Journal articles on the topic 'Information services Papua New Guinea Viriolo'

The road network of Papua New Guinea includes 8,258 km of national classified roads and another 19,937 km of lesser-trafficked but equally important provincial roads. The value of the national road network is more than 5 billion Kina (US$1 billion). Maintaining this significant asset places a great responsibility on the government and the Department of Works (DOW). Sadly, insufficient attention has been given to maintaining the road network. There is no doubt that poorly maintained roads have a significant adverse effect on national economic growth, with an adverse effect on gross domestic product. In a developing country such as Papua New Guinea, there is always a need to provide a basic level of access to all areas of the country to be able to provide basic services for all the population (access to markets, administrative, health, education). A poorly maintained road network limits access and deprives rural populations of basic services. Therefore, DOW, with funds and guidance provided by the Asian Development Bank, has, with the assistance of a Finnroad consultant, developed a road asset management system (RAMS). RAMS is a tool for storing and presenting road data information, planning short-and long-term road maintenance, creating budgets, and maximizing economic returns of investments made for the road network. The government of Papua New Guinea has also established requirements for institutional reform and strengthening under its public sector reform program. Furthermore, responding to community and other stakeholder pressure, the government has committed itself to launching a road sector reform program.

In the highlands of Papua New Guinea, rain-fed subsistence farming has been the main source of food and small cash earnings for the majority of the rural population. Consequently, as a result of elongated period of drought, reduction in food and water supply bring forth starvation / malnutrition led sickness and death, especially when authorities fail to intervene because inaccessibility and remoteness of the highly dissected terrain, as a result relief and basic services don’t reach the hungry mouth on time. Such conditions were reported recently in many parts of Papua New Guinea especially prevalent in coastal regions and uplands of the highlands region. In this study, GIS and Remote Sensing (RS) technology were employed in highlighting and demarcating potential drought risk zones in Western Highlands Province. Basically, several environmental factors like; soil types, NDVI, rainfall, terrain, population demography and surface temperature were prepared and integrated in GIS environment through multi-criteria evaluation techniques where risk areas were identified. The final output generated from factors integration were then assessed and reclassified to indicate levels of drought risk zones from Low, Medium and High. Hence, several built-up areas where then marked on each risk zones in an attempt to highlight the location, distribution and accessibility in respect to the risk areas identified.

In the highlands of Papua New Guinea, rain-fed subsistence farming has been the main source of food and small cash earnings for the majority of the rural population. Consequently, as a result of elongated period of drought, reduction in food and water supply bring forth starvation / malnutrition led sickness and death, especially when authorities fail to intervene because inaccessibility and remoteness of the highly dissected terrain, as a result relief and basic services don’t reach the hungry mouth on time. Such conditions were reported recently in many parts of Papua New Guinea especially prevalent in coastal regions and uplands of the highlands region. In this study, GIS and Remote Sensing (RS) technology were employed in highlighting and demarcating potential drought risk zones in Western Highlands Province. Basically, several environmental factors like; soil types, NDVI, rainfall, terrain, population demography and surface temperature were prepared and integrated in GIS environment through multi-criteria evaluation techniques where risk areas were identified. The final output generated from factors integration were then assessed and reclassified to indicate levels of drought risk zones from Low, Medium and High. Hence, several built-up areas where then marked on each risk zones in an attempt to highlight the location, distribution and accessibility in respect to the risk areas identified.

Background: Appropriate antenatal education services that increase men’s involvement in pregnancy and childbirth is crucial for improving maternal and child health outcomes. However, in Papua New Guinea (PNG), men’s involvement in antenatal education services remains inadequate. This study aimed to describe experiences of men’s involvement in antenatal education services and identify factors that facilitate or restrict their involvement. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted among 17 men who have attended antenatal care (ANC) and involved in antenatal education sessions with their wives. Semi-structured and face-to-face interviews were employed to obtain detailed descriptions of men’s experiences and their perception of antenatal health education services, including factors that influenced their involvement. Data is generated from interviews. The findings are informed by the thematic analysis. Results: Three key themes that emerged were: (1) perception of ANC as women’s domain, (2) knowledge of antenatal education services, and (3) accessing of antenatal education services. Factors influencing men’s involvement were: strict gender roles, being responsible for pregnancy and spousal communication. Lack of knowledge, dissatisfaction with antenatal services, and lack of capacity to involve men were other reasons further observed. Conclusion: This study found negative perceptions; poor maternal knowledge and socio-cultural norms, inadequate information dissemination and poor men-friendly services influenced men’s involvement. Suggestions to strengthen men’s involvement require gender-inclusive and culturally appropriate antenatal education programs.

AbstractTelemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another through electronic communication to improve the clinical health status of patients. Telemedicine can be one of the solution options to overcome the limitations of health workers. This study aims to describe the benefits of implementing Telemedicine in archipelagic countries. This type of research is a Systematic Literature Review with literature sourced from Elsevier, Garuda, IEEE Xplore, NCBI, PubMed, ProQuest, ResearchGate, Science Direct, and Springer. Literature selection using PRISMA, obtained 257 scientific articles consisting of duplicate data 15, did not enter the topic 73, did not meet the inclusion & exclusion criteria 154, did not meet the minimum standard of SRQR 4 and only 10 were used. The results of the analysis obtained are 5 of the 19 archipelagic countries that are related, namely Cape Verde, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Sao Tome & Principe. Furthermore, improving access to care in the form of eliminating trips that are burdensome for patients, making it easier for patients to access health services through patient devices. The nearest Telemedicine satellite device. Then the timeliness in treatment is to facilitate the diagnosis of patients and patient health care. Then the increase in patient satisfaction and involvement of patient satisfaction and patient involvement. Meanwhile, the increase in demand and cost-effectiveness is obtained in the form of efficient services, increasing patient expectations. The benefits of implementing Telemedicine are mostly in Cape Verde and the least in Papua New Guinea. Keywords: telemedicine, telemedicine application, archipelago country AbstrakTelemedicine sebagai penggunaan informasi medis yang dipertukarkan dari satu situs ke situs lain melalui komunikasi elektronik untuk meningkatkan status kesehatan klinis pasien. Telemedicine bisa menjadi salah satu opsi solusi mengatasi keterbatasan tenaga kesehatan. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan manfaat penerapan Telemedicine di negara kepulauan. Jenis penelitian Sytematic Literature Review dengan literatur bersumber dari Elsevier, Garuda, IEEE Xplore, NCBI, PubMed, ProQuest, ResearchGate, Science Direct, dan Springer. Seleksi literatur menggunakan PRISMA, diperoleh 257 artikel ilmiah terdiri dari duplikasi data 15, tidak masuk topik 73, tidak masuk kriteria inklusi & eksklusi 154, tidak masuk standar minimal SRQR 4 dan hanya 10 yang digunakan. Hasil analisis yang diperoleh ada 5 dari 19 negara kepulauan yang terkait yakni Cape Verde, Filipina, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, dan Sao Tome & Principe.Selanjutnya pada peningkatan akses perawatan berupa menghilangkan perjalanan yang memberatkan pasien, memudahkan pasien mengakses layanan kesehatan melalui perangkat pasien/perangkat satelit Telemedicine terdekat. Lalu ketepatan waktu dalam perawatan yakni memudahkan penegakan diagnosis pasien dan perawatan kesehatan pasien. Kemudian peningkatan kepuasan dan keterlibatan pasien adanya kepuasan pasien dan keterlibatan pasien. Sedangkan pada peningkatan permintaan dan hemat biaya diperoleh berupa layanan yang efisien, meningkatnya ekspektasi pasien. Adapun manfaat penerapan Telemedicine paling banyak di negara Cape Verde dan paling sedikit di Papua New Guinea.Kata Kunci: telemedicine, penerapan telemedicine, negara kepulauan

