Making the link—providing mobile media for novice communities in the developing world

In this paper we investigate the media needs of low-income mobile users in a South African township. We develop and deploy a system that allows users to download media at no costs to themselves, in order to probe future media requirements for similar user groups. We discover that not only are the community interested in developmental information, but are also just as interested in sharing local music or videos. Furthermore, the community consume the media in ways that we did not expect, which had direct impacts on their lives. Finally, we conclude with some reflections on the value of media and the most appropriate ways to deliver it in developing world communities.

Research highlights► We examine the need to provide free access to information on cellular handsets in the developing world. ► We create a system using Bluetooth as a technology probe to explore information needs. ► The system is evaluated using logs, diaries and polyphonic evaluation in a township in South Africa. ► We discover that whilst the system is a success, a probe approach is necessary to allow the community to express their need for information.