SCN: Need for local info

[Steve]

x-no-archive: yes

====================

(Katie Hafner, NY Times)---The past year has seen no shortage of 
studies that try to describe, explain and propose fixes for the digital 
divide, the gulf that lies between those who have computers and 
access to the Internet and those who do not.  

Two recent additions -- from the Children's Partnership, a nonprofit 
organization based in Santa Monica, Calif., and from the Conference 
Board, a business research group in New York -- make valuable 
contributions to the growing canon.  

The Children's Partnership released a study last week that found 
"severe gaps" in Internet content geared to the needs of low-income 
and immigrant groups in America, although those groups are gaining 
access in increasing numbers to the Internet.  

The report, which analyzed the availability, quality and appeal of 
Internet content for low-income Americans, found a dearth of local 
and community-based information, especially on local jobs and 
housing.  

Wendy Lazarus, co-founder and co-director of the Children's 
Partnership, said her organization set out to answer the following 
questions: "Once more people go online, what is the value to them? 
What content are they looking for? What begins to give them what 
they want, and what needs to be done if two years from now there is 
going to be relevant content that pulls in the 50 million Americans 
who are on the other side of the content gap?"  

Ms. Lazarus said the study done by the Children's Partnership 
found that "low-income folks see the Web as a way for self-
improvement and for job opportunities, which makes the practical 
content all the more important."  

The study is said to be the first systematic look at the kinds of 
things underserved communities want and need online.  

It recommended that several steps be taken, including additional 
investment in community technology centers that can help produce 
content that is relevant to people living in low-income communities, 
as well as technical training for low-income users.  

The Conference Board report, released at the end of January, called 
on the private sector, specifically the computer industry, to make the 
investments necessary to close the gap.  

The report stated that as the percentage of homes with a computer 
steadily rises, an increasing proportion of machines are bought as 
replacements or additional computers. Only 40 percent of sales, 
according to the report, are being made to households purchasing a 
computer for the first time.  

"There's a powerful case for trying to get as much of the population 
hooked into the Internet as possible," said Tom Cavanagh, a senior 
research associate at the conference board and author of the report. 
"You add those two things together and you conclude that business 
will have to reach out to lower-income communities if we're going to 
get anywhere near universal connectivity."  

Mr. Cavanagh said he agreed with findings like those of the 
Children's Partnership -- that content is critical.  

"This is where a lot of the discussion on the digital divide is going to 
head," Mr. Cavanagh said. "In a way, the concentration on the digital 
divide may be peaking and moving into these new issues about 
content.  

"Also, what does connectivity mean as content moves to audio and 
video streaming? It's not just whether you're connected, but the kind 
of connection you have which is going to affect the kind of 
experience you have."  

Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company  



* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  From the Listowner  * * * * * * * * * * * *
.	To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to:
majordomo at scn.org		In the body of the message, type:
unsubscribe scn
==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ====
* * * * * * *     http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/     * * * * * * *