Background The number of young people utilising sexual and reproductive health services in Pacific Island Countries and Territories remains poor despite the availability and the existence of the fundamental rights to access these services. Adolescents and youth need accurate information and timely access to contraceptives to prevent adverse consequences associated with unintended pregnancies, abortion, childbirth and untreated sexually transmitted infections. This scoping review identifies and analyses factors contributing to young people’s low access to sexual and reproductive health information and services in this region. Methods Guided by the PRISMA Scoping review guidelines, we searched three databases (Medline Ovid, Scopus and CINAHL Complete) for peer-reviewed articles published between 1st January 2000 and 31st August 2020 that reported on factors, including barriers and enablers, affecting access to sexual and reproductive health information and services by young people living in Pacific Island Countries and Territories. We assessed the quality of each study according to the study designs, methods of data collection, data analysis and ethical considerations. All information was sorted and organised using an Excel Spreadsheet. Text data from published articles were charted inductively using thematic analysis with no predetermined codes and themes. Findings Five hundred eighty-nine articles were screened, and only eight met the inclusion criteria outlined in this scoping review protocol. These eight articles reported studies conducted in four Pacific Island Countries and Territories: Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. Factors such as lack of accurate sexual and reproductive health knowledge and social stigma were the leading causes of young people’s limited access to sexual and reproductive health services. Cultural and religious beliefs also invoked stigmatising behaviours in some family and community members. Conclusion This scoping review revealed that social stigma and judgemental attitudes imposed by family and community members, including healthcare providers, hinder young unmarried individuals in Pacific Island Countries and Territories from accessing sexual and reproductive health information and contraceptives. Alternatively, a non-judgmental healthcare provider is perceived as an enabler in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services. Moreover, given that only a few studies have actually focused on young people’s sexual and reproductive health needs in the region, more research is required to fully understand the health-seeking behaviours of young people in their specific contexts.

Data on adolescent reproductive health (ARH) are required to inform evidence-based policies and programs. The reports of national-level household surveys such as the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) are important sources of such data in developing countries. The aim of this study was to map data on ARH from DHS and MICS reports from selected countries in the Asia and Pacific regions. The DHS and MICS reports for Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, and Vietnam were reviewed. Data on 128 indicators, including ARH outcomes, outcomes for babies of adolescent mothers, and adolescents’ access to health information and services, were mapped. Available data are limited because of the omission of cohorts such as young adolescents (10-14 years old) and, in many surveys, unmarried women; the omission of important indicators; and failure to report data disaggregated by age. DHS and MICS reports have limited capacity to inform policy and programs to improve ARH. A review of DHS and MICS sampling strategies and reporting templates, and a consideration of alternative data collection strategies, are warranted.

Abstract Barriers to acquiring and using a shared sign language alienate deaf children and adults from their fundamental human rights to communication, education, social and economic participation, and access to services. International data collected by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) identify that in economically developing countries, deaf individuals are at particularly high risk of marginalization, which applies to countries in the Pacific region. This report provides a snapshot of the status of deaf people as sign language users in six Pacific nations: Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Kiribati. Information was contributed by sign language interpreters from these countries during a panel convened at the first Oceania regional conference of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters, in Fiji, 2018. The report outlines conditions for education through sign language and the emergence of sign language interpreting as a means of increasing access and social equity for deaf people in these countries, albeit this remains largely on a voluntary basis. While Fiji and PNG governments have recognized the status of sign languages in their respective countries and allocated some resources to the inclusion of sign language users, practical support of deaf sign language users tends to be progressed on grounds of disability rights rather than language rights; e.g., several Pacific countries have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights for People with Disabilities, which includes provisions for sign language users, and deaf advocacy efforts have gained political traction from alliance with disability organizations.

Base on the Village Law No. 6 of 2014 concerning Village, namely villages have the right, authority and obligation to regulate and manage their own government affairs and community interests based on their rights of origin and local customs. In this authority, the village provides services to the community and conducts community empowerment. Sota village is a border region with Papua New Guinea. The location of Kampung Sota is relatively close to the seafront of the city of Merauke, has a population of 1,270 in 2014 and the resources of forests, rivers and swamps. This research use Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach and SWOT analysis. The results of the study found: Strength Aspects namely 1). Raw materials are easily available, 2). Strategic business location, 3). Product prices begin to increase, 4). The products produced are export products, 5). Availability of Village Land, 6). Commitment from the village government. Weakness aspects are: 1). The lack of business capital, small production quantity, 2). Transportation for raw materials, 3). Unattractive packaging, 4). Cooperatives in the village are controlled by individuals / traditional leaders who control the local land. Opportunity Aspect namely 1). Products that have a prospective market share, 2). Production capacity can be reproduced, 3). Increased consumer needs and public awareness to use local products, 4). Development of technology and information, 5). Additional workforce. Threat aspects, namely: 1). Still depends on the rainy and dry seasons, 2). Increased bargaining position of raw material suppliers, 3). The emergence of new competitors, 4). Government regulations on National Parks. So that the type of potential business that can be developed is the management of eucalyptus oil. While the alternative business sector is tourism, clean water, nine basic commodities and arwana fish. Keywords: Development, Village Owned Enterprises, prospective

