AFRO-NETS> The Drum Beat - 132 - Community ICTs

[Son de Tambora <wfeek@comminit.com>]

The Drum Beat - 132 - Community ICTs
------------------------------------

The Drum Beat - Issue 132 - Community Development & Information Tech-
nologies in Central & Southeast Europe


"...hundreds of radio stations and telecentres serving the needs of 
local communities across Central and Eastern Europe offer a solid 
foundation for new initiatives to bring digital opportunities to 
those who most need them." (p. 2) [PDF] 
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/background_paper.pdf


In December 2001 UNESCO held a seminar on 'Digital Opportunities for 
Central and Eastern Europe - Community Media Centres' which examined 
how community radio and a growing telecentre movement could work to-
gether for greater impact. 
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs.shtml 

This Drum Beat looks at the issues, trends, opportunities and ongoing 
projects discussed at this seminar.

***

ISSUES & TRENDS

1. Radio

Most stations, even those with mandates for community programming, 
struggle with small budgets and the need to attract advertisers and 
audiences. This has lead to increased production of commercial music 
and news shows and fewer programmes on social issues.  Local stations 
are being squeezed out by competition from larger stations and public 
stations complain of outdated equipment and management practices. In 
zones of conflict there is concern that stations may be taken over by 
war profiteers or nationalist political groups.  Yet many radio sta-
tions produce at least some community programmes, are equipped with 
computers, have access to the internet, and belong to networks.  
These assets show promise as they could provide community service and 
generate revenue. (pp. 23-26) [PDF]
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/background_paper.pdf


2. Telecentres

These are also known in the region as telecottages and telekiosks and 
provide community access to computers, the Internet, fax and copying 
along with other locally defined services.  The functions performed 
by Telecentres vary and are linked to civic initiatives, donor fund-
ing and government support.  There are strong movements in Hungary, 
Romania and Yugoslavia and developing movements in Poland, Slovakia, 
and Lithuania.  The strongest movements are based on successful local 
and national NGO's which are seen as the 'building blocks' of civil 
society.  Telecentres have demonstrated an ability to be tailored to 
local requirements and needs.  They are able to provide services as 
diverse as job training, post-conflict reconciliation, reinforcing 
civil society and working for and with marginalised groups such as 
refugees and Roma communities. (p. 7) [PDF]
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/background_paper.pdf


3. Networks

There are networks throughout the region for both radio and telecen-
tres.  As many as 8 in 10 community radio stations are members of 1 
or more regional or national networks.  AMARC, for instance, has over 
60 member stations throughout the region and the newly formed South-
east European Network of Associations of Private Broadcasters has 750 
member stations in 10 countries. Other networks are the Foundation 
for Independent Radio Broadcasting, the SEE Radio Network, 'To-
gether', ANEM, Spektar, Kontakt, and the Refugee Radio Network. (pp. 
26-27)  Most telecentre movements have formed associations to work 
together on common goals.  Members gain assistance in training, con-
tent development, operations and management and a platform to lobby 
government and link with the private sector and international agen-
cies.  Telecentres are also networking across borders to share ex-
perience.  Hungary's Association works with Yugoslavia, Slovakia and 
Ukraine and Baltic region countries with Scandina!
vian groups.  Where the telecentre networks are strong they work as 
integrated movements and are recognised constituencies able to influ-
ence policy. (p. 22) [PDF]
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/background_paper.pdf


4. Community Multimedia Centres (CMC's)

A CMC combines low cost easy to operate radio, by and for local peo-
ple in local languages, with telecentre facilities offering access to 
Internet, e-mail, word processing, etc. Central and Southeast Europe 
have the ingredients to integrate struggling community radio with the 
growing and dynamic telecentre movement in a way that can 'reach, 
serve, involve and improve the lives of whole communities'.  (pp. 29-
34) [PDF] 
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/background_paper.pdf

See also: [Power Point] 
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/unesco.ppt

See also the Kothmale Seminar Report 
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/public_domain/kothmale.shtml


***

NEW COMMENTARY
http://www.comminit.com/index.html#commentary

Indian Migrant Workers: Sweatshop Conditions/Ignorance Lead to AIDS 
Epidemic

Mohuya Chaudhuri warns that an AIDS epidemic is growing in India and 
it?s being fuelled by exploitive business practise and government in-
action...
http://www.comminit.com/Commentary/sld-4103.html


***

PROGRAMMES

5. The Hungarian Telecottage Movement - Hungary - The movement is 
based on development lead by communities, and on building linkages 
between NGO?s, government and local business. It is supported by the 
Hungarian Telecottage Association (HTA) which acts as a network 
amongst the Telecottages and as a bridge for collaboration with gov-
ernment and outside funders. There are currently 203 Telecottages in 
Hungary and this number is expected to double within the year. The 
HTA supports similar initiatives outside Hungary and feels 'that the 
Hungarian model can be a milestone in the development of a larger, 
regional Telecottage network, not constrained by international 
boundaries'.
http://www.comminit.com/pds02-2002/sld-4101.html


6. Center for Rural Assistance TeleCenter Programme - Romania - This 
programme is piloting the establishment of multipurpose telecenters.  
The telecenters contain computers, a copy machine, fax machine and 
telephone and focus on encouraging individual and group initiatives.  
Each telecenters' functions are defined by the village where it's lo-
cated.  Functions range from business management to community service 
and education to distance employment.
http://www.comminit.com/pds02-2002/sld-4100.html


7. Russian Rural Information Network (RIN) Project - Russia - RIN 
supports agricultural reform by providing private farmers with an al-
ternative system for agricultural extension. It seeks to establish a 
self-sustaining Network for the dissemination of information on prac-
tical, low input and low technology methods of sustainable food pro-
duction; to enable private farmers to increase food production; to 
develop close links to the users of the information it produces 
through a strong feedback mechanism; and to develop the capacity of a 
Russian organization to manage a large development communications 
programme sustainably.
http://www.comminit.com/pds02-2002/sld-4099.html


8. OneWorld Radio Southeast Europe (SEE) - This project aims to give 
radio stations and organisations a way to exchange audio material on 
a range of human rights, democracy and civil society topics to help 
share knowledge and broaden audiences. Programmes produced in one 
area can be heard in another as a re-broadcast programme as well as 
heard globally over the Internet.  At present the project uses Eng-
lish, Albanian, Macedonian, and Serbian.
http://www.comminit.com/pds5-2001/sld-1875.html

OneWorld SEE recently produced a report titled 'The Use of Informa-
tion and Communication Technologies by Non-Governmental Organizations 
in Southeast Europe'. 
http://www.oneworld.net/radio/see/ict/PDF/NGODoc.pdf

***

Help us take the pulse of international development...
http://www.comminit.com/pulse.html

30 seconds of your time is all it takes...

Do you agree or disagree?

Identifying and addressing the root causes of terrorism should be one 
of the highest priorities for the international development commu-
nity.

http://www.comminit.com/pulse.html

***


OTHER RESOURCES
[all of the below are Power Point presentations]

Public Libraries as Community Information Centres - Lithuania
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/lithuania.ppt

Ministry of Communications and Information Technology - Romania
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/romania.ppt

CREST Resource Center: Telecottage Heart of the Community Project - 
Romania
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/crest.ppt

The Foundation for Independent Radio Broadcasting - Russia
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/russia1.ppt

TeleCottages Association - Slovakia
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/slovakia.ppt

UNDP SexDex presentation - Romania
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/romania1.ppt

Electronic Media in Albania
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/cmc/bucharest_docs/albania.ppt

***

This issue compiled by Chris Morry <cmorry@comminit.com>

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