ABSTRACT
CGNet Swara is a voice-based platform for citizen journalism, launched in rural India in 2010. Since then, CGNet Swara has logged over 575,000 phone calls, over 6,900 published stories, and 287 reports of specific problems that were solved via the system. In this paper, we characterize the ongoing impact of CGNet Swara using a mixed-methods approach that includes 70 interviews with contributors, listeners, moderators, journalists, officials, and other actors. Our analysis also draws on the content of published posts, two focus groups, and a 9-day field immersion. Our results highlight personal narratives of the transformative benefits CGNet Swara has brought to rural communities. While the resolution of grievances is the most visible impact, we also uncover a diverse portfolio of other impacts connected to contributing and listening to the platform, as well as opportunities to further enhance impact. Our work contributes to the dialogue surrounding the impact of ICTD projects, especially those that span multiple years.
- Agarwal, S. K., Kumar, A., Nanavati, A. A., and Rajput, N. Content creation and dissemination by-and-for users in rural areas. In ICTD. 2009. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Akhileshwari, R. Women Journalists in India Swimming Against the Tide. Pragun Publications, 2012.Google Scholar
- Bailur, S. The complexities of community participation in ICT for development projects: The case of "Our Voices." Social Impl of Computers in Developing Countries, (2007).Google Scholar
- Bar, F., Brough, M., Costanza-Chock, S., Gonzalez, C., Wallis, C., and Garces, A. Mobile Voices: A Mobile, Open Source, Popular Communication Platform for First-Generation Immigrants in Los Angeles. Mobile 2.0: Beyond Voice?, (2009).Google Scholar
- Bidwell, N. J. Moving the centre to design social media in rural Africa. AI & Society, (2014).Google Scholar
- Chadha, K. and Steiner, L. The Potential and Limitations of Citizen Journalism Initiatives: Chhattisgarh's CGNet Swara. IAMCR, (2014).Google Scholar
- Chen, K., Kannan, A., Yano, Y., Hellerstein, J. M., and Parikh, T. S. Shreddr: pipelined paper digitization for low-resource organizations. DEV, (2012). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Cole, S. A. and Fernando, A. N. The Value of Advice: Evidence from the Adoption of Agricultural Practices. HBS Working Group Paper, (2014).Google Scholar
- Dart, J. A Dialogical, Story-Based Evaluation Tool: The Most Significant Change Technique. Am J of Eval 24, 2 (2003).Google Scholar
- Dias, M. B., Dausey, D., Casman, E., and Dias, M. B. The PREval (Pilot Research Evaluation) Framework. Technical Report, CMU-RI-TR-11-02, (2011).Google Scholar
- Dodson, L., Sterling, S. R., and Bennett, J. K. Considering Failure: Eight Years of ITID Research. ITID 9, 2 (2013).Google Scholar
- Donner, J. The Rules of Beeping: Exchanging Messages Via Intentional "Missed Calls" on Mobile Phones. JCMC (2007).Google Scholar
- Gandhi, R., Veeraraghavan, R., Toyama, K., and Ramprasad, V. Digital Green: Participatory video for agricultural extension. ICTD, (2007).Google ScholarCross Ref
- Gerber, A. S. and Green, D. P. Field Experiments: Design, Analysis, and Interpretation. W. W. Norton & Co., 2012.Google Scholar
- Gomez, R. and Pather, S. ICT Evaluation: Are We Asking the Right Questions? EJISDC 50, (2011).Google Scholar
- Gomez, R., Reed, P., and Chae, H. Y. Assessment of community wellness outcomes to measure ICT impact. ICTD, (2013). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Grover, A. S., Calteaux, K., Barnard, E., and van Huyssteen, G. A voice service for user feedback on school meals. DEV, (2012). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Gulaid, M. and Vashistha, A. Ila Dhageyso: An Interactive Voice Forum to Foster Transparent Governance in Somaliland. ICTD (Notes), (2013). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Hartung, C., Lerer, A., Anokwa, Y., Tseng, C., Brunette, W., and Borriello, G. Open data kit: tools to build information services for developing regions. ICTD, (2010). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Heeks, R. and Molla, A. Impact Assesment of ICT-for-Development Projects: A Compendium of Approaches. University of Manchester, 2009.Google Scholar
- Kleine, D. ICT4What? - using the Choice Framework to operationalise the capability approach to development. ICTD, (2009). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Koradia, Z., Aggarwal, P., Seth, A., and Luthra, G. Gurgaon idol: A singing competition over community radio and IVRS. DEV, (2013). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Koradia, Z. and Seth, A. PhonePeti: exploring the role of an answering machine system in a community radio station in India. ICTD, (2012). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Mudliar, P., Donner, J., and Thies, W. Emergent Practices Around CGNet Swara, A Voice Forum for Citizen Journalism in Rural India. In ICTD. 2012. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Mudliar, P. and Donner, J. Experiencing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) as a Participatory Medium, The case of CGNet Swara in India. Mobile Media and Communication, in press.Google Scholar
- Parthasarathy, B. and Srinivasan, J. Innovation and its Social Impacts: The Role of Ethnography in the Evaluation and Assessment of ICTD Projects. GLOBELICS, (2006).Google Scholar
- Patel, N., Chittamuru, D., Jain, A., Dave, P., and Parikh, T. S. Avaaj Otalo - A Field Study of an Interactive Voice Forum for Small Farmers in Rural India. CHI, (2010). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Sen, A. Well-being, agency and freedom. The Journal of Philosophy LXXXII, 4 (1985).Google Scholar
- Sterling, S. R., O'Brien, J., and Bennett, J. K. Advancement through interactive radio. Information System Frontiers 11, 2 (2009). Google ScholarDigital Library
- White, J., Duggirala, M., Kummamuru, K., and Srivastava, S. Designing a voice-based employment exchange for rural India. ICTD, (2012). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Awaaz. De. https://www.awaaz.de/.Google Scholar
- Gram Vaani. http://www.gramvaani.org/.Google Scholar
- CM Helpline. http://cmhelpline.mp.gov.in/index.html.Google Scholar
- Childline. http://wcd.nic.in/childlineservice.htm.Google Scholar
Index Terms
Revisiting CGNet Swara and its impact in rural India
Recommendations
ICT-Enabled Grievance Redressal in Central India: A Comparative Analysis
ICTD '16: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and DevelopmentHelping citizens to resolve grievances is an important part of many e-governance initiatives. In this paper, we examine two contemporary initiatives that use ICTs to help citizens resolve grievances in central India. One system is a state-run call ...
Emergent practices around CGNet Swara, voice forum for citizen journalism in rural India
ICTD '12: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and DevelopmentRural communities in India are often underserved by the mainstream media. While there is a public discourse surrounding the issues they face, this dialogue typically takes place on television, in newspaper editorials, and on the Internet. Unfortunately, ...
Findings from a Civil Society Mediated and Technology Assisted Grievance Redressal Model in Rural India
ICTD '17: Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and DevelopmentSocial welfare schemes and public infrastructure services often face implementation and last mile delivery challenges. Governments in India have set up phone helplines for beneficiaries to report irregularities but we find that it remains challenging ...
Comments