Slide 25 of 28
Notes:
Fortunately, as well as the many examples of the USA’s lead and dominance, we also have examples of how differentiation at the European level has led to success.
In particular our tenacity and determination in pursuing the GSM track for mobile communications has paid off a thousand-fold. This is one new technology in which Europe has led development, production and deployment as well as innovation. The successor technology UMTS looks well set to build on this.
And there are signs of others. In the past month the UK has seen the launch of not one but two alternative digital television services - one satellite the other through conventional terrestrial broadcast. At least one further launch is promised early next year. And devices for Internet-via-TV are beginning to appear in the market. Only one in ten European homes has a PC but well over ninety per cent have a colour television. Europe could be a world leader in linking Internet and TV technologies.
And while the USA dominates canned entertainment in the form of movies and packaged TV programmes, Europe leads the world in many aspects of the live performing arts. Here is another sphere where we have the potential to lead - harnessing the interactivity of the new media to the traditions of the theatre, the opera house and the concert hall - new methods of work with a difference! Think what an impact could be achieved in education through using technology to bring into schools the best performing arts actors and directors!
