Developing the Concept and Practice of Radio+

Helen Hambly Odame, University of Guelph,  8/9/13


Radio’s convergence with emerging information and communication technologies (referred to as Radio+) is widely discussed in development practice and increasingly, in academic literature although few empirical studies have been accomplished. What information exists is largely anecdotal and not analyzed with respect to social and environmental changes occurring within systems of agricultural innovation systems. Nevertheless, Radio+ has become a relevant approach to revitalizing radio broadcasting, enabling social learning and action through the use of new digital and mobile technologies. These new technologies add value to “tried and true” methods used in radio such as audience research, listener clubs and entertaining, interactive programming.
It is possible to identify two pathways that have given rise to Radio+. 

The first generation of emergent technologies used by rural radio stations were internet radio casting (archived digital broadcasts), internet radio browsing (e.g. Kothmale Radio in Sri Lanka) followed by texting (SMS) using mobile phones. 

More recently, a second generation of technologies have emerged with the use of social media networks (virtual listening groups) and platforms (Facebook, Twitter and blog). This does not mean that first generation Radio+ methods such as webcasting, radio browsing and texting are no longer used; on the contrary, they continue to evolve.


In the 2003 FAO book, The one to watch: Radio, NewICTs and Interactivity Stella Hughes argues that introducing new media into communities works best when it draws on traditional channels of communication and information. As such, broadcast radio, and especially radio stations located in rural areas, have been recognized as having the characteristics of “proximity, trust and knowledge (including the ability to combine ‘tech knowledge’ about ICT with ‘context knowledge’ about the environment in which it is used)”, states Bruce Girard of Comunica, in this same FAO book which he edited. The high value attached to radio makes it particularly suited for the role of a locally trusted knowledge intermediary when broadcasting uses local vernacular, popular formats (e.g. drama, local expert features, etc.) but Radio+ has to be vigilant so that it does add value to the characteristics of proximity, trust and knowledge in mobile and online environments. As many of us know, this is easier said than done, especially when our in-boxes are flooded with spam or unwanted messages!


To wrap up, let me just mention a few ways that Radio+ can generate new programming possibilities: blogs for sending or receiving further information; text messaging to alert or remind audiences about farm programmes; using new ICTs to build the popularity of specific radio shows or DJs – and this can have a direct benefit for audience engagement and revenue generation see Rooke and Hambly Odame, 2012; engaging listeners more directly through “drop box” voice commentaries enabling live reports from citizen journalists in more remote areas of the community.

Looking forward to more ideas and discussion about Radio+

FLSMS installation tutorial ... and more coming soon

Project team member Chandana Jayathilake from Wayamba University has created a video tutorial on how to install FrontlineSMS.

Chandana, along with Cody Skinner from University of Guelph, and Tim Barlott from the University of Alberta are now working on a series of video tutorials that we will make available online to help communities interested in working with FrontlineSMS.  The series will be extended later to include Ushahidi and Freedom Fone.

Great work Chandana!

DOA draws from Kandy experience to build the National 1920 Short Messaging Service

During our field visits, we made a stop at the Wayamba Agriculture Exhibition. There we met Tharanga for a quick chat. Amazingly, the Sri Lanka Department of Agriculture has taken some of the lessons from the project run 2012 October Kandy workshop. 

Mobitel, a leading incumbent mobile telco, is building a software similar to FrontlineSMS but possibly with additional customized features such as with quick filtering of information. The patrons, namely farmers, will naturally pay 25 cents when they send a text message to DOA seeking advise. Mobitel is investing their resources in developing the software anticipating a return on the SMS traffic from the farmers. Additionally, DOA will purchase a bulk SMS package from Mobitel to deliver messages. 

 My understanding is that the initial build is to support the Farm Broadcasting Service (FBS). The designers have interacted in a very minor scale with the FBS staff. The top-down approach might be lacking a collaborative community centric agile development approach. Our literature survey supports the idea that rapid piloting to really determine the customer requirements, functional requirements, design parameters, process variables, and constrained, helps remove complexities and develop a robust system.

SSHRC-PDG comes in at the right time with capacity to Rapid Prototype (RaP) some of their requirements. RaP ideology is that prior to a National scale development, the ICT intervention should go through a virtual, then actual rapid protyping phase. We could justify that the Kandy Workshop was somewhat of a virtual prototyping, where as the pilot we run in October onwards would be actual rapid protyping exercises. 

It may be worthwhile identifying some of the DOA expectations in relation to advisory services and any synergies with what we are doing. Tharanga, in a subtle way, agreed to help implement a pilot. Thereafter, we can feed some of those pilot findings to the DOA policy-maker, in a friendly way, to help them with taking their vision toward productization and branding.

To that end, Helen's team is challenged with understanding the social practices of the radio listeners and broadcaster. Then supply a set of simple use case scenarios for the SSHRC PDG RaP team to jointly pilot. One such use case may be complementing the “advisory services” interlinking the broadcasters with the farming communities.