[rtpnet-tact] [Fwd: [DDN] DDN press release]

[Judy Hallman]

This Web site is interesting. -- Judy

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [DDN] DDN press release
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 09:30:36 -0500
From: Andy Carvin <acarvin at edc.org>
Reply-To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group 
<digitaldivide at milhouse.edc.org>
Organization: Center for Media & Community
To: digitaldivide at milhouse.edc.org, wwwedu at yahoogroups.com

Hi everyone,

Here's the press release that went out at 9am this morning, in case
anyone is interested... -ac

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2004						

CONTACT:
Andy Carvin
1-617-618-2440
acarvin |at| edc . org


DIGITAL DIVIDE NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE COMMUNITY

http://www.digitaldivide.net

Website Features Free Blogging, Virtual Community-Building Tools for
Technology Activists

Newton, MA: In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Digital
Divide Network (DDN), the Center for Media & Community today launched a
new interactive website for activists working to bridge the digital
divide. The new Digital Divide Network website
(http://www.digitaldivide.net) provides a unique, free online space for
technology advocates, Internet activists, educators and policymakers to
collaborate on bridging the divide.

"The new Digital Divide Network taps into the creative expertise of
thousands of technology advocates from around the world," said DDN
director Andy Carvin. "The website empowers digital divide activists to
contribute and share their best ideas for extending Internet access and
21st century skills to marginalized communities."

DDN now boasts a wide array of interactive tools, encouraging activists
to share resources, publish articles, host virtual discussions,
establish online communities, and publish their own commercial-free Web
journals, popularly known as "blogs."  These resources can be used for
communication and collaboration between the diverse groups who have a
common cause to eliminate the digital divide.


Founded in December 1999 by the Benton Foundation and the Urban League
in response to the National Digital Divide Summit in Washington DC, DDN
is the premier online source of information on bridging the digital
divide. The new website, funded by the Time Warner Foundation, the Annie
E. Casey Foundation and the Benton Foundation, reaffirms DDN's
commitment to improve Internet access opportunities and Internet
literacy skills for marginalized populations in the U.S. and abroad.
Significant strides have been made to eliminate the digital divide since
DDN’s founding, but there is still much work to be done.  According to
the latest U.S. census data, nearly 70% of the lowest-income U.S.
households lack access to the Internet. And around the world, billions
of people remain disconnected, lacking access to computers and the
skills to use them effectively.  The tools available on the new website
will bring activists, policymakers and the public together to discuss
solutions to these difficult problems.

"The digital divide is a policy issue that is not well understood by the
general public," said Andrea Taylor, director of the Center for Media &
Community and vice president at Education Development Center (EDC). "The
next phase of DDN will focus on group collaboration and resource
development to build a brighter future for the millions of families and
communities without Internet access and 21st century skills."

##

The Digital Divide Network is a project of the Center for Media &
Community (CMC), located at Education Development Center (EDC) in
Newton, Massachusetts.  CMC promotes innovative uses of information and
communication technologies (ICTs) to foster stronger communities and
lifelong learning. <http://cmc.edc.org>

EDC is an international non-profit organization, building bridges
between research, policy and practice. EDC manages 335 projects in 50
countries, and is dedicated to advancing learning and healthy
development for individuals of all ages. <http://www.edc.org>

-- 
-----------------------------------
Andy Carvin
Program Director
EDC Center for Media & Community
acarvin @ edc . org
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org
Blog: http://www.andycarvin.com
-----------------------------------



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-- 
Judy Hallman (hallman at rtpnet.org, http://www.rtpnet.org/hallman)
Executive Director, RTPnet, NC (http://www.RTPnet.org/)