Digital Britain Report Released

LONDON: The U.K.’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport has released the Digital Britain interim report, promising to give all homes across the country access to broadband by 2012.

Presented to the Parliament by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lord Andy Burnham, and the Minister of Communications, Technology and Broadcasting, Lord Stephen Carter, the report articulates five objectives by 2012. The first is the upgrade and modernization of the country’s wired, wireless and broadcast networks, "so that Britain has an infrastructure that enables it to remain globally competitive in the digital world." The second calls for a "dynamic investment climate for U.K. digital content, applications and services, that makes the U.K. an attractive place for both domestic and inward investment in our digital economy." The third is encouraging British content that "serves the interests, experiences and needs of all U.K. citizens; in particular impartial news, comment and analysis. The fourth objective is "near-universal participation in the digital economy and digital society." And the last calls for "widespread online delivery of public services and business interface" with the government.  

In a bid to protect intellectual property, the government is exploring the creation of a "Rights Agency", the report notes, bringing together content creators and rightsholders, as well as broadcasters, movie chanels, ISPs and others. "Within the boundaries of competition law, this could lead to the development of models that provide incentives for all for legitimate downloading and use, a framework of common responsibility to discourage and prevent illicit use, and to support and legitimise technical solutions that can achieve both. 

The report also advocates for all British homes to have broadband by 2012.