digital divide

As News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch tries to minimize the phone-hacking scandal that has led to several arrests and snared British officials and police in a web of unethical and possibly criminal behavior, U.S. public interest groups and some members of Congress are seizing the opportunity to call attention to the dangers of too much media in too few powerful hands. And a “broadband underclass” is developing in America as some populations soar with the fastest broadband connections available and others plod along with slow or no connections at all.

The cell phone industry not only engages in price-gouging, but its anti-competitive practices have left the United States wireless industry lagging behind the rest of the world. And university scholars, city and state government, and private enterprise are working to bridge the digital divide in Chicago.

From the best of Media Minutes: President and CEO of Clergy Strategic Alliances Rev. Romal Tune brought his message of collaboration and unity to the National Conference for Media Reform in Minneapolis. And guest commentator Megan Tady wants our new president to address the digital divide and work to make high-speed broadband accessible to everyone.

The FCC is tackling the thorny issue of cable program carriage. On December’s open meeting agenda: The complaint process for programmers and wholesale unbundling. And with 40 percent of all U.S. homes still not connected to high-speed Internet, millions of young people are left with few opportunities to succeed in school and beyond.

In their coverage of the impending digital TV conversion, the media has been ignoring the fact that the corporate media has a lock on any new channels that will emerge from the changeover. And Massachusetts has a new broadband bill that will bring high-speed broadband to rural areas.