Anthropogenically-driven changes in seasonal climate patterns are already jeopardizing traditional farming practices all around the world. These climatic changes increasingly expose farmers to challenging conditions, reducing the efficacy of existing farm practices and productivity. There is a plethora of information, tools, and practices that could be useful for farmers trying to respond to climate variability and change, including climate projections, horticultural advances, and agricultural management best practices. Whilst these tools and knowledge exist, they are often not contextualized in ways that equitably facilitate decision-making and action. To ensure weather and climate information services are accessible and useful to farmers, it is critical to understand and integrate considerations for the desired types, timing, and uses of the information. The one-size-fits-all information services that are often available don't account for regional or social differences, local physical conditions, or the needs of different populations. In order to improve our understanding of how weather and climate information services can better cater to farmers' needs when modifying and adapting their goals, risk management, and farm practices, we carried out a household survey in communities across three provinces in Papua New Guinea. The survey was developed to draw out key design considerations for seasonal climate forecasts in terms of timing, type of information, and applications. Based on the clustering and associations of these variables, this study identifies different profiles of information services content. It then examines whether specific profiles are associated with demographic groups or geographic locations. The findings demonstrate gender and geographic differences in the desired bundles of weather and climate information, and therefore can help to pinpoint specific components that would be beneficial to incorporate into extension and outreach programmes in different contexts within Papua New Guinea. This study highlights the value of tailoring weather and climate information services with specific groups of farmers, thereby enabling more equitable access to and use of critical knowledge for smallholders to build the capacity, knowledge, and systems to strategically adapt to climate change. At the same time, this study illustrates areas to gain efficiency and potentially scale up the provision of climate information services.

Since the introduction of school guidance and counseling services in Papua New Guinea (PNG) schools in the 1970s little has changed. A limited number of Guidance Officers (GOs) each look after a large number of secondary schools. Consequently they only have time to administer a bank of Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) aptitude tests to grade 11 students and provide limited career guidance to year 12 students. This means that more than one million school aged children in PNG miss out on adequate guidance and counselling services, with any support they do receive being provided by untrained school personnel. This comparative study using a transformative paradigm research approach will explore guidance and counselling service in PNG and Australia with a particular focus on services available to schools in Goroka (PNG) and in Townsville (Queensland, Australia). Townsville has been identified as an ideal location because of Australia’s political history and its legacies in many systems of government (including the education system), economic practices and social life in PNG. Another factor is the researcher’s location as a post graduate student at the James Cook University in Townsville. The study will utilise a mixed methods comprising of autoethnography, survey, and interview. Through autoethnography the researcher intends to investigate his own experiences working in guidance and counselling services in PNG. Next is the use of a survey questionnaire to gauge care-givers’ views about the scope and type of services currently provided in PNG and in Queensland schools. Finally, several pertinent individuals in PNG and the State of Queensland will be interviewed about guidance and counselling services in the respective countries with a view to exploring how services will need to change to better meet anticipated future requirements. The information is then distilled to make recommendations as to how guidance and counseling services in PNG schools might be transformed.

Abstract Background Papua New Guinea has seen some improvements in health indicators over the past years, but the pace of improvements is not as robust as expected. The Health Services Plan for Braun District Hospital redevelopment identified the importance of reflecting the hospital’s role in the broader health system, particularly in upgrading the services to service a bigger population. In August 2020, the hospital was upgraded from a health centre—level 3 to a district hospital level 4. The need for assessing human resources for health requirements for this level of care was thus necessary. Methods The National Department of Health approved the use of the workload indicators of staffing need as the best tool to support in estimating staff requirements for the newly upgraded hospital. The focus was on clinical and non-clinical staff. Using already developed workload components and activity standards by the expert working groups for level 4 facilities, we visited the facility and collected data through interviews with the Lutheran Health Services representative, hospital management and staff. The technical task force reviewed daily registers, monthly reports and the data in the electronic national health information systems. The information collected was analysed using the workload indicators of staffing need software and interpreted. Results There were staffing shortages among the clinical staff like the medical officers, nursing officers, health extension officers, pharmacists, radiology staff unit and in the laboratory staff. Shortages among the non-clinical staff were recorded by the cashiers, security officers, drivers and boat skippers. The results showed that the facility lacks a medical laboratory technologist, pharmacists and a medical imaging technologist. The community health workers in this facility are utilized in all the areas where shortages are registered to multitask. Conclusion The results from this WISN study provide evidence for basing staffing decisions on. The WISN results from Braun District Hospital show that the facility requires a total of 33 inpatient nurses against the existing 21 inpatient nurses thus giving a staff gap of − 12 and a WISN ratio of 0.67. It is thus recommended that the hospital management prioritizes recruitment of nurses or if no resources, reassign one of the outpatient nurses to alleviate the pressure among the inpatient nurses or the extra theatre nurses to offer some services in the inpatient wards. WISN results can help managers make decisions such as change of health facility status from a health centre to a district hospital.

