Indigenous language and culture: What role is played by communication technologies in the maintenance of indigenous language and culture?

Communication technologies can have an important role to play in the maintenance of indigenous language and culture. Whether this is a positive or a negative role depends largely on the way in which the technology is introduced, used and controlled. Indigenous languages all over the world are in danger of extinction. 'Some linguists predict that... as many as 90% of the world's languages - most of which are indigenous - will cease to be spoken in …

…and autonomy. 'New media are not introduced into a vacuum, but into a dynamic political, social and economic environment. New media must first be seen in the light of these conditions. I suspect that in the end, TV can help or hurt only as part of larger questions of autonomy, colonialism, dependency, self-management and the other issues which apply equally to any western introduction to these communities' (Michaels, E. in Foran, B. & Walker, B. 1986).