World Television Day
Rethinking communication for impact in the 21st century
In the past, a television had a simple purpose: to receive and display what others decided to air. It was a one-way tool where messages flowed from broadcaster to viewer, and the viewer’s only role was to watch. Today, that model has changed. A television is no longer just a box for receiving; it connects, interacts, and allows choice. This evolution offers an important lesson for how we think about communication for impact, particularly in the development and humanitarian space.
Like the modern TV, the way we generate, publish, and distribute content must evolve from one-way messaging to dialogue and participation. However, unlike the TV analogy, communication for social impact operates across many realities. Not everyone is online or has a screen. For millions, the “modern communication space” is still a radio, a market meeting, or a community hall. True transformation, therefore, lies in broadening access, not just upgrading technology.
From messages to conversations
For decades, development communication focused on delivering information through public notices, campaigns, or manuals. The assumption was that the right message would automatically inspire the right action. However, people are not passive audiences; they are thinkers, storytellers, and problem-solvers in their own right.
Today, grassroots communication must do more than inform; it must engage and listen. Although dialogue takes time and resources, it may reveal tensions or disagreements. Yet this process builds trust, helps identify what really matters to communities, and ensures that solutions are shaped with, not just for, the people they are meant to serve.
Adapting to different realities
Modern communication does not live on one platform. A story might appear as a short radio drama, a WhatsApp message, a poster in a school, or a social media video. Each channel speaks to a different audience and level of access.
Reaching the “last mile” means designing communication that can move between digital and traditional spaces, using local languages, oral storytelling, illustrations, or community theatre to make information relatable. A good message travels not because it is high-tech, but because it feels local, human, and relevant.
Connecting data with empathy
Technology and data analytics can help organisations understand how people consume and share information. However, insight alone is not enough. Without empathy, communication risks becoming mechanical or extractive. Therefore, balancing data with listening enables communicators to remain both evidence-based and people-centred. Connecting data with empathy means using what we learn from communities not just to refine campaigns, but to strengthen relationships and accountability.
The communicator’s evolving role
In the communication for impact landscape, communicators are not just message creators but also connectors and facilitators. Their task is to bridge institutions and communities, amplify underheard voices, and make complex issues understandable. Effective communication for impact is therefore less about broadcasting success and more about creating shared understanding and co-learning.
To this end, the purpose of communication today is no longer only transmission; it must also factor in transformation. By combining technology with inclusion and strategy with empathy, we can ensure that communication reaches not just the informed and connected but everyone who deserves to be part of the conversation.