<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Maternal Mortality Ratio in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2008 was estimated at more than 700 deaths per 100,000 live births. In recognition of the high MMR, a Ministerial Taskforce was established in 2009 with recommendations to urgently address the workforce capacity in regard to maternal and child health services. In 2010, a new competency-based Bachelor of Midwifery curriculum was introduced into four universities in PNG and an increase in the numbers of midwifery students took place over a four year period.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Papua New Guinean midwifery graduates from the 2012 and 2013 Bachelor of Midwifery cohorts. These graduates were among the first to complete the revised national midwifery curriculum designed to improve the knowledge and skills of a registered midwife graduate.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A descriptive exploratory study was undertaken to explore the experiences of 174 graduates in the first two years post-graduation. All graduates that were able to be contacted were provided with information about the study, consented and were interviewed either face-to-face or by phone/email. Quantitative data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics in SPSS and qualitative data underwent content analysis and coding by the research team.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Almost all (90%) graduates were working as midwives with 39% of graduates working in rural and remote locations across PNG. Midwifery education prepared graduates well for their work as midwives, but many commented that the course needed to be longer to improve feelings of competence. Professional support during their graduate year varied depending on location and motivation of supervisors. Many graduates, particularly those in rural areas, expressed the desire to work under clinical supervision in a hospital setting for a period of 6-12 months at the end of their training to become more skilled and confident prior to seeking employment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Most midwifery graduates from the new curriculum found employment as midwives. Only a minority of graduates have had opportunities for continued professional development or support from a mentor of senior colleague. Regular, ongoing professional development and supervision needs to be initiated for the provision of skilled and evidence based care. Support and incentives for staff to work in rural and remote areas should be considered.</p>

Abstract Background User fees, transportation costs, and time costs impair access to healthcare by rural communities in low and middle income countries. However, effects of time costs on demand for healthcare are less understood than effects of user fees for health providers. In addition, prospective patients might not know about all health services available. This study aims to investigate how the family caregivers of febrile children respond to the pecuniary costs and time costs in their choice of health providers in rural Papua New Guinea. Methods Using an original questionnaire, we surveyed households in the catchment area surrounding Dagua Health Center in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, during February–March 2015. We estimated the probability of choosing one among four categories of providers (i.e., the health center, aid posts, village health volunteers [VHVs], or home-treatment) via a mixed logit model in which we restrict alternatives to those for which family caregivers knew cost information. Results Of 1173 family caregivers, 96% sought treatment for febrile children from four categories of providers. Almost all knew the location of the health center and a health volunteer, but only 50% knew the location of aid posts. Analysis by discrete choice model showed that pecuniary costs and time costs were inversely associated with the probability of choosing any type of provider. We then changed pecuniary costs and time costs counterfactually to calculate and compare the probability of choosing each provider. Time costs affected the choice more than pecuniary costs, and individual heterogeneity appeared among caregivers with respect to pecuniary costs. When pecuniary or time costs of VHVs are altered, substitution between VHVs and home-treatment appeared. Conclusions Our findings suggest that policies to increase awareness of aid posts and reduce time costs in addition to treatment fees for each category of healthcare provider could help developing economies to improve access to essential healthcare services.

