The web of radios - introducing african community radio as an interface to the web of data

Abstract

The World Wide Web as it is currently deployed can only be accessed using modern client devices and graphical interfaces, within an infrastructure compassing datacenters and reliable, high-speed Internet connections. However, in many regions in developing countries these conditions are absent. Many people living in remote rural areas in developing countries will not be able to use the Web, unless they can produce and consume voice-based content using alternative interfaces such as (2G) mobile phone, and radio. In this paper we introduce a radio platform, based on a use case and requirements analysis of community radio stations in Mali. The voice-based content of this radio platform will be made publicly available, using Linked Data principles, and will be ready for unexpected re-use. It will help to bring the benefits of the Web to people who are out of reach of computers and the Internet.