The liminal role of the information intermediary in community multimedia centres

Abstract

Donor and government funded Internet kiosks, telecentres and community multimedia centres continue to be implemented in developing countries, yet many remain underutilised, and subsequently shut down. This paper argues that a large part of this is because not enough attention is paid to the information intermediaries -the centre or kiosk manager and staff, whose responsibility it is to translate government or donor policy at field level, and make ICTs more accessible to the public. There appears to be insufficient research on these critical individuals. Drawing on the ideas of contradiction and conflict from Giddens's structuration theory, and Goffman's concept of performance, we present the position of information intermediaries at a donor funded community multimedia centre in rural India. The analysis illustrates that the intermediaries stand on a shaky bridge between various groups of stakeholders. Firstly, they are somewhat condescending towards the community they are working with. Secondly, they are in turn regarded by their superiors as the bottom of the (developmentalist) pyramid. Thirdly, they encounter contradiction and conflict with other stakeholder groups. Fourth, they manipulate their performance according to the circumstances required. While information intermediaries play a critical role in facilitating public access to ICTs, they can also hinder it, and we call for greater care paid to these intermediaries when such centres are implemented.

Information behaviors in disadvantaged and dependent circumstances and the role of information intermediaries

“…Previous studies have utilized the “bridging” metaphor to describe intermediaries (Agada, ; Bailur, ; Duncombe & Heeks, ; Sabelli, ). Our findings evidence an at times critical dependency on intermediaries when seeking information from external sources beyond immediate and predominantly insular interpersonal social networks, and provide insight into contributory affective factors.…”

“…Bailur (), investigating PACs underutilization in India, reports that PACs are highly dependent on the personality, motivation, and ability of PAC staff as intermediaries, and their ability to establish trusting and inclusive environments. Bailur describes a “critical role… [that] greatly influences… success or failure in bridging digital divides” (2010, p. 1).…”

“…Intermediaries are reported to provide a key role in increasing awareness of information needs, and directing to information sources, and described as providing "an essential bridge between young women and their appropriation of information and knowledge processes, both for their personal and collective development" (2012, p. 1). Bailur (2010), investigating PACs underutilization in India, reports that PACs are highly dependent on the personality, motivation, and ability of PAC staff as intermediaries, and their ability to establish trusting and inclusive environments. Bailur describes a "critical role… [that] greatly influences… success or failure in bridging digital divides" (2010, p. 1).…”

“…In summary, human intermediaries appear important to the meeting of information needs in disadvantaged circumstances, and appear to provide an important connection to external sources of information (the "bridge" metaphor used by Agada, 1999;Duncombe & Heeks, 2002;Bailur, 2010;and Sabelli, 2012). However, ineffective and/or ill-defined intermediary practices are also reported, in particular related to intermediary understanding of information needs (Agada, 1999;Duncombe & Heeks, 2002;Schilderman, 2002), and effective methods of information dissemination and application (Duncombe & Heeks, 2002;Schilderman, 2002).…”

The role telecentres play in providing e‐government services in rural areas

“…It seems to be the citizens' own responsibility, or up to “intermediaries” like telecentre staff, to arrange the access and to make efforts to use the information and services. Bailur () points out that many PIAPs remain underused and subsequently shut down because not enough attention is paid to the information intermediaries—the centre or kiosk manager and staff.…”