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INFOACTIVE Premiere Issue: NII, Nonprofit Rates, Resources, etc.
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Date: Sun, 31 Jul 1994 20:05:04 -0500
From: Center for Media Education
The Center for Media Education (CME) will begin placing on the Internet excerpts from its new bulletin, InfoActive: The Telecommunications Monthly for Nonprofits. Excerpts from the premiere double issue (April/May 1994) appear below. Subscription information appears at the bottom of this post.
INFOACTIVE: THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MONTHLY FOR NONPROFITS April/May 1994 Table of Contents (Stories marked with a "*" are included in this electronic post.)
The Information Superhighway: A New Road for Nonprofits 1 * The Internet Connection 1 Logging on the Internet 2 Getting the Message Out 4 To Learn More 5 Clinton's National Information Infrastructure Initiative 6 * Representatives to the U.S. Advisory Council on the NII 6 * Washington Update 7 Keeping an Open Platform 7 The White House 7 Congress: Senate 7 Congress: House of Representatives 8 Tolls on the Superhighway: The Battle Over Nonprofit Rates: 9 * Resources on Telecommunications Issues 11 * Grants Page 12 Cellular Foundation to Give Grants to Nonprofits 12 $100 Million NII Grant Program for Nonprofits 12 Nonprofits Launch the Telecommunications Policy Roundtable 13 * The Roundtable Public Interest Principles 13 * About the Center for Media Education 14 *
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THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY: A NEW ROAD FOR NONPROFITS
We in the nonprofit community have been hearing a lot lately about the "information superhighway," a term that has burst into the public consciousness, having been plastered across newspaper headlines and the covers of the nation's major magazines. Even comedians are having a heyday with these new buzz words: "This show is like an information highway," quipped David Letterman recently, "without the information." The superhighway is expected to usher in a revolution in communications more profound than that brought about by the printing press. A web of high-speed networks delivering multimedia messages-- mixing voice, video, and data--will dominate the American landscape. The ability to access interactive communications networks will define whether an individual--or a community--will be able to fully participate in our society. Information will become the new global currency in the 21st-century economy. Many nonprofits now realize that these changes could either sweep them along or sweep them away. Currently, most groups are struggling to navigate the maze of information, technospeak, and hype and trying to figure out what they should be doing.
Nonprofits in a 500-Channel World
Because the telecommunications system will become the central nervous system for the entire society, it will fundamentally alter everything nonprofits do: soliciting volunteers, educating the public, distributing publications and other information, creating coalitions, and raising money. Members, the press, and the public will be reached not by newsletters but through electronic mail, interactive bulletin boards, and on-line databases. Many groups are already using computer networks, video, and other new technologies in their work. But if nonprofits are to make the successful transition to the emerging media environment, they will need to educate themselves about the technological changes underway and then develop long-range plans for taking full advantage of them. This will require a shift in how many organizations define their missions. In addition to being users of these technologies, nonprofits will become information providers. Leaders and staff members will need a new set of tools and skills to function in this new era. Those nonprofits that fail to adapt may not survive. The nonprofit sector has a crucial role to play in seeing that the power of these technologies is harnessed to address some of our society's most glaring problems. Nonprofits must advance a broader vision of this new information system and help design and implement a wide range of services that will not be created by market forces alone. Innovative new alliances will need to be forged--with business, with government, and with others in the nonprofit world. The active involvement of nonprofits could bring about a flowering of new services: state and local versions of C-SPAN, covering local government and tracking consumer and environmental issues; on-line job retraining networks; various forms of telemedicine, providing rural health clinics and other medical organizations with access to professional resources from across the country; adult education classes bringing courses to those who would not otherwise have access to them; cultural programming sponsored by museums and theater groups; and interactive TV channels serving the needs of senior citizens and children.
Making the Vision a Reality
But whether the promise of these powerful technologies is fully realized will depend on the policies that shape the information superhighway. The policy process is already moving forward swiftly--at the White House, in Congress, and in government agencies at both the federal and state levels. It is vitally important for nonprofits to become involved in the policy debate. We need to act in our self-interest to ensure that we are able to fully participate in the next telecommunications system. And we must act in the public interest to see that the policies which are developed will truly enrich our society at large and not just benefit the communications conglomerates. These companies have been centrally involved in the formulation of new policies, pressing forward a new telecommunications system that emphasizes commercial applications above all. So far, nonprofits have played only a marginal role. This could mean that the new system will have little room for nonprofits. Effectively shut out of the new telecommunications web, nonprofits could find it more and more difficult to make our voices heard, fulfill our missions, and reach out to our potential members and funders.
Will the New Media System Serve the Public Interest?
