It is a model on participatory community communication.

1. C3
A Model of
Community
Communication
Dr Ankuran Dutta

2. Introduction
• Communication is now the fourth basic need for the
human being.
• We cannot think a day without communication;
• It may be inter personal or technology mediated.
• For me, the society has now divided into two
categories -- ‘communication rich’ and ‘communication
poor’.

3. Why C3?
• It is not related to effectiveness of communication.
• It is about the accessibility to communication and
information.
• We often use the term in the academic discourses --
digital divide.
• But are we seriously thinking of the means to reach the
last person of the society?
• Community Communications Centre (C3) may be an
option to experiment with.

4. What is C3?
• UNESCO has many models on community communication,
such as
• Community Information Centres,
• Telecentres and Community IT Centres,
• Multipurpose Community Telecentres,
• Community Multimedia Centres,
• Community Learning Centres etc.
• C3 is a revised concept in the context of developing
countries.

5. Basics
• C3 will be a common centre for the community, where
minimum communication facilities would be available.
• It may be a medium size house located in the village but
connected to the world.

6. C3=3C
C3 will serve 3C’s services:
 Community Information and Learning Service
 Community Participatory Service
 Community Archiving Service

7. 3C’s Services= CILS
Community Information and Learning Service (CILS)
 Community library to read the must read books
 Newspapers to know about the happening in the world
 Radio to get information, education and entertainment
 Television with the accessibility to digital video
broadcasting
 Internet broadband connectivity to access the Internet
 Community screening hall, where videos produced by
the community and important events are screened

8. 3C’s Services= CPS
Community Participatory Service (CPS)
 Weekly wall magazine- community members contribute literary creativity.
 Monthly or bi-monthly community newspaper, which will be the compilation
of the literary activities from the wall magazines and important local
development stories.
 Community radio with its power to improve the livelihoods of the
community.
 Community Video Unit, where the models of activism for development, co-
learning, archiving, establishment of identity and information dissemination
will be executed.
 Community Television will be a model for sustainability of the C3 with the
provision to distribute free to air channels and a community television
channel through digital cable service on a minimum monthly rental.

9. 3C’s Services= CAS
Community Archiving Service (CAS)
 Community Visual Archive that will work as the best medium for
archiving of the activities, major events, individual’s photographs.
 Community Audio Archive that will preserve the audio recordings of
the major events, folk performing arts etc.
 Community Video Archive that will work to preserve video recordings
of the community activities, traditions, rituals, folk performances etc.
 Community Print Archive will preserve the rare manuscripts,
community newspapers, wall magazines, important letters, wedding
cards of the community members etc.

10. How C3 serves
• All the three C-services will maintain synergy and closely
associate with each others.
• The entire C3 would be running on renewable energy.
• There will be a database on all the members of the community/
village.
• The screening hall will also be used as a meeting hall to discuss
on common issues.
• Community video screenings and other public announcements
from the C3 will be aired in the community radio.
• The Panchayat, schools, college/s, health centres, post office,
village banking etc. may be directly associated with the C3.

11. Management
• The district administration, police and government departments will
also work with the centre for easy access to its members and save
time in carrying out their activities.
• A public address system and a public call booth will help additionally.
• A steering committee representing all sections of the society will run
and maintain the C3 on a rotation basis for a limited period.
• A website would inform the rest of the world about the activities of the
C3.
• Implemented systematically, the C3 will act as the custodian of all
public property on behalf of the society.
• The C3 will be an area full of development activities for a positive
change in the livelihood of the members of the community.

12. Funding
• It is established by the members of the community with their own
resources or
• With financial assistance from the government/ public sources/
CSR activities of companies or organisations etc.
• But not controlled and maintained by the government or funding
organisations/ individuals
Original article at http://cemca.org.in/blog/c3-model-community-communications-
3#.VR4fYieiCSU

13. Thank You
You may contact-
ankurandutta@gmail.com
Blog: comcomm.blogspot.in