Culture Secretary Chris Smith has set
up an inquiry panel to find out why some creative
firms are more successful than others at using the Internet.
The panel, which will be part of the Government’s Creative
Industries Task Force, is to be chaired by Robert Devereux
of Virgin Publishing with 19 industry experts including
Tom Bowman of Microsoft, Jack Schofield of the Guardian Online,
and Professor Stephen Heppell of Ultralab.
The creative sectors that will be addressed by the panel
include advertising and marketing, radio, design, the
performing arts, fine art and literature. The panel will
publish its findings together with an action plan early
next year.
“Our creative industries already generate around £60
billion ($96 billion) a year, employ one and a half million
people and are one of the economy’s fastest growing sectors,”
said Chris Smith.
“The government set up the Creative Industries Task Force to
examine how we can help our unrivalled array of talented and
creative people maximise their potential to the benefit of the
country’s economy and their own businesses. If we don’t, other
countries will reap the rewards.”
In a statement, the UK’s
Department of Culture, Media and
Sport
said the panel would focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), examining the uptake and exploitation of the
Internet in each sector of the creative industries.
