i-Witness

Reflections on WSIS: neglecting the media

By Márcia Detoni

Tunis was a wonderful experience. I learned an enormous amount about ICTs and the policies that govern their implementation. I was particularly impressed - and surprised - by developments in ICTs in certain Asian countries.

For example, Tran Le Thuy (our journalist from Vietnam) told me that almost everybody in her country has access to the internet and that computers there can cost as little as US$200. In Brazil only 15 per cent of the population are connected and the cheapest desktop computers costs around US$500 - beyond the reach of most.

This is all very interesting. The same cannot be said of either the official discussions or civil society seminars. Most were heavily centred on the internet, with very few events on the role of traditional media in the information society. And there was no discussion at all about digital radio and television, which are set to completely change the way people relate to the mass media.

In Brazil the main commercial broadcasting companies - which own the entire air spectrum in big cities - are forcing the introduction of the American digital radio model (IBOC), thereby excluding other actors, including community radio stations.

Sad that nobody at WSIS chose to highlight this issue, which threatens democratic access to information and to means of communication, particularly in developing countries.

Reflections on WSIS: people coming together

By Anand Parthasarathy

There will be no more summits on the information society - at least none are planned, Kofi Annan told me at a press conference. Sad in a way, because I have a feeling that ‘Geneva’ and ‘Tunis’ will be remembered long after the event - just as ‘Stockholm’ and ‘Johannesburg’ have entered the vocabulary of the global environmental movement. 

This is because the 122 paragraphs of the resulting Tunis Agenda tell only part of the story. The real achievement for me was the networking that the event facilitated between segments of civil society from more than 100 nations.

"Those who came and visited [our stall] realised WSIS is all about people, not just technology," Manish Kumar of OneWorld South Asia told me.

The challenges faced by one small village in Africa, Asia or South America may not seem significant. But WSIS left us upbeat, feeling that we are not alone and – as long as others share in our problems – we will all somehow muddle through.

Ironically, I had to come all the way to Tunis to appreciate the great work done by Indian NGOs like the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). I met one young woman who is cameraperson for SEWA's TV channel. Back in Ahmedabad she helps unload packages in the city's clothing bazaar.   

If Tunis gave her and thousands like her the strength to carry on, to share their experiences and to gain from others, it has succeeded in ways that no declaration could ever achieve.

For the cynical breed of journalist to which I belong, WSIS had many humbling moments that cut us down to size and made us think, albeit briefly, about the real problems of this world. 

Reflections on WSIS: a resounding success?

By Fred Mudhai

The official ITU line that WSIS Tunis was a ‘resounding success’ is not necessarily unanimous.

I can’t help feeling that the deals struck in Tunis – a new internet governance forum and recognition of the Digital Solidarity Fund, for example – are more about diplomacy than significant steps forward.

And as far as the news media is concerned, although the ‘Tunis Commitment’ reiterates freedom of opinion and expression, it still falls short of what communication rights campaigners view as a holistic approach.

All the same, WSIS certainly enhanced networking and gave greater prominence to information society issue. There’s even a proposal that the UN designates 17 May as World Information Society Day...

Reflections on WSIS: a whole new perspective

By Vipin V Nair

Most of us are now home, back in the throes of work. But I’m sure our memories of the one of the UN’s largest summits will linger.

As far as India is concerned, I’m rather doubtful about the impact of decisions such as establishing an internet governance forum. India has one of the fastest-growing internet subscriber bases in the world, and there has never been any attempt to muzzle its use or content. On the other hand, many Indian ICT projects received global exposure thanks to the Summit.

On a personal level, the three hectic days at WSIS were an amazing experience. There were so many events, issues, and people. In fact, as a journalist, the toughest task was not in finding news; it was sifting through the news. In every corner of the exhibition hall, you would come across yet another news story unfolding. How I wish I could have reported on all of it!

But perhaps my fondest memory will be the friends I made in Tunis, who have given me a whole new perspective on reporting on the information society.

Reflections on WSIS: more than lip-service

By Segun Oruame

At long last, WSIS has ended. All the excitement, tension, suspense, and heated debates that preceded the ‘Summit of Solutions’ ended on Friday. While waiting in Tripoli to connect to my flight back to Lagos I had a chance to reflect on my week in Tunisia.