Abstract Background Papua New Guinea (PNG) recorded 22 neonatal deaths out of every 1,000 livebirths in 2019. Some of these deaths are related to complications that arise shortly after childbirth; hence, postnatal care (PNC) utilisation could serve as a surviving strategy for neonates as recommended by the World Health Organisation. National level study on determinants of PNC uptake in PNG is limited. Utilising the Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model of Human Development, the study aimed at assessing determinants of PNC utilisation for babies by their mothers aged 15–49 in PNG. Methods The study used data from the women’s file of the 2016–18 PNG Demographic and Health Survey (2016–18 PNGDHS) and a sample of 4,908 women aged 15–49 who had complete information on the variables of interest to the study. Nineteen (19) explanatory variables were selected for the study whereas PNC for babies within first two months after being discharged after birth was the main outcome variable. At 95% confidence interval (95% CI), six multilevel logistic models were built. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was used to assess models’ fit. All analyses were carried out using STATA version 14.0. Results Generally, 31% of the women utilised PNC for their babies. Women with primary education [aOR = 1.42, CI = 1.13–1.78], those belonging to the middle wealth quintile [aOR = 1.42, CI = 1.08–1.87], working class [aOR = 1.28, CI = 1.10–1.49], women who had the four or more ANC visits [aOR = 1.23, CI = 1.05–1.43], those with twins [aOR = 1.83, CI = 1.01–3.29], women who belonged to community of medium literate class [aOR = 1.75, CI = 1.34–2.27] and those of moderate socioeconomic status [aOR = 1.60, CI = 1.16–2.21] had higher odds of seeking PNC for their babies. The odds to seek PNC services for babies reduced among the cohabiting women [aOR = 0.79, CI = 0.64–0.96], those at parity four or more [aOR = 0.77, CI = 0.63–0.93], women who gave birth to small babies [aOR = 0.80, CI = 0.67–0.98] and residents in the Highlands region [aOR = 0.47, CI = 0.36–0.62]. Conclusions Maternal education, wealth quintile, occupation, partner’s education, ANC visits, marital status, parity, child size at birth, twin status, community literacy and socioeconomic status as well as region of residence were associated with PNC uptake for babies in PNG. Variation in PNC uptake for babies existed from one community/cluster to the other. There is the need to strengthen public health education to increase awareness about the benefits of seeking PNC services for babies among women in PNG. Such programs should consider maternal and community/cluster characteristics in their design.

