Technology
Technology plays a central role in all creative businesses. In January 2007, Make Your Mark in the Creative Industries submitted a response to the Technology Strategy Board's consultation into the relationship between technology and creativity. Read on for an insight into some of the issues.
Technology and the Creative Industries
Despite the disruption technological change can cause, exploitation of technological innovation has brought huge profits and success to many organisations working within the creative economy. The creative industries regard technology as being a key to UK competitiveness and agree that knowledge and skills must be kept up-to–date with continuing technological advancement.
Key technology issues for the creative industries
Technology can be a positive force for creativity
Technological advancement can drive the creation of whole new industries. Computer games are living proof of this. In less than 40 years the games industry has grown from virtually nothing to become a huge sub-sector within the creative economy with an estimated export value of £451million in 2004, accounting for a 30 per cent share of the UK’s entertainment media [1].
Technology can be a disruptive influence for the creative sector
Digital technology, and file sharing, have brought with them opportunities for the unauthorised use of copyright works, including articles and magazines, at levels which would have been unimaginable 50 years ago [2]. Research undertaken by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) indicates that the cost to British music of illegal file sharing reached £1.1 billion in the three years to 2005 [3]. A substantial challenge facing the creative economy is the speed and anonymity of access to unauthorised material in the on-line environment.
Technology poses a threat to creative SMEs
Due to the prohibitive costs involved and the limited resources of the majority of creative businesses, SMEs are finding it increasingly difficult to put effective technology strategies in place and to access new delivery platforms. This stifles their innovation and the development of new services.
Some creative sectors are more technologically savvy than others
There is a general perception that “the creative industries are poorly informed of changes in technology” [4]. However, some sectors (notably music) consider themselves to be at the forefront of technological development and as a leading example of how creative industries should exploit technological innovation.
The games industry is also well-informed about the technological challenges it faces in the coming years, eg the development of Next Generation games consoles, the increase in online gaming, the migration to broadband internet connections, and the decline of the PC games market [5].
The publishing industry also considers itself to be well informed about technological issues and the publishing trade associations often keep their members informed through the Publishing Training Centre [6].
Having said that, some creative businesses are not as informed about technological issues as they would like to be and often find it hard to respond to changing market conditions.
Technological convergence is a key priority for the creative economy
Convergence - “the successful application of rich multimedia products and integrated services that previously did not exist, or were previously provided separately from organisations across technology, media and telecoms sectors” [7] – has become a key priority for the creative sectors. A decade ago, the idea that newspaper publishers shared common issues with computer games would have been dismissed. Today, new forms of digital content are appearing as traditionally divergent industries come together.
Recommendations
- There should be a closer relationship between the technological and creative industries as well as a more joined-up approach across government departments (DCMS and DTI in particular).
- Better strategic understanding and exploitation of technological innovation by the creative sector.
- The development of a Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) would help the creative industries in understanding how interactive technologies can be used to .
- The KTN should also address the need to create an enterprising pool of individuals within our society who have enterprising skills and attitudes. The greatest source of wealth is the creativity of our young people and their enterprising capability.
- The creation of a web portal tailored to the specific needs of the creative industries would be welcomed, providing information on the latest technology, UK and international markets, available government support and future regulation.
- Practical assistance should be offered to all creative businesses so they can access and exploit developing technologies as they become available.
- Statistics taken from Unlimited Learning: Computer and Video Games in the Learning Landscape, an educational resource published by the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA).
- PPA response to the Culture, Media and Sport inquiry into new media and creative industries.
- BPI research - www.bpi.co.uk
- Technology Working Group Report of the Creative Economy Programme (CEP) consultation.
- PriceWaterhouseCoopers Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2005-2009
- www.train4publishing.co.uk
- Intellect report – capitalising on convergence - www.intellectuk.org/policy/convergence/default.asp