introduction to the networked communications environment lisa horner, global partners

Introduction to the Networked Introduction to the Networked Communications EnvironmentCommunications Environment

Lisa Horner, Global Partners

Challenges and opportunities for freedom of expression

• Physical layer– Access to hardware and networks.

• Connectivity layer– Interoperability, innovation and literacy.

• Applications layer– ‘Public interest’ navigation and cataloguing.

• Content layer– Diverse, open and ‘public interest’ content.

Physical Layer: Digital Opportunity• Asian countries lead the world in digital opportunity• But the region also has significant digital divides

Physical Layer: Digital Divides

Internet users (2002)

Mobile subscribers (2002)

Television is the most popular source of news

Physical Layer: Trends in Access and Use

Internet users per 100 people

3.19

11.43

6.52

17.39

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2000 2006

year

user

s pe

r 10

0 pe

ople

Asia

World

Internet and mobile phone access and use are increasing rapidly

Connectivity Layer:

Language onlineMore than 90% of content on the Internet exists in only 12 languages

ICANN is trialling 11 new languages in top level domain names.

Percentage of population who are literate

Applications Layer: Search engines

• Over half of all searches worldwide use Google

Internet searches, August 2007

Google61%

Yahoo14%

Baidu5%

Microsoft3%

Other17%

The Content Layer: Regulation

• Relatively high levels of state ownership, intervention and control.

Ownership of the top five television stations - Asia Pacific

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

AustraliaChinaIndia

IndonesiaJ apan

North KoreaSouth Korea

LaoMalaysiaMyanmarP akistan

P hilippinesSingaporeSri Lanka

TaiwanThailandAverage

State

Private

Other

Ownership of the top five newspapers - Asia Pacific

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

AustraliaChinaIndia

IndonesiaJ apan

North KoreaSouth Korea

LaoMalaysiaMyanmarP akistan

P hilippinesSingaporeSri Lanka

TaiwanThailandAverage

State

Private

Other

Internet Filtering in Asia

Social Political

Tools Conflict

Drivers of change: Economics

Broadband is approximately 432 times more affordable in high income countries

Percentage of daily income spent on one hour of internet access, 2000-2006(Data source: World Internet Access Project)

Delhi

Karachi

Dhaka

Beijing

London

Jakarta

Manila

Tokyo

Seoul

New York

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2000 2006

But prices are decreasing…

Conclusions• The regional digital divide is a major

feature of the Asian communications environment.

• States have relatively high levels of control over content and infrastructure.

• The environment is continuing to evolve…what will be the effect of political, economic and regulatory dynamics?