Texting, Tweeting, Mobile Internet: New Platforms for Democratic Debate in Africa

Posted by kelechiea on Sep 26, 2011
Author: 
Tom Sarrazin
Publication Type: 
Report/White paper
Publisher/Journal: 
fesmedia Africa
Publication language: 
English
Abstract: 

New media platforms are changing how people communicate with each  other around the world. However, there is great variation in both the kind of 

communication platforms people make use of as well as in how they access these  platforms. Computer ownership and internet access are still the prerogative of  the wealthy few in wide swathes of the African continent. All the same, mobile internet access is on the rise and if current growth rates continue, African mobile phone penetration will reach 100 per cent by 2014. Mobile phone penetration rates, in particular, have resulted in a plethora of ideas for new media platforms aimed at bridging the information divide between the well-connected and the disconnected. Topic areas range from agriculture and conservation to health and human rights. In addition to mobile phone-based platforms, there is also a number of promising internet-based ones.

 

Citation: 
Sarrazin , Tom. Texting, Tweeting, Mobile Internet: New Platforms for Democratic Debate in Africa. Windhoek, Namibi: fesmedia Afric, 2011. Print.
Texting, Tweeting, Mobile Internet: New Platforms for Democratic Debate in Africa data sheet 1755 Views
Author: 
Tom Sarrazin
Publication Type: 
Report/White paper
Publisher/Journal: 
fesmedia Africa
Publication language: 
English
Abstract: 

New media platforms are changing how people communicate with each  other around the world. However, there is great variation in both the kind of 

communication platforms people make use of as well as in how they access these  platforms. Computer ownership and internet access are still the prerogative of  the wealthy few in wide swathes of the African continent. All the same, mobile internet access is on the rise and if current growth rates continue, African mobile phone penetration will reach 100 per cent by 2014. Mobile phone penetration rates, in particular, have resulted in a plethora of ideas for new media platforms aimed at bridging the information divide between the well-connected and the disconnected. Topic areas range from agriculture and conservation to health and human rights. In addition to mobile phone-based platforms, there is also a number of promising internet-based ones.

 

Citation: 
Sarrazin , Tom. Texting, Tweeting, Mobile Internet: New Platforms for Democratic Debate in Africa. Windhoek, Namibi: fesmedia Afric, 2011. Print.

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