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Media owners target “unconnected” in UK
LONDON: Leading media companies and digital industry bodies are seeking to provide internet access to the ten million "unconnected" consumers in the UK that have never gone online.
Martha Lane Fox, co-founder of Lastminute.com, the travel specialist, is to head up the Government's drive to enhance the reach of the web in the country.
Organisations like ITV, the Post Office, the Internet Advertising Bureau, Google and Microsoft have pledged, along with more than 430 other firms and charities, to support the scheme.
In a bid to encourage the elderly and people on low incomes to get connected, retailers are being asked to offer tailored, low-cost services.
These will include modest up-front costs, affordable monthly payments and ongoing technical assistance. Charities are being drafted in to run training sessions.
The government's partners will also help develop communications strategies aimed at stimulating inexperienced individuals to take the plunge into the digital space.
They are likely to stress the benefits of features such as price comparison websites to consumers on a tight budget.
A report by consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers recently argued the economic benefits of the entire UK population accessing the net could amount to as much as £22bn ($33bn; €26bn).
Data sourced from Marketing Week; additional content by Warc staff, 13 July 2010
