And what about the contents?
André G. Côté, Director-general

The year is almost coming to an end but it is too early to draw conclusions. A few days before our departure for Geneva, and before the WSIS is inaugurated, the aims and the means of the event remain as vague and ambiguous and two year before. The World Summit on the Information Society has created many expectations within the community of NGO’s, in the Civil Society and even in the industry.

In the proposed Action Plan, we talk about digital solidarity, national cyberstrategies, and all facets of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) without distinguishing the conventional analogical processes from the digital interactive production as we know it today. The statistical models defined during the last century don’t fit anymore with the daily changes characterizing the reality in this sector.

FIAM has produced a discussion paper (read more) on the question of industrial classification in the Multimedia and Interactive Digital Content (MIDC) Industry. The lack of indicators and the paucity of their significance with reference to the reality of the digital content production doesn’t permit to draw an accurate description of the situation in the emerging countries.

The composite ICT Development Index suggested in the Plan of Action could play a role in better defining the sector, provided that the recommendations included in the FIAM document are adopted.

The International Telecommunication Union launched last month its Digital Access Index (DAI), the first global index to rank Information and Communication Technology (ICT) access. Its defines access according to ITU’s database of telecommunication indicators in the World, but doesn’t say much about how many, and who produces digital content, and in what way they contribute to the local economy.

FIAM would be ready to work actively, with the help of its associative network, with ITU, NAICS, NACE, JSIC (Japan), ISIC and all partners wishing to tackle this question in view to bring the needed changes in the actual classification. Without those modifications, the data on connectivity will not be very eloquent on the creation of digital content, on cultural and linguistic diversity, and on the industry that is behind it.

Digital Access Index (DAI):
http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2003/30.html
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/

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As of November 28, 2003, FIAM is recognized by the Quebec Government as an International Non Governmental Organization (INGO). This status is bestowed to the Federation by the Quebec Ministry of International Relations, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mrs. Monique Gagnon-Tremblay. (Read more)

How can we classify the multimedia and interactive digital content industry (MIDC)? FIAM has decided to tackle this question in cooperation with member associations and industry experts.
(Read more)

The Third PrepCom of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS): it is official now; the second leg of PrepCom3 which reconvened in Geneva, November 10-14, was not successful in getting national delegations and other participants to agree on a common Declaration of Principles and Action Plan.
(Read more)

Prior to WSIS, FIAM will partner with CyberFestival in presenting a conference and organizing a roundtable on the issue of cultural diversity and languages in the Net. (Read more)

FIAM/Caprosoft and Insight 2004: The Costa Rican Association, in collaboration with Export development Corporation Procomer is hosting January 28-30, 2004, Costa Rica Software Insight 2004, an event to which FIAM is associating itself.
(Read more)

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Australia Australia and the AIMIA Awards 2003: the Australian digital content association is calling upon Australian multimedia producers and artists to hurry and submit entries to showcase the best in Australian interactive media content. (Read more ) AIMIA (the Australian Interactive and Multimedia Industries Association) is joining representatives of Australia’s film, television and other cultural industries in their efforts to lobby against the soon to be finalized Australian/US Free Trade Agreement.

Europe
The European Multimedia Forum (EMF) and an accompanying European multimedia delegation headed off, November 17-21, to the US West Coast under the aegis of the European Showcase of Excellence. (Read more )

Evaluating the European Union’s eContent Program for the first six months of 2003: the results are out and the passing grade as well. (Read more )

France
French Internet Association, Fondation Internet Nouvelle Génération (FING), is organizing, December 4-5, in collaboration with the RATP, the city of Paris transportation network, a day long event on the effect of mobile technologies on the social and professional lives of individuals in urban environments.
(Read more )

Costa Rica
Caprosoft/Costa Rica: The Costa Rican Software Producers Association (www.caprosoft.org) is happy to announce the election of a new Board of Directors and the reappointment of its President, Alexander Mora.
(Read more )

Scandinavia
Scandinavia still at the top: The international Telecommunication Union (ITU) issued this month what it dubs as the world’s first global ICT ranking or the Digital Access Index 2002 (DAI).
(Read more )

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