Nonprofits must also be leaders in calling for a system that is equitable, diverse, and affordable for all Americans. We must raise the national debate beyond the narrow concerns of competing industries to the broader issues facing our democracy and our society at large. We must address a number of critical policy issues. High fees for even basic new services could put the superhighway out of reach for many Americans. Some citizens--the poor, minorities, the elderly-- could be bypassed because they would not be the most attractive demographic groups. The result could be a growing disparity between the technologically affluent and the technologically disenfranchised. The intrusion of powerful interactive technologies raises troubling new questions about protecting our individual privacy. And the future of essential institutions such as libraries and schools will depend on how effectively they are integrated into the new information infrastructure. Fortunately, a growing sense of urgency is catalyzing a new movement within the nonprofit community. New alliances have formed, such as the Telecommunications Policy Roundtable, a coalition of nonprofits launched last fall to promote a public interest vision for the National Information Infrastructure. The roundtable is working to inform nonprofits about the key issues and to ensure greater participation of the nonprofit sector in the development of the new telecommunications system. And a number of foundations have recently begun to support activities in communications policy which are designed to encourage the nonprofit sector to make a successful transition into the Information Age.
InfoActive
In order to help nonprofits deal with the difficult and often complex questions involving the information infrastructure, the Center for Media Education has launched its "Nonprofits and the Information Superhighway" project. The goal of InfoActive, this new bulletin, is to keep nonprofits informed about the sweeping telecommunications changes now underway. InfoActive will provide essential information, free of hype and jargon, on
the latest technologies and how nonprofits are using them key telecommunications choices facing nonprofits* promising funding opportunities
In addition to furnishing such nuts-and-bolts information, InfoActive will also provide a unique overview of policy developments of vital significance to the nonprofit community. InfoActive will monitor and analyze policy making in Congress, at the White House, and at government agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Commerce Department. For example, in this issue you will find an article which examines the current campaign to secure nonprofit rates for the superhighway; information on new grants programs for communications- related projects; advice on using the Internet; and an update on policy developments. In upcoming issues, InfoActive will report on whether the country's leading media companies, now in a frenzied rush to build fiber optic networks, are working with nonprofits; how computer networks are helping nonprofits at the community level; and who the most powerful communications policy makers are in Washington. InfoActive will be published 10 times a year by the Center for Media Education. Major support for InfoActive and the Information Superhighway project has been generously provided by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
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CLINTON'S NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE HOW NONPROFITS CAN GET INVOLVED
As part of its wide-ranging National Information Infrastructure (NII) initiative, in September the Clinton administration announced the creation of a high-level cabinet policy group, the Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF), which may have a major effect on the role nonprofits play in the information superhighway. The task force's mission is to formulate and implement "forward-looking telecommunications and information policies that will accelerate the development of the NII." IITF recommendations will have an impact on issues that directly concern the nonprofit community: How much will nonprofits pay for communications? How easy it will be for them to be connected to the NII? How soon they will be connected? How can the NII promote education, health care, social service delivery, public information, and other goals of nonprofits. The IITF, chaired by Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown, consists of approximately 45 government officials from the White House and key cabinet agencies. It works with a 27-member citizen advisory council. Appointed in January 1994 to serve for two years, the council includes representatives from the nonprofit community (see sidebar). It is charged with advising Secretary Brown on a national strategy for developing the NII. The co-chairs are Delano Lewis, President of National Public Radio, and Edward McCracken, President of Silicon Graphics. Some nonprofits are already working to see that the IITF addresses their needs. Organizations will be able to get involved by briefing advisory council members and government officials on the task force and by testifying at public meetings. Nonprofits should also focus attention on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). This division of the Commerce Department is the chief federal agency working on telecommunications policy related to the NII. To communicate with the IITF and the advisory council and to receive meeting schedules and other information, contact Ms. Yvette Barrett, NTIA, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230. (202) 482-1835, Fax: (202) 482-1635. NII documents can also be obtained by sending an E-mail message to nii@ntia.doc.gov. And the NTIA has recently made its documents and press releases available on a computer bulletin board that can be reached at (202) 482-1199. Nonprofits can also make their views known by participating in a series of public hearings, NTIA is holding this year on how the NII can provide universal service. The first session took place in December in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Witnesses represented local government, business, educational institutions, and nonprofits. Additional hearings are being scheduled. For more information about the hearings and how your organization can be represented, contact Joanne Anderson of the NTIA at (202) 482-1880.
NONPROFIT AND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO THE UNITED STATES ADVISORY COUNCIL ON THE NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Mr. Delano E. Lewis, Co-Chair President and Chief Executive Officer National Public Radio
Mr. Morton Bahr President Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO
Dr. Toni Carbo Bearman Dean and Professor School of Library and Information Science University of Pittsburgh
Ms. Bonnie L. Bracey Teacher Ashlawn Elementary School Arlington County Public Schools
Hnorable Carol Fukunaga Senator State of Hawaii
Ms. Susan Herman General Manager Department of Telecommunications City of Los Angeles
Mr. Robert E. Kahn President Corporation of National Research Initiatives
Ms. Deborah Kaplan Vice President World Institute on Disability
Mr. Mitchell Kapor Chairman Electronic Frontier Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Jane Smith Patterson Advisor to the Governor of North Carolina for Policy, Budget, and Technology
Ms. Joan H. Smith Chair Oregon Public Utility Commission
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TOLLS ON THE SUPERHIGHWAY: THE BATTLE OVER NONPROFIT RATES
For over forty years, nonprofits have relied on special lower cost second- and third-class mail rates for fundraising, membership development, and education. But nonprofits have had to battle hard to preserve these rates in the face of repeated attacks from Congress and the U.S. Postal Service. Now a new struggle is underway will determine whether nonprofits will have affordable access to the electronic information systems of the 21st century.