The country itself is full of surprises. At a superficial level Tunis City was something of a shock to many of the delegates who had, perhaps, expected to see mosques, mullahs and veiled women.

Certainly one Brazilian delegate I met was astounded by the fact that he could spend the evenings drinking beer and whisky, and even go on to a club to dance the Samba. This in a country where more than 97 per cent of the population are adherents of Islam.

But perhaps more surprising is the way in which Tunisia has grasped the ICT revolution. When the first phase of WSIS was held in Geneva two years ago, fewer than 10,000 Tunisians had affordable access to the internet. That figure is now one million.

The Tunisian government has put in place effective policies and backed these up with financial commitments. It now seems set to achieve its goal of internet for all by 2015.

The story is quite different in Nigeria. Despite endless talk about what the Nigerian government should do to prepare for WSIS, providing internet access to 10 per cent of the population – as has happened is Tunisia – remains a mirage.

The oil-giant of Africa hasn’t even been able to align its ICT policies with overall national goals. Nigeria’s stall at WSIS reflected this disorganisation and lack of chemistry between government agencies – it was virtually empty.

Although the Nigerian President attended Tunis, along with some other top officials, they only helped to fuel the impression that WSIS was just a political jamboree.

Those who really understood what WSIS was about stayed behind in Lagos. They recognise that to move these issues forward we need more than lip-service from our governments.

ICTs: a vehicle for change

By Tadaferua Ujorha

I have always felt that ICTs must be linked to development. The Tunis WSIS has given me the space to explore this theme, and to find out about real projects that are making a real difference.

While First Mile in Tanzania is helping the peasant farmers to tap into the internet, India's Self Employed Women's Associaton empowers women in ways never previously imagined.

These initiatives, alongside many others, quite clearly show the potential of ICTs as a vehicle for change in the South.

> Day 3 report: ICTs for development: starting with the people

The changing face of democracy

By Amit Jain

In an article I wrote for The Sunday Standard in Kenya last year, I argued that communication technology is about to change the practice of democracy forever.

The argument went something like this: as the internet and mobile phones continue to proliferate, governments are slowly giving way to their citizens to have more say in their wn affairs.

But in doing so they are not just empowering the marginalised to improve their lot, they are also unleashing forces of change whose impact we may know only in times to come.

I came to the WSIS in Tunis hoping to find some answers. But what I discovered wasn't entirely encouraging.

> Day 3 report: Few takes for e-governance @ WSIS

No stopping technology

By Ansbert Ngurumo

It was inevitable that even before the Tunis Summit began, people would be asking: 'What next after WSIS?'.

The one issue that has dominated - internet governance - looks to be largely resolved. But I'm wondering if people have underestimated the pace of technological change. Maybe we should actually be asking: 'What next after the internet?'.

After all, who knows what scientists will come up with while the new Internet Governance Forum thrashes out the precise mechanics of managing the web.

$100 laptop - perfect for Vietnam?

By Tran Le Thuy

Coming to WSIS, I knew I'd have to cope with the challenges that face all journalists at major conferences: information overload - much of it theoretical and riddled with jargon - and tightly-worded but empty declarations...

So I've been determined to find stories that are practical and of interest to my Vietnamese readers. No surprise that I was struck by the launch of the $100 laptop then.

In Vietnam, computers are king. Private internet cafes are booming - even in remote rural areas. The young urban crowd is inseparable from its memory sticks and cellphones. And the government is pinning its hopes on the IT industry, training up a new generation of IT experts.

At first glance, the $100 laptop would seem to be more than perfect for us...

> Day 3 report: Laptop for $100: good, but is it true?

Reporters for development

By Tadaferua Ujorha

The final session laid on by Panos this afternoon looked at the role of the journalist in the 'post-WSIS scenario'.

I was particularly struck by the concept of 'development journalism': combining a reporter's professional skills and ethics with a profound desire to improve the lives of the majority.

I am convinced that journalists can be instrumental in the way ICTs are used for the benefit of society at large. And I fully intend to embrace this approach on my return to Nigeria.