Globalization, linguistic diversity, and information dissemination in Malawi
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Date
2008Author
Kamwendo, G.H.
Publisher
Brill Academic Publishers. http://www.brill.nl/m%5Fcatalogue.asp?sub=3Type
Published ArticleMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
In a linguistically heterogeneous country, one of the critical challenges is to make information
accessible to all people. Various communication media can be used: television, radio, telephone,
the Internet and others. Malawi needs to embrace Information Communication Technologies
(ICTs) in order to achieve development in all spheres of human life. Malawi’s use of ICTs ranks
low. Th e critical challenge, therefore, is to promote an increased use of ICTs with the aim of
improving people’s access to information. Given that only a minority of Malawians have access
to ICTs, that television has not signifi cantly penetrated into rural areas where 80 % of the population
lives, and that there is also a high illiteracy rate, the radio becomes the most accessible
form of technology for information dissemination in Malawi.