The 'haves' select how much and what kind of information trickles down to the people through the mass media.

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Part of the reason I believe, is that, while ICTs have vast potential for development, the reality is that to harness these forces for promoting development is a formidable and complex task that few developing countries have found a successful formula for overcoming.

First, there is the formidable expense of connectivity.

They present the developing countries with enormous opportunities and challenges, not only for accelerating their development but also in helping to bridge the economic and prosperity gaps between them and the developed countries.

It also presents the developing countries with a unique opportunity to leap-frog onto a higher level of development.

Information and communication technologies have always been essential for the promotion of development whether such knowledge was derived from the centuries old endowment of indigenous practices or from the latest cutting-edge technologies.

Today, the technologies of the information and communication revolution are those at the cutting edge and their applications offer momentous opportunities for development.

Unless there is affordable and equitable access and adequate connectivity for the peoples of the developing countries, the prospects of effectively participating in the knowledge economy are anything but optimistic. Without the requisite human and institutional capacities, the framework and skills required for utilizing ICTs including such applications as the internet will remain wanting, making usage all but impossible.

In addition, without linguistically and culturally diverse digital content and material, a large portion of people, especially in developing countries, will be unable to understand and digest what is being offered.

Some developing countries have in fact made significant strides in embracing and accessing the opportunities and applications of the new information and communication technologies.

Yet, billions still live untouched by the digital revolution.

Rather many developing countries are being bypassed as the tidal wave of the information revolution relentlessly sweeps across the world, thus running the increasing risk of being marginalized in the race for knowledge.