Interactive television or enhanced televisiion? : the Dutch users interest in applications of ITV via set-top boxes

This paper is both an analysis of the phenomenon of interactive television with background concepts of interactivity and television and a report of an empirical investigation among Dutch users of set-top-box ITV. In the analytic part a distinction is made between levels of interactivity in the applications of ITV. Activities labelled as selection, customisation, transaction and reaction reveal low levels of interactivity. They may be called ‘enhanced television’. They are extensions of existing television programmes that keep their linear character. Activities called production and conversation have the potential of higher interactivity. They may lead to ‘real’ interactive television as the user input makes a difference to programmes. It is suggested that so-called hybrid ITV– TV combined with telephone and email reply channels- and (broadband) Internet ITV offer better opportunities for high interactivity than set-top-box ITV. \ud The empirical investigation shows that the demand of subscribers to set-top-box ITV in the Netherlands matches supply. They favour the less interactive applications of selection and reaction. Other striking results are that young subscribers appreciate interactive applications more than the older ones and that those with a low level of education prefer these applications more than high educated subscribers. No significant gender differences were found

Reservoir hill and audiences for online interactive drama

This paper analyses the interactive experiences constructed for users of the New Zealand online interactive drama Reservoir Hill (2009, 2010), focusing both on the nature and levels of engagement which the series provided to users and the difficulties of audience research into this kind of media content. The series itself provided tightly prescribed forms of interactivity across multiple platforms, allowing forms of engagement that were greatly appreciated by its audience overall but actively explored only by a small proportion of users. The responses from members of the Reservoir Hill audience suggests that online users themselves are still learning the nature of, and constraints on, their engagements with various forms of online interactive media. This paper also engages with issue of how interactivity itself is defined, the difficulties of both connecting with audience members and securing timely access to online data, and the challenges of undertaking collaborative research with media producers in order to gain access to user data

Bridging the Innovation Divide: An Agenda for Disseminating Technology Innovations within the Nonprofit Sector

Examines technology practices -- such as neighborhood information systems, electronic advocacy, Internet-based micro enterprise support, and digital inclusion initiatives -- that strengthen the capacity of nonprofits and community organizations

Digital and Media Literacy: A Plan of Action

Outlines a community education movement to implement Knight's 2009 recommendation to enhance digital and media literacy. Suggests local, regional, state, and national initiatives such as teacher education and parent outreach and discusses challenges

Iowa Public Television’s Planning Targets 2011-2014

Agency Performance Plan, Iowa Public Televisio

Mapping digital media: digital television, the public interest, and European regulation

Discussion of digital television has focused on switch-over dates, set-top boxes and the technical and economic implications of switch-over. This paper, by contrast, focusses on public interest obligations and citizenship values such as freedom, access, universality, political pluralism and content diversity. Petros Iosifidis distinguishes broadly between public interest priorities as understood in western Europe, and in central and eastern Europe. After assessing some obvious benefits of digital TV (extra channels, converged communications, enhanced interactivity and mobility), he argues that the public interest outcomes from the introduction of new technologies like the internet and digital TV will depend on how people use them, for new technology is only a vehicle by means of which public interest goals can be achieved. He then considers digital TV penetration data from across Europe, as well as the status of national digital switch-over plans, stressing that northern Europe is much more advanced in this regard than southern and eastern-central Europe. Outlining the pros and cons of digital switch-over for the public, Dr Iosifidis contends that universality and accessibility can best be ensured by maintaining public service media, which have been—and should continue to be—important conveyors of freely accessible and reliable information. Countries where television has been dominated by state broadcasters should use the new technology and in particular digital switch-over to create independent non-profit channels at both local and national levels, to foster a competitive environment and political pluralism

The Industry and Policy Context for Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion:Market Analysis, Future Prospects and Key Challenges in Videogames, Serious Games and Gamification

The effective use of digital games for empowerment and social inclusion (DGEI) of people and communities at risk of exclusion will be shaped by, and may influence the development of a range of sectors that supply products, services, technology and research. The principal industries that would appear to be implicated are the 'videogames' industry, and an emerging 'serious games' industry. The videogames industry is an ecosystem of developers, publishers and other service providers drawn from the interactive media, software and broader ICT industry that services the mainstream leisure market in games, The 'serious games' industry is a rather fragmented and growing network of firms, users, research and policy makers from a variety of sectors. This emerging industry is are trying to develop knowledge, products, services and a market for the use of digital games, and products inspired by digital games, for a range of non-leisure applications. This report provides a summary of the state of play of these industries, their trajectories and the challenges they face. It also analyses the contribution they could make to exploiting digital games for empowerment and social inclusion. Finally, it explores existing policy towards activities in these industries and markets, and draws conclusions as to the future policy relevance of engaging with them to support innovation and uptake of effective digital game-based approaches to empowerment and social inclusion.JRC.J.3-Information Societ