Integration of information services

Alongside the joining together of technologies, there is also a tendency toward the integration of common public information services.

Digital [digital: A signal that carries information as a series of 'on' and 'off' pulses. ] television (DTV) by satellite, cable or terrestrial aerial now gives access to many channels that have interactive content, which can be used in a similar way to the web. DAB digital radio provides large amounts of text data to be transmitted along with the signal, and can be listened to via digital TV. The Internet now enables broadcasts from radio and TV stations to be 'time-shifted' by the user, who watches or listens to the programme whenever they want to.

News services and the mass media such as newspapers, radio, and television are making themselves available so that people can access them when they want and wherever they are. Two of the key reasons for this are:

• the growth of broadband Internet access that allows lots of information to be viewed quickly and effectively
• the success of digital broadcasting, the signals of which can carry very much more content than old style analogue [analogue: A signal that carries information as changes in amplitude and/or frequency. ] TV and radio