Participatory Communication: the new paradigm

by | Jun 11, 2015 | Blog, News | 0 comments

Participation, which necessitates listening, and  trust, will help reduce the social distance between communicators and receivers, facilitating a more equitable exchange of ideas, knowledge and experiences.

Information and communications technology (ICTs) make possible a closest interaction between the two actors of the communicational process(emitter and receiver) thus generating a new paradigm called “Participatory model of Communication“.

The participatory model incorporates the concepts in the framework of multiplicity, cultural identity and the democratisation and participation at an international, national, local and individual level.

With this new perspective a new understanding of communication arises as a two-way process in which the traditional top-down flow of communication is replaced by a bottom-up and interactive flow of communication, it is fundamentally multiple-way rather than one-way, interactive and participatory rather than linear.

In this context it is evident the importance of ICTs as drivers of change but it is also necessary to remark that these technologies are more effective if appropriately used according to the real needs of local and global communities.

 

The following video “The most boring viral video” is an example of how to change the paradigm through the use of digital media.
It is interesting the way the term “viral” it is used (in association with boring which is almost a contradiction) and also the change in the dynamic: from a top-down formula (star vs public) to a bottom-up model in which the audience is protagonist and has an active role since the success (going viral) of the communicative action depends on his digital interactivity.