Measuring Channel Dependency Rate (CDR) in Obtaining Community Information by Rural Citizens in Sri Lank
Wathmanel Seneviratne
Journal of Intelligent Computing, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2015.
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Abstract:
The paper is based on a research study conducted in 10 districts among rural communities of Sri Lanka. The study
investigated the community information needs and the way they consult channels and the status of information provision
within the rural sector in Sri Lanka. The research study was able to coin a tool to identify rate of dependency over information
channels, which is named as Channel Dependency Rate -CDR. The study deals with behavioural patterns of rural people in
looking for information and its influence in selecting a particular information channel in the process of information seeking.
The study indicates that there is an information flow at; Institutional level and Community level (Village level). There are two
main categories of information providers identified at the rural setting; a) Institutions and b) Individuals. Under these two
categories there were sub categories and which were separately analysed in the study. Recognizing the information providers
paved the way to identify how ordinary rural citizens depend upon or consults different channels in looking for information.
According to the responses received regarding the channel consulted in obtaining a certain category of information, a
â€˜Channel Dependency Rateâ€™ was able to determine against each information need.