Media Diary: Chasing the last of the offline

The internet

New figures from the Office for National Statistics last week showing that nearly 9 million Britons have never used the internet do not deter Martha Lane Fox, the digital tsar. She still hopes to have the whole country online by the end of next year. So how will Martha do it? “By creating a massive local digital champion network,” she says, having signed up 100,000 volunteers to coach the remaining internet virgins. “And kick-starting a low cost recycled marketplace,” she adds, having badgered Microsoft and others to sell recycled PC products for £95. The ONS says more than 5m of the refuseniks are women, and the hardest-to-reach areas are Northern Ireland and Merseyside.

Counting on Thomas

Television

The face of Bloomberg TV in London will be Owen Thomas, who joins from CNN International but is better known here for his work at the BBC. He will host Bloomberg’s daily briefing, Countdown, which is entirely different to the Channel 4 student favourite fronted by Jeff Stelling.

Oliver is fourth in PR power list

Public relations

Downing Street’s Craig Oliver is already the UK’s fourth most powerful PR, says PR Week. He’s behind only Matthew Freud (in first place), Alan Parker and Roland Rudd.