IT for Change was part of a workshop on 'Audio visual resources for development: Moving towards open paradigms' in Bengaluru (India) on 15 June 2006. The workshop was aimed at initiating a policy dialogue on free sharing of audio visual (AV) development content aimed at grassroots interventions, so that these interventions can be strengthened. It also sought to kick-start a process for establishing a centralised hub for all such AV development content that is available for free sharing, in a manner that is easily accessible to NGOs, CBOs and communities that need to access and use such content.
AV resources are increasingly becoming a very significant element for successful development interventions, as well for community’s own information and knowledge processes. Recent technology developments have greatly transformed the possibilities of creation, distribution and accessing of AV resources or content. However, most development agencies have still not internalised the paradigmatic shifts that these technologies imply, into their content creation and distribution practices. This has lead to an under-optimal use of tremendous new possibilities offered by these technologies. A critical way to break through this situation is a policy dialogue at the highest level among development agencies that create such content and those that are in a position of need and potential use of such content, in reaching them to the targeted audiences. The workshop was an attempt in this direction.