Telephonie Trottoir is a telephone network built in collaboration with radio programme 'Nostalgie Ya Mboka' that encourages Londons Congolese community to pass around music tracks and news extracts and discuss them over their phones. The system dials members of the Congolese community and plays them a recording in the Lingala language. The recording might be a story, song, or joke, or it could be a discussion of a serious issue. The recipient of the call has the option of leaving a comment in response or forwarding the call to someone else, allowing the system to grow virally. It was developed on behalf of Congolese communities in London by MediaShed, a 'free-media' organization based in Southend-on-Sea, England.

In a country where free speech has been censored for over forty years, Congolese people spread information while standing on the pavement by Radio Trottoir or pavement radio.

Telephonie Trottoir is a telephone network that encourages Londons Congolese community to pass around music tracks and news extracts and discuss them over their phones. Mongrel will work with London radio programmes 'Nostalgie Ya Mboka' and 'Londres Na Biso' to involve their regular audiences while reaching out to others who may not be aware of the exhilarating Congolese musical culture living in their midst. Over 25,000 Congolese people live around London and approximately 90% are political refugees. 'Nostalgie Ya Mboka' and 'Londres Na Biso' serve this community by trying to keep the countrys musical and social history alive.

Telephonie Trottoir randomly phones up radio listeners and plays them tracks from the 'Nostalgie Ya Mboka' music archive or news extracts from 'Londres Na Biso'. Each listener can then record a response or pass the call on to another number of their choice. Congolese music and culture will eventually ripple out to anyone with a phone number.

CD

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/949