The impact of technology on media in Italy Essay

The first technological advancement that changed media the most would be the impact of Marconi and the radio. However, Italy's stagnation in any development of technology preceding it is becoming more apparent in this day and age. This interest in advancement is more noteworthy today because technology is moving at faster speeds than ever before. Internet access has been slowly developing, however any access depends heavily on location. Satellite Internet is available in rural areas. Broadband access is available primarily in big cities and some urban locations. Leaving any smaller regions to limited options of ISDN or dial-up access. Nonetheless, Italy is taking strides as of more recent years to begin projects that are calculated to be successful in the upcoming years. James Murdoch made a statement at a meeting for publishers in May 2011 at Bagnaia, Italy. He states, "An important part of the Italian media sector is financed or receives subsidies from the state." (EJC) He went on to bring light to the fact that when funds are set to be given by the government, the exchange will also involve their pursuit of control over it. Italy relies heavily on public funds to aid in maintaining newspapers. Efforts have been made to set up funds exclusively dedicated to innovation and improvement in the media. This step will add a positive impact to the media without having any control of the government. According to the Paul Budde Communication site, the Italian government is now beginning to fund a multi-billion Euro broadband program. This program is said to dedicate to producing fast broadband connections for most Italians. This program is set to be active by 2020. These developments seem to have an affect on the broadband services in Italy and their growth rates in the recent years. Due to their slow history with development for internet, this is a great step for the future of Italy. This will be an advantage for the Italian community in the long run as an advancement in internet access. Despite some disadvantages of having broadband access this step is vital into creating a new era for Italy in telecommunications. Italy is trying to make improvements and it is the effort that is going to set a positive tone in the environment of media. The addition of services independent from the government is becoming a new trend for Italy. This shift has helped to alleviate some pressures and restrictions. The Italian Communications Regulatory Authority or (AGCOM, 'Autorit per el Garanzienelle Communicazione') was created in 1997 and serves it purpose as a regulator authority for broadcasting and telecommunications. Along with other independent regulatory agencies, AGCOM has formal independence from any political institutions. The agency works as a middleman between users of telecommu nication infrastructures and operators. The agency is potentially the overriding force promoting the integration of technology on terms of telecommunications services. This separation from political institutions is a rare benefit for media in Italy. While most services have been governmental or politically based, AGCOM stands independent.