Widespread broadband and digital communications
capability gives citizens the opportunity to wrest control of mass
communication away from the few publishers back to the
people.
That was the message from newly appointed financial secretary to
the treasury and former IT minister Stephen Timms, speaking at a
Parliamentary IT Committee (Pitcom) meeting at the Labour Party
conference.
In the 18th the pamphleteers and the social movements of the
19th century the media was in the hands of the masses, he said.
"Government has a chance to correct the historical imbalance in how
people use media."
"Even those at the bottom of the scale took part," he said.
After the First World War the barriers to entering mass
communications became too high for citizens to take part, he
added.
"The future of communications lies in media production being in
the hands of the many, not the few," he said, adding that digital
TV, e-mail, and third-generation phones with its interactive
capabilities will drive this new model.
"We've never been more confident as consumers, but feel less
able to effect change," he said. "More people voted on Big Brother
than voted in the general Election."
At the meeting, Timms outlined Labour's vision of the future of
communications policy, spelling out three fundamental
principles.
First, it wants to make competition work properly, not for its
own sake, but for real benefit to all citizens. Second, government
is concerned to protect the interests of the consumers and
citizens, through, for example. the watchdog Ofcom. Finally, it
aims to remove social exclusion to help those who want to use
communications media but cannot.
At the meeting, Timms also affirmed his support for the
Department of Trade and Industry.
"The DTI plays a key role," he said. "It is a mystery why the
other parties are talking of evacuating it. The reality is that it
plays a big role for government to bring about the change we need.
It is a serious mistake for other parties to want to evacuate
them."
Timms is succeeded as IT minister by Mike O'Brien, whose
appointment was welcomed by chairman of Parliamentary/Industry
group Eurim Brian White, also a Labour MP.
"If Stephen [Timms] had to go, having Mike O'Brien there fills
me with confidence - it's good news. He's a competent minister who
will move forwards."