As the Next Big Thing in consumer electronics is introduced, Australia is once again feeling the tyranny of distance from the world's major markets DVD (Digital Video Disc, recently rechristened 'Digital Versatile Disc') has long been hyped as the next step in the digital revolution of home entertainment. A good decade after the audio CD began to replace LPs as the premier sound carrier medium, it is now video's turn to become digital. DVD, which in many aspects constitutes the next generation of CD technology, has inherited many of its ancestor's features -- the handy and robust physical format of the individual CD-like discs, superior picture and sound quality (especially when compared with VHS tapes) which doesn't degrade with multiple viewings, and the convenience of direct access to particular tracks and sections of the disc, without rewinding. As a second-generation medium, DVD also adds the enhanced gadgetry that was still beyond the CD's technological horizon -- DVDs offer multiple versions of a movie on one disc (e.g., standard and director's cuts, pan-and-scan, letterbox, and 16:9 editions, PG- to R-rated versions, alternative endings), up to eight alternative soundtracks (Dolby Stereo, Dolby Surround, various foreign-language overdubbed versions), a total of 32 sets of optional subtitles, and further interactive control options for the viewer. Such enhancements are partly due to the much-increased storage capacity of the DVD when compared to CDs: in addition to a sevenfold increase in capacity per surface area, DVDs can also double and quadruple that increase by carrying data on both sides of a disc, and by offering two surface layers of information per side. In keeping with the general trend towards an integration of various entertainment and computing technologies, then, DVDs will also gradually replace standard audio CDs (most DVD players can also play audio CDs, making the transition even easier) and CD-ROMs (DVD-ROMs, which are able to read older CD-ROMs, are already on the market). It is the consumer video market, however, where DVD has been expected to make its biggest impact -- and more than a year after its market introduction in the U.S., the signs there are positive. Around 350,000 DVD players have been sold, over 600 DVD titles are now available, video stores are setting up DVD rental sections, and even the major LaserDisc and video Internet mail-order stores like Ken Crane's or Movienow! are offering DVDs. Comparisons with the triumph of CDs over vinyl break down quickly, however, since those two technologies were fundamentally similar read-only media -- by contrast, the technology DVD has set out to supersede, VHS, is also a recording medium (recordable DVDs are still some way into the future; even recordable CDs are only now appearing at affordable prices). DVD, therefore, is targetted more at the growing 'home cinema' market, that is, at consumers who value quality vision and sound over recordability (they are likely to own a hi-fi VCR anyway). The satisfactory, but ultimately limited market LaserDiscs have been able to carve out for themselves in competition with VHS serves as a caution against overestimating the inevitability of success for the DVD campaign. In the course of that campaign, it is now Australia's turn, and the technology's move beyond the borders of such unified, self-contained national markets as North America points out a number of mostly self-inflicted problems which may very well reduce DVD to a digital video dud, for the time being. The availability of DVD hardware is unlikely to present much of an obstacle, but it is software choice which will ultimately determine the acceptance of any new entertainment medium. With Village Roadshow having jumped the gun for the official Australian DVD roll-out that was slated for Easter '98, there were originally only a total of nine titles available in Australia -- mixing the Australian flavour of Shine, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and an ABC production of the opera La Bohème with an odd assortment of international movies: Dumb & Dumber, The Crow, Wild Rhapsody, Evita, The Mask, and Seven. That merely such a handful of titles are available (the entry of other distributors into the Australian market has not significantly increased the volume) is due to a particular arrangement of the future world market for DVDs into various zones -- these are: 1. North America 2. Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, Japan 3. South East Asia 4. Middle and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea 5. Russia, the remainders of Asia and Africa 6. China On the surface, such a division makes sense for various reasons: movie tastes will differ markedly from region to region, and differences in video standards (the use of PAL or NTSC systems) also mean that DVDs from one region may not play on another region's players. (With the growing market share of dual-system TVs, such technical distinctions are beginning to lose importance, though.) Mainly, however, the regions soon emerge clearly as instruments to counteract the increasing globalisation of trade in entertainment content -- they were demanded by Hollywood's studios, designed specifically so that DVDs of recent movies would not enter a particular region before the movie had run its course in the region's cinemas, and they exist to protect the status quo of video distribution rights which has come under threat from globally operating mail-order video stores. Europeans wanting to buy a copy of Armageddon on DVD, for example, would have to wait until the disc was available in their region, and couldn't simply get the U.S. release that came out after the movie had finished its theatrical run there, months ago. To ensure that they indeed would not order DVDs from another region, technical barriers have been implemented in players and discs: in essence, Australian-made players will only play Australian-made discs, for example -- a DVD that was made for the American 'region one' will simply refuse to play. Only die-hard movie fans, the DVD producers hope, will make the effort to also buy their DVD player in the U.S. (this would force them to buy all their discs there, too -- Australian-made discs wouldn't play). This strange form of inverted protectionism (a protection of the local market from imports, put into place by a transnational consortium), then, is the reason that despite the relative abundance of DVD titles in region one only such few are available in Australia -- none of the overseas ones would play on the local region four machines. The prospects for Australian DVD consumers appear bleak, then: having been included in the wildly heterogeneous 'rest of the Western world' group of region four, Australia seems unlikely to enjoy a great influx of major titles anytime soon -- while the Middle and South American markets within the region are too large to ignore for DVD manufacturers, they are likely to encourage a selection of DVDs that is significantly at variance with Australian movie interests. At the same time, the English-speaking component of the region is simply too small to make any great effort addressing: in the immediate future, the combined markets of Australia and New Zealand are likely to produce a few hundred DVD-equipped households at best. Australia, then, is once again about to feel the tyranny of its distance from the areas with which it feels the greatest cultural affinity, is once again about to be overlooked as a small player amongst the larger markets of North America and Europe, and is this time even technologically restrained from attaching itself to these markets. At least in Australia, then, the industry's decision to counteract the growing trend of market globalisation that has led to consumers' increased use of international mail-order services, particularly with the help of computerised shopping on the Internet's World Wide Web, may come back to haunt it. Should DVD in Australia turn out to be a digital video dud in the next few years, in fact, distributors may want to seriously rethink their positioning of the country in region four, moving it instead to the better-suited, larger-market regions one or two. In any event, the continuing convergence of home entertainment and computer technology also offers some hope for Australian movie fans: the regional division makes much less sense in DVD-ROM drives for computers (which will also play movie DVDs), since the software market is a global one, and so those drives are more likely to offer ways of overriding regional coding -- as the computer becomes the central element in the home entertainment system, then, it may remove the regional barriers which the movie industry has imposed on us. Citation reference for this article MLA style: Axel Bruns. "Digital Video Dud?" M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 1.1 (1998). [your date of access] <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/9807/dvd.php>. Chicago style: Axel Bruns, "Digital Video Dud?," M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 1, no. 1 (1998), <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/9807/dvd.php> ([your date of access]). APA style: Axel Bruns. (1998) Digital video dud? M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 1(1). <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/9807/dvd.php> ([your date of access]).