Unbosom Thoughts of DevComm
Bagtong, Stephanie Kate
Activity 11: Development Communication Policy
Activity 11.1 Conduct a stakeholder analysis of this policy.
According to medical anthropologist Dr. Michael L. Tan, “Smoking will kill more people in the next twenty years than HIV/AIDS, accidents, homicides, and suicides combined.”
1. National Government - as a dominant stakeholder it is the one that supporting the policy that prohibits the advertising of tobacco products on radio and television though it may not fully fulfill the duty to protect people to buy and use it, but as for the government they can persuade also bring trust and a positive image to public. In addition government is a powerful stakeholder amongst communication policy and with that the implementation of a policy can execute in immediate time and as a well-known fact.
2. Education Sector - while government as the most powerful stakeholder, but as for education sector it is the major stakeholder that holds educational and informative activities that will raise awareness from the damage that a tobacco may cause. However, it can benefit children and students in fulfilling their knowledge that tobacco and any kind of it can be bad to health.
3.Communication Industry and Private Sector - Since a lot of marketing industry are private and mostly known, they play a vital role behind and it may raise an issue if they would support an advertising of tobacco and can be a death of their business' reputation. Therefore, what best they can and will do is to minimize or regulate the content ad, this way would become a win-win solution for them.
4. Church - as a religious and conservative sector, as I presume they will never allow any kind of this act that will cause harm to anyone especially youth and children. Also through word of God as a communication they have the potential to outreach on further concerns that will discuss some society problems.
5. Foreign Vested Interests – Investors would have to discern well and think carefully on the market potential of tobacco business if this policy happens.
6. Consumers - the involvement of consumers in this would be a great opportunity to benefit people also youth to prohibits to use it but however most of adults are being intertwined in using it.
Activity 11.2. Use any of the enumerated methods to do a short analysis of this policy.
A scenario is a chronological description of hypothetical events
occurring in the future of a particular system (Allen, 1978).
1. System is defined– All of the Television networks and radio broadcasting companies in the Philippines will not advertise tobacco products.
2. Time period is established for the system to operate– Once approved by the legislative bodies involving the TV & Radio networks and the Tobacco companies.
3. External constraints on the environment of the system– Due to the big potential of losing business and incur unstable P/L of their enterprises, the TV and Radio Networks will file complaints and the Tobacco companies including the private organizations might protest and fight for the abolition of this policy.
4. The elements or events within the system that are likely to increase or decrease the chances of meeting its goals and objectives.
5. Likehood of the occurrence of the elements/events stated in probabilistic terms- Criticisms and protest will more likely to occur in business oriented stakeholders.
6. Sensitivity analysis of the results– In the future, less will be influenced to smoke based from the radio and TV medium. This is not an assurance though since other factors like peer pressure and environmental background exist.
Activity 11.3. Prepare a one-paged policy brief enumerating: your stakeholders; the results of your policy analysis; and your recommendations.
As the stakeholders interplay with this industry, including (1) government (2) education sector (3) communication industry and private sector (4) church (5) foreign vested interest & (6) consumers. Indeed these sectors will bring benefit and advantage most importantly in our knowledge and health, to reduce the number of smokers and decrease the rate of people dying because of using tobacco. Also, with these sectors it can help each of us to inform and quit smoking However, advertising may bring a high risk and increasing consumption of cigarettes and tobacco, be as adults, parents and youth become one to encourage youth to never ever try using it, also as an motivation to quit and help to the environment.
By taking this into account, as the result of my own policy analysis the result can be examined and shows that there will be possible effect by using the method scenario construction. As the defined situation right now, not all television and radio broadcasting company will able to advertise any tobacco products for it to avoid conflict and not to get people attention.
