-2002 particularly through print, radio and TV.

The IEC efforts aim at creating awareness and disseminating information on the Programmes of the Ministry primarily to the target groups in rural areas, to the opinion makers and also to the public at large. The IEC Division of the Ministry has been entrusted with the responsibility of formulating appropriate IEC strategy in tune with the communication needs of the various Programmes. The IEC activities are to be undertaken through the available modes of communication in order to inform the people with messages and details on Rural Development

IEC Strategy & Action Plan

In view of the vast magnitude of the task of reaching out to nearly one third of the population
living below the poverty line in rural areas, their geographical spread and diversities, it was felt that dissemination of information has to be sustained over a period of time and also that in order to make communication effective, it has to be in the language and idiom of the target groups.
Accordingly, efforts were made during the year, through Electronic Media and Print Media to
disseminate information in regional languages and dialects, besides Hindi and English. In addition, the Action Plan also envisages IEC activities through other modes of communication, outdoor publicity and other conventional and nonconventional modes of communication for reaching out to the people in rural areas.

Print Media

The power of the press arises from its ability of appealing to the minds of the people and being
capable of moving their hearts. Despite the fast growth of the electronic media, the printed word
continues to play a crucial role in disseminating information and mobilizing people. However, it has been noticed that the Press have not evinced the requisite interest in developmental communication. In order to correct the imbalance noticed in the media coverage of Rural Development Programmes and to ensure that these Programmes are portrayed in proper perspective, several steps were taken during the year to sensitize the media about issues relating to rural development.

The interaction of the Ministry with the Press is mainly through the Press Information Bureau.
During the year under review, press conferences, press tours and workshops were organized
through PIB, with the financial assistance from the Ministry, so as to sensitize press persons about Rural Development Programmes. An Editor’s Conference on Social Sector Issues was also
organized (through PIB) during the year. For the purpose of creating awareness in
respect of rural development programmes among the general public and opinion makers and for
disseminating information about new initiatives, the Ministry issued advertisements at regular intervals in National and Regional Press through the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity. To enable people in rural areas to access information on Rural Development Programmes, a booklet ‘Gram Vikas – Programmes at a Glance’ was brought out in simple language in Hindi, English and Regional languages. In order to ensure easy accessibility of the booklet 10 million copies were printed and distributed in rural areas through DRDAs. The leaflets on the Programmes of the Ministry in Hindi, English and Regional languages
were also printed and distributed upto Panchayat level across the country.

The Ministry prepared a Wall Calendar for the year 2002 with each sheet depicting its major
schemes, for distribution upto the Panchayat level all over the country. Desk Calendars were also brought out during the year and efforts were made to improve the quality of communication through ‘Kurukshetra’ a monthly journal devoted to rural development issues, which is brought out on behalf of the Ministry by the Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In addition to serving as a forum of free, frank and serious discussion on problems related with rural development (with focus on rural uplift), the journal projects the programmes and policies of the Ministry.

Needs and Possibilities for Communication Education in Seminaries

If the purpose of a seminary is to educate people for ministry one might first look into this
purpose a little bit deeper. The word “educare” has as its roots the Latin word “ducere’ which
means “to lead”, to give direction. “E-ducare” might therefore be interpreted as to “lead out”, to
give direction. It would mean to lead out of ignorance to knowledge and understanding.
Education thus might be interpreted as to prepare people for life and to equip them with the
knowledge and means necessary for life. It means for the Seminary to enable the students to
know where to go and what to do in their future work as ministers to the Word of God.

Education includes from elementary years reading and writing and other communication skills as essential for understanding and mastering life. When we talk about communication education in the Seminary and theological schools it is good to keep these basics in mind. Usually when we talk about “Communication Education” in the Seminary we think immediately of mass media or the modern means of communication which includes especially technical tools. Most media courses or even those more general on communication aim at equipping the seminarian in the use and technique of the modern means of communication for his/her ministry.

This, however, should not be the first purpose in the seminary. It should have been done already
at the college level before entering the seminary for graduate studies. Today it should be part of
any educational program to enable every student to critically judge and use the modern means of communication. This is part of the Communication/media education which in turn should be part of any school curriculum. It includes having a general knowledge about the ways and means
modern media operate like e.g the essential criteria to judge the quality of a news item, a TV
program or a film. It is to enable people to become informed and responsible recipients. Communication Education in the seminary should be already on a more advanced level and
should be able to build on the general media education in college and elementary.

Programs in the seminary should slowly lead the seminarian to the proper and active use of communication for ministry because s/he is part and parcel of the modern communication world. This, however,
includes not only modern means and technology. Proper communication preparation for ministry starts already long before and is based on the essentials of human communication.