WHAT'S NEW ON AUDIENCESCAPES

A Quiet Opening: North Koreans in a Changing Media Environment

Global watchdog organizations such as Freedom House and Re­porters Without Borders routinely rank the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) as the country with the least free media in the world. Indeed, for more than half a century, North Ko­rea’s leaders have relied on a domestic media monopoly to control what information North Koreans can access and how narratives around that information are presented.

But the situation on the ground is changing, thanks in large part to North Koreans’ expanding access to unsanctioned foreign media and information sources. InterMedia’s A Quiet Opening: North Koreans in a Changing Media Environment documents this evolution based on research among recent North Korean defectors, refugees and travelers abroad.

Trends in Mobile Money

Mobile Money as a Savings Solution

Poor people have surprisingly complicated financial lives given how little money they have.  You would, too, if your “$1 a day” income actually came in the form of $60 on one day, and no dollars for the next two months. The poor understand their critical need to both budget and save money.

Mobily Money: Is It Reaching Far Enough?

The consensus seemed to be that mobile services are the way forward for Africa. However, once the low-hanging fruit among potential users has been plucked, so to speak, reaching the poorest and most remote segments of the population will require additional effort.

Small World News Expands Citizen Journalism Network to Libya

Citizen journalism is not a new idea, but the Small World News’ way of using citizen journalists is quite novel. They train citizens, especially those from conflict and crisis zones, to produce news that engages international communities and audiences. Small World News’ belief is a simple one: what can be done in zones of conflict can be done anywhere.

Health eVillages brings the doctor’s office to medically scarce areas through mobile devices

Health eVillages seeks to provide healthcare professionals working in challenging clinical environments with medical decision making, clinical diagnosis and training tools in mobile devices.

Of Boats and Rats: How Russia's election banter transcended the borders of online and offline media

Political and social analysts are likely to be debating for some time how the results of Russia's recent elections were influenced by a vocal democratic movement and President-elect Vladimir Putin's reactions to it.

Tracking Mobile Money Use in Tanzania

In quarterly tracking studies through fall 2012, InterMedia is monitoring trends in awareness and use of mobile money in Tanzania, for the benefit of the financial access stakeholder community.

This first quarterly report, covering the period Sept-Nov. 2011, provides a concise view on levels of awareness and use, triggers and deterrents to use, what alternatives to mobile money services are being used, and perspectives on successful marketing of mobile money services.

Timor-Leste Communication and Media Survey Online Data Analysis Tool Available

The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste’s released its report on its 2010 survey of media in Timor-Leste.  The survey breaks down the primary languages spoken from region to region, a key piece of information in a country with many different languages.  Mobile phone ownership has grown by 600 percent since 2006, making it the fastest growing communications tool in Timor-Leste.  The survey provides insights on how this rapidly growing technology is being used and the extent of its coverage.   To learn about these key findings and more, click here…

Data set available upon request, click here for instructions

Citizen Journalism Grows in Pakistan

With internet usage on the rise, Pakistanis are turning to the blogosphere and citizen journalism to share their opinions. Hosh Media epitomizes the growing popularity of locally-based, online portals for citizen journalism in Pakistan.

Pakistan Media Access Overview

Pakistan’s media has transformed in the last decade from a state run sector to a crowded and nearly saturated market with many satellite television channels, FM stations and newspapers.Television and radio channels, along with newspapers, are available in English, Urdu and a number of regional languages such as Punjabi and Sindhi.

 Television in Pakistan: Who’s Watching? 
The biggest change in the Pakistan media landscape has been in the television market. The state-run Pakistan Television Corporation still operates six terrestrial channels, but residents with cable and satellite access can watch more than 90 private television stations

Mobile Access: Ownership and Sharing on the Rise, Sending SMS is Popular  
With the recent explosion of service providers in the mobile market and plummeting prices,  both personal ownership and sharing among family and friends is high. Pakistanis use their phones to send SMS regularly, often texting in Urdu and using Roman alphabets. Mobile access  has increased in volatile and sensitive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) that have historically had a poorly-developed mass media market. SMS campaigns could be an ideal media strategy here, where traditionally, TV and radio are less effective. See our complete mobile report here.

 InterMedia and PEPL Strengthen Capacity and Assess Needs in Pakistan's FATA
InterMedia recently partnered with the Popular Engagement Policy Lab (PEPL) to conduct research in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan in support of radio programming produced by  Raabta Consultants. Their radio shows aim to provide citizens with solutions to problems faced by them, their families and their communities, particularly problems that contribute to increased violence in society. Find out more

 InterMedia's Ali Fisher Discusses the Changing Digital Landscape

In November, InterMedia’s Ali Fisher was interviewed by Wilton Park’s Chief Executive, Richard Burge, as part of the London Conference on Cyberspace.  Ali was asked to discuss what his research has shown to be exciting uses of the internet, interesting bits about the growing use of the internet and what the next big “thing” on the horizon is. Find out here.

SMS Based Medic Mobile Helps Bridge Healthcare Communication Info Gap

Josh Nesbit was doing HIV research at a clinic in Malawi in 2007 when he realized that new mobile infrastructure available there could be harnessed to bridge gaps and coordinate health care services. And so, Medic Mobile was launched in 2009- it develops technologies such as easy-to-use medical record systems and SIM card applications to help health workers communicate and coordinate patient care, and provide diagnostics using low-cost mobile technology. AudienceScapes Fellow Paromita Pain talks to Nesbit about how better information and communication access can help us live healthier and longer lives.

Kenya's Female Entrepreneurs Make Their Digital Mark

Kenyan women have been at the forefront of some recent newsworthy ICT innovations such as iCow and M-Farm. Dinfin Mulupi covers their success stories and finds that their entrepreneurship might help open doors for disadvantaged women across Kenya. Read more….

Tracking Mobile Money Use in Haiti

The World Bank's CGAP Technology Blog recently posted an article by InterMedia's AudienceScapes' team about the Haiti Mobile Money Tracker.  The Haiti Mobile Money Tracker is a tool that InterMedia in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation created to examine the impact of mobile money in Haiti . Read the entire article here.