Radio

I am working with several governments in Africa on Open Data.  In these
countries, internet penetration is at about 10-15%.  Illiteracy is between
45%-70%, depending on the region and country.  The principal tool for
communication is radio.  Even in the most remote farm regions, every farm
has a radio and more than a billion people tune in to radio shows the way
the West did in the 1930's and 40's.

In these countries, we will use Radio as the communication tool for
informing the public about Open Data and I want to make sure we include
this communication medium as a "file type" in which metadata must also be
communicated.  This requirement is bi-directional.

Outbound, it is necessary to build best practices in how metadata, data
processing, discovery, and retention rules are communicated over radio to
the public.  In many of these nations (and in many of our own as well)
distrust of government is universal and Open Data from government will be
distrusted by default.  Metadata will be key to conversations about the
Data that helps build public trust in the information.

Inbound, many Open Data portals will publish MP3 files containing the radio
broadcasts and podcasts about the Open Data and our Best Practices must
also apply to these file types.

I hope to add television broadcasts in the future, but radio is probably
enough for v1 of our recommendations.

Please let me know what you think.


Best Regards,

Steve

Motto: "Do First, Think, Do it Again"