Call for Concept Notes: Radio, Convergence and Development in Africa

Radio, Convergence and Development in Africa is a research project being administered by Carleton University's Centre for Media and Transitional Societies (CMTS), in collaboration with Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

As a first step, the Centre for Media and Transitional Societies is pleased to launch a call for concept notes, in French or English, outlining proposed research examining the impact of convergence between traditional radio and new information and communications technologies (ICTs) in sub-Saharan Africa.

When it comes to media in Africa, radio remains the dominant mass medium, but other information and communications technologies are growing exponentially and complementing traditional radio. The Radio, Convergence and Development in Africa program will support research on how the purposes and functions of traditional radio in Africa are influenced by new ICTs.

Ultimately, the purpose of this competitive research project is both to generate important research and to support African researchers in their efforts to produce rigorous and analytical social science research findings on the ways that radio and the growth and penetration of new ICTs - such as mobile phones, the Internet and other digital technologies - have affected social, cultural, political and economic development.

The Radio, Convergence and Development in Africa research agenda was shaped in large measure by a paper (Radio and Development in Africa) prepared for IDRC in 2008 by U.K.-based media consultant Dr. Mary Myers. The research agenda was further informed through a participatory roundtable process (convened in Huye, Rwanda, Sept. 10-13, 2009) involving African radio researchers and practitioners who together suggested priority to several key research themes: gender, sustainability for radio stations, the policy and regulatory environment and the importance of context (Gender as a Cross-Cutting Issue). These research themes emanated from the roundtable process as strong threads. Yet, because this is a competitive grant, ideas that fall outside this list, yet still adhere to the overall objective of this program, will be considered.

The call for proposals will be run in two stages.

1. Call for concept notes (deadline: January 8, 2010): All interested applicants are required to submit a concept note outlining a synopsis of a proposed research idea. All submissions must provide the required information and follow the submission instructions published on this site.

2. Call for full proposals (deadline: March 5, 2010): Based on the assessment of the concept notes, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. More details on the full proposal submission process and what follows will be made available on the FAQ page in the coming weeks.

Successful applicants at the full proposal stage will benefit from a mentorship program and targeted networking and training opportunities. Ultimately, the research findings will be captured and communicated through an interactive web portal, traditional print publications and a major international conference. Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.

Funding Amounts

There are three levels of targeted funding, each with different eligibility criteria:

* A set of small seed grants at CAD$7,500 each will be awarded to promising graduate students, small organizations and individual researchers.
* Grants of CAD$25,000 open to researchers affiliated with an established organization.
* Grants of up to CAD$100,000 open only to researchers affiliated with an established organization.

Published: 11 Dec 2009

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http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-149165-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html Link to article
http://www.cmts-cmst.org/index.php Link to the Centre for Media and Transitional Societies