introduction to the networked communications environment lisa horner, global partners
DESCRIPTION
Physical Layer: Digital Opportunity Asian countries lead the world in digital opportunity But the region also has significant digital dividesTRANSCRIPT
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?