New Development through Communication Info and Links
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Dear Colleagues,
The Communication Initiative web site has been significantly re-
designed. There are a number of new sections, much additional infor-
mation and greater opportunities for interaction. Please direct all
responses, comments and contributions to:
Warren Feek
mailto:wfeek@coastnet.com
The URL for the site remains the same:
http://www.comminit.com/
The following summarises the role of the site, the major sections and
the opportunities for you to position information about your organi-
sations activities and experiences for the benefit of all those tak-
ing action on international development issues. Contact information
can be found at the conclusion of this note.
ROLE OF THE SITE
The site [and the related e-mail magazines 'The Drum Beat' and 'Media
Beat'] cover:
- the range of development issues [e.g. poverty, HIV/AIDS, education,
health, reproductive health, economic development, governance, gen-
der, children, rights]...
- with an emphasis on programme action, policies, evaluation and re-
search, support materials, employment opportunities, consultancy as-
sistance, strategic thinking and other ideas...
- related to entertainment, news and information, awards, interper-
sonal, community participation, traditional media, radio, television,
the internet, live drama, community action and other communication
media and styles.
There is also information on communication trends such as usage of
radio and the internet and summaries of planning models and change
theories.
INTENDED USE
The Web Site, Drum Beat and Media Beat are designed to serve the in-
formation and networking needs of a number of groups including:
- people managing and working in development programmes who wish to
learn about the experiences of their peers and to contact and dia-
logue with people they feel might be helpful to their efforts;
- managers, directors and staff of organisations who wish to review
their communication strategies and initiatives and/or plan the next
phase in the development of those interventions;
- policy makers and the managers of large organisations who wish to
review the state-of-play in communication, development and change in
order to provide an information, resources and ideas base that guides
the next phase of their strategies;
- journalists, editors, writers and others involved in news and en-
tertainment as both background on communication and development is-
sues and as prompts for stories and drama ideas;
- professors, lecturers and students as an information and contacts
base for research and assignments and as electronic course materials;
and
- researchers and evaluators in support of their work.
SECTIONS OF THE SITE
The sections of the web site are:
HOME PAGE [New Design] http://www.comminit.com/
Redesigned into 3 columns in the style of a portal site. The news
column changes every week. Direct link to Partner Organisations.
Faster download time than previous design.
STRATEGIC THINKING http://www.comminit.com/strategic.html
Summaries of some of the interesting and emerging thinking in this
field [e.g. the work on communication and social change]. Please sub-
mit presentations that you would like included in this section.
SEARCH [New Design] http://www.comminit.com/search.html
Customise your information and ideas search to your particular needs.
On the C.I. site there are over 3,000 pages of information, including
800 programmes, 110 evaluation results, 65 country communication
status summaries and much other information. The information base for
the search now includes the web sites of the 11 partners as well as
The C. I. site. We will be further expanding the search field to in-
clude other relevant sites - providing a one-stop search facility for
communication, change and development. Please let us know if you want
your site to be considered for inclusion.
PLANNING MODELS
http://www.comminit.com/power_point/planning_strategy/index.htm
40 one or two page summaries of planning models designed for communi-
cation strategies and programmes on development issues. Please send
your favourite planning and strategy model or framework for inclu-
sion.
CHANGE THEORIES
http://www.comminit.com/power_point/change_theories/index.htm
27 summaries of the change theories that [can] underpin communica-
tion, change and development work. Please send summaries of the
change theories that you prefer for inclusion in this resource.
CONSULTANTS REGISTER [NEW] http://www.comminit.com/exchange.html
A listing with details of 40 [so far] communication, development and
change consultants. If you are a consultant and wish to be part of
this register please send a one-page summary with an indication of
your interests.
VACANCIES [NEW] http://www.comminit.com/vacancies.html
A listing of staff vacancies in this field. For further information
on listings have your Personnel/Human Resource Director call or email
at the contacts below.
EVENTS CALENDAR [NEW]
http://www.comminit.com/bin/calendar/events_cal.cgi
This is the prototype. Presently it contains limited information and
will be modified. Please send info on your events - conferences,
workshops, training courses, etc - for inclusion in the events calen-
dar.
BOOK STORE [IN DEVELOPMENT] http://www.comminit.com/bin/books.cgi
There will be a book store on the site. It will sell leading texts in
this field. Discussions are presently taking place with publishers.
If you want your book[s] to be featured and sold through this process
please get in touch. An announcement will be made when the virtual
shelves are filled!
DISCUSSION FORUM [NEW] http://www.comminit.com/bin/forum/
Log on and participate in on-line discussions with colleagues and
peers in other countries and continents. There is a general section
and also some specific themes. Please suggest themes and issues for
discussion.
UNIVERSITY COURSES [NEW] http://www.comminit.com/university.html
Lists University courses related to communication, change and devel-
opment, with initial information and links to more detailed course
and study descriptions, This is the beginning of this listing. We
intend to build a more comprehensive information base during the next
6 months. Please submit your programmes and courses for inclusion.
MATERIALS http://www.comminit.com/materials.html
Initial listing of materials - pamphlets, brochures, booklets, train-
ing info, etc - that are generally freely available from the sources
quoted. Please send materials you want to have included. As this list
grows we will categorise for easy reference. Many of these materials
will also "pop-up" through the search system [see above].
PARTNERS http://www.comminit.com/partners.html
Direct access to The Communication Initiative Partner organisation
sites.
LINKS http://www.comminit.com/links.html
Links to other relevant web sites - additional to the Partner sites.
THE DRUM BEAT http://www.comminit.com/drum_beat.html
THE MEDIA BEAT http://www.comminit.com/news.html
Present and past issues of these two e-mail magazines, with a place
to subscribe.
Thanks to everyone in the field who made comments during the re-
development of this site.
The web site is designed and maintained by Todd Hooge at DOUBLE EDGE
MARKETING ASSOCIATES.
mailto:thooge@dedge.com
Brooke Hayes also made a significant contribution.
We very much look forward to your comments, contributions and ideas.
This is a dynamic site. We want to respond to your needs and sugges-
tions.
With many best wishes.
Warren Feek
Director
The Communication Initiative
Tel: +1-250-658-6372
Fax: +1-250-658-1728
mailto:wfeek@coastnet.com
http://www.comminit.com/
THE COMMUNICATION INITIATIVE Partnership - Rockefeller Foundation,
UNICEF, USAID, WHO, BBC World Service, CIDA, Johns Hopkins University
Center for Communication Programs, The European Union, Soul City, The
Panos Institute, UNAIDS.
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