Focus on eContent & Services: creation, distribution & fruition

Digital technology is affecting our full life not only in health, security, safety, work and similar fields, but mainly cultural interests, creativity, entertainment, communication and relationship. In the new scenario of enlarged Europe there is a need to catalyse a common understanding both censuring and promoting cultural diversities and sharing a common vision of the European Society. Nevertheless eEurope and Lisbon strategy did not succeed up until now, even if every one is convinced about the positive influence of digital content and its potential positive follow ups on the society. Digital media have dramatically increased the possibilities open to the Authors, either by creating new forms or by bringing the costs of production within reach of individuals. As well as specifically digital media, music, still images and video are three significant areas where the costs of producing a finished work have dropped so radically that new young talents are emerging. Digital technology, and in particular the Internet, has completely overturned traditional ideas about distribution. Any work that can take a digital form can be infinitely reproduced at minimal cost. Young people especially will be galvanised if they feel that others will see their efforts. The instant global network of the Internet has made the building of special-interest groups unprecedented easy. These spaces are where artists talk, and are excellent places to gauge the state of a scene. Peer to peer technology enables on the fly exchange of content unleashing incredible opportunities to share personal content and activate added value chains of cooperation. Creativity has to be encouraged, new interactive cultural expressions must be stimulated. Knowledge is not about circulation of information. It is about adding value to ideas. A knowledge society must provide people with opportunities to think in new ways. Up until now looking to some technologies we are still facing a “library without books”, ICT companies are still looking for the so called “killer applications”, on the opposite side there are some applications and technologies that let the user foresee some useful service but are not yet well focussed or developed at the moment. There is a need to canalise the creative energies of young people promoting eContent in the field of creativity and expression enabled or empowered by new information communication technologies. There is a need as well to create a proactive environment in order to enhance the overall quality of eContent products. Digital and Social divide have to be bridged providing access and added value to citizens. Digital technologies and ICT tools are an incredible opportunity of growth and prosperity. Digital content and services empowered by broadband communications, both wired and wireless, could have a potential significant impact on society. The production of digital contents and innovative solutions in the field of ICT are among the most important things for social development and economical growth. Many experts outline that there is a content gap to be bridged. In such a scenario the World Summit on the Information Society (Geneva 2003 – Tunis 2005) has promoted a collective effort so that everyone will be able to create, share, use and have a free access to knowledge. This is not enough in order to reach the goal. To be effective innovation has to impact society and every day life, digital content and services must be adopted and integrated as natural part of common procedures. The Internet has pointed out the relevance of infrastructure not only at “telecom” layer but even as availability of structured and interoperable services. Ontology, XML tagging, data mining, metadata are just few keyword evocating such a global scenario. Mature standards has to reach the market: not only addressing technological aspects but even concerning content and service structure, behaviour and feedbacks. eContent and services are becoming more and more useful in e-Business, e-Culture, e-Entertainment, e-Government, e- Health, e-Inclusion, e-Learning, e-Science, e-Governance, e- Democracy, e-Security and more both at national and international level. The global soul of Web and local aspects, cultural diversities fostering intercultural dialogue and offering an incredible tool for development and sustainability.