The continuous development and increasing diversity of technology profoundly changes ways and forms of human and social expressions, communications, perceptions, evaluations, interactions, and mediations.

Competing perspectives are part of the challenge involved in developing appropriate "mediating technologies". One envisions self-realization and participatory democracy as results of the growing access to services, texts, data banks, cultural experiences, and training opportunities. Another view depicts a reality where information is commercialized and available only to the few, politics cater to extremist causes, and humanity is "virtualized". This climate of uncertainty demands the exploration and exchange of views: to explore, expose, and exchange views:

• on the unprecedented "digital convergence" of media;
• on the growing "permeability" of the media environment, featuring transparent boundaries and a unified language, which serve to create, transmit, and store words, sounds, images, and data;
• on the interaction of emerging technologies with economic, political, legal, social and cultural systems; the re-definition of ground rules for its application in business, law, politics, health care, education, and particularly in communication; the control of the "digital divide", that makes acess to the new media unequal among individuals, groups, and entire societies;
• on information ownership, value creation, privacy, security, and the properties of network-based virtual communities;
• on technical, cognitive, and aesthetic uses of mediation by newer technologies, to improve human interaction and quality of life.
  
  The need for optimizing new forms of communication in a global information society underscores the centrality of media research, training and education. Information is the most important resource in this society, both as raw material and product. The media of communication are its most important dissemination device. Thus, research, education and training in communications are an essential investment both in achieving immediate goals, and in developing strategies and mechanisms necessary to effectively meet social needs.
  

Objectives


The Center is a halfway house for studying transitions in information supply, access, and processes, encouraging interdisciplinary approaches that foster creativity and innovation. The main objectives are: