The Web is arguably the most important invention of the modern era. It’s a shame then that more organizations are not out there helping people learn how to get the most out of it. The organizations that are supporting humanity’s relationship with the Web got a shot in the arm over the weekend, however, thanks to an agreement with one of the world’s largest media companies.
The BBC announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with four organizations dedicated to the open Web. These agreements will help the BBC better promote the open Web, teach Web skills and deliver new services to consumers. The four organizations involved – The Open Knowledge Foundation, Mozilla Foundation, Europeana Foundation and the Open Data Institute – will help further the BBC’s goals.
“The BBC has been at the forefront of technological innovation around broadcasting and online for many years delivering the benefits of new technologies to licence fee payers, offering new services and products to audiences around the world, and creating public value in the digital economy,” said James Purnell, BBC Director of Strategy and Digital. “We have worked closely with many other organisations to promote open data, open standards and the open internet, and we plan to build on these MOUs to find new ways to engage audiences and deliver the BBC’s aspirations online.”
Mozilla chimed in with its own statement on the signing of an MOU with the BBC by saying that it will continue to work with the broadcaster “on open technical standards, Web literacy, education projects and a number of other shared initiatives.” The non-profit also says that the its agreement “precede[s] a year of programming and events that support Web and Digital Creativity across the UK that the BBC will kick off in 2015.”
[Image: Wikimedia Commons]