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Internet Accessible: Is Broadband Access A Necessity or Luxary?
Posted on December 17, 2004
MediaRights’ Just Media Project highlights the dangers of having a media landscape governed by 7 conglomerates. Moving from the TV screen to the computer screen, internet access is also in the hands of a few large, private companies that are excluding poorer members of the population from enjoying high-speed access.
High-speed internet access is not only more convenient but it has become an necessity and for millions of Americans it is an affordable luxury. But what about those who cannot enjoy it? Local municipalities across the country are investigating ways to bring affordable broadband to their areas however private organizations are opposing this public access. As the debate ensues, the heart of the issue is a new Pennsylvania law the restricts cities and states from providing internet access. This law is heavily backed by Verizon and phone and cable companies that are attempting to restrict what municipalities can provide.
Alternet posted a transcript of an interview where Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! interviews Jeffrey Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy and Steven Titch of senior fellow for information technology and telecom policy at the Heartland Institute, a Chicago-based think tank about the internet access debate.
READ the entrie Interview!