mardi 23 mars 2004

Africa's digital divide: updated facts, downgraded priorities Checking out some background related to an Internet and Africa story before leaving work, I should have looked at my own blogroll, which was a darned sight more helpful than Google & Co. Much of what I wanted was recently rounded up right here: 'For Most Africans, Internet Access Is Little More Than a Pipe Dream (OJR).' A fine "workplace" report posted at the Online Journalism Review by Chris Aiden last week confirms several things I knew, but adds some interesting ones I didn't. Just to quote one example: "The Zimbabwe government has been criticized for suppressing the media; officials in the administration of President Robert Mugabe last year closed Zimbabwe's only independent daily paper, the Daily News. The paper was closed in September; and though it resumed operations last month, a government application to ban it is going through the courts. Nevertheless, Zimbabwe has experienced an explosion of new Internet users: With a population of 14.7 million, there are a half-million people accessing the Internet, up from 50,000 in 2000. That's an increase of 900 percent, and the country's Internet penetration rate -- 3.4 percent -- is among the highest of any country on the continent." On that OJR page alone, there are several dozen hot links, many of which are new even to a "specialist" like me. Strongly recommended to anybody else pursuing similar interests. 9:56:06 PM  link   your views? [] Men should abstain; we've been pigeon-holed... ...but the 'Hindustan Times' picks up a test for the ladies. "Jane Ridley puts women into 27 distinctive character types and claims all women fit into one of her categories. And her A-Z of the fairer sex, makes for some very interesting reading." In which Kate learns she's not, after all, an Alpha Female (Electric Venom). 11:04:31 AM  link   your views? [] Blood, riches and an ambitious African film Here's a film which we may not get to see in Europe or the States, though it looks promising at allAfrica Arts. "Sierra Leoneans seem determined to put behind them the nightmare and scars of that war. From the ashes of war, a new nation is already evolving. Early this year, Sierra Leoneans got a helping hand from the ever resourceful Nigerian movie makers who have already made a film based on the war. Set naturally in Sierra Leone, the film is based on a simple plot that exploited the bitterness associated with the struggle to control natural resources. (...) 'Blood Diamonds' was inspired by the producer's desire to discourage armed conflicts in Africa and also spread the message of peace. The movie also reflects most of the tragedies of the war like amputation, conscription of children into the army and many other vices of war. And for the director [Teco Benson], this is one of his most ambitious projects in his over 10-year career as a movie director." Full article by Sylvester Asoya for 'The News' in Lagos. 10:45:12 AM  link   your views? []

nick b. 2007 do share, don't steal, please credit under artistic licence terms; contributing friends (pix, other work) retain their rights.