Setting Nonprofit Rates Today for Tomorrow's Highway
In the future, the information superhighway will be much more important to nonprofits than the mail is now. Without affordable access to the emerging telecommunications system, nonprofits will find it more and more difficult to communicate, raise funds, and--ultimately--survive. Such affordable access will be impossible unless policy makers can be convinced that nonprofit rates must be guaranteed for the developing information infrastructure. While the superhighway is still years away from completion, the policies that will shape it are being decided in Washington right now. Thus far policy makers have been reluctant to support nonprofit rates for the superhighway. They cite telecommunications industry predictions that the new networks will be so inexpensive to use that nonprofits won't need special discounts. However, current trends make such inexpensive access more and more unlikely. A high-capacity, seamless, fully interactive network may never fully materialize. At the very least, it will take decades to deploy such an advanced network throughout the country. For the foreseeable future, we are likely to see a hodgepodge of different systems. Some communities will be served by fully switched digital networks; others will have cable TV systems offering between 100 and 500 channels. And some communities will depend on direct broadcast satellites or other forms of wireless delivery. Rather than a modern superhighway, the communications system will more closely resemble a patchwork of private toll roads for some time to come. Space on many of these networks will probably be limited. Even on new 500-channel systems, the vast majority of channels will be allocated to pay-per-view movies and other entertainment programming. Nonprofits may have to outbid shopping networks, MTV, and other commercial services for the remaining channels. Unless channels are reserved for nonprofits, these organizations could be shut out entirely. The battle for nonprofit rates is now being waged on two separate fronts at the Federal Communications Commission.
Cable TV Systems
Congress had hoped that cable television would provide space for nonprofit programmers when it passed the 1984 Cable Act. The law included a provision called "leased access" that required most cable companies to set aside a portion of their channels for leasing to outside programmers. The rationale for the provision was that it would assure a wider diversity of information sources and would prevent cable companies from controlling access to 100 percent of their channels. (Leased access is separate from public access, which is required by a number of cities as part of the franchise agreement.) While Congress had expected the nonprofit sector to benefit from leased access, cable operators set fees so high that few nonprofits could afford them. In fact, the industry created so many barriers to leased access that few programmers--nonprofit or for-profit--were able to utilize it. When Congress reregulated the cable industry, it ordered the FCC to design rules to make leased access work. In late 1992, the Center for Media Education--along with the U.S. Catholic Conference, the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and several other nonprofits--filed comments with the FCC, arguing for the establishment of preferential nonprofit rates for leasing cable channels. The groups also asked the FCC to require that a portion of leased channel capacity be held in reserve for the next three years in order to give nonprofits time to develop programming. This is particularly important now that cable companies are rapidly upgrading their systems to provide customers with more sophisticated interactive features offering bulletin boards, databases, and other information services. In May 1993 the FCC rejected the request, but the Commission is now reconsidering its decision.
Telephone Networks: Video Dialtone
In 1992 the FCC established a new policy called "video dialtone." It allows telephone companies to deliver video programming and information services--movies, pay-per-view-sports, video shopping, databases--in the same areas where they provide local phone service. Nonprofit groups--including public television and the Center for Media Education--urged the FCC to set up preferential nonprofit rates for these video dialtone systems. This request was rejected, but the FCC has agreed to reconsider this ruling as well.
Nonprofits' Prospects Improve
Although nonprofits are still fighting an uphill struggle to win preferential rates on cable systems and telephone networks, several recent events have improved their prospects. The new FCC chairman, Reed Hundt (who was appointed by President Clinton), appears to be more sympathetic to the nonprofit sector than his predecessors. The Clinton administration will be appointing two more commissioners, further raising hopes for an FCC that could be more amenable to the needs of nonprofits. Recently, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications, and Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, wrote to the new FCC chairman in support of special rates for nonprofits on cable TV systems. The Clinton administration's call for linking schools, libraries, and hospitals to the information infrastructure may also reflect an openness to support broader policies on behalf of the nonprofit community. There are also bills in Congress that, if passed, could create preferential nonprofit rates. (See "Washington Update.")
What Nonprofits Can Do
Nonprofits could become significant programmers and information providers, but only if they first win the battle for nonprofit rates. Nonprofits must make their opinions known to the public, Congress, and the FCC. The next year provides a critical "window of necessity" for the nonprofit community to act collectively in order to ensure they are not bypassed by the new communications system. Nonprofits should consider the following steps: % sending a letter to the FCC asking for nonprofit rates % scheduling a meeting with FCC commissioners or senior staff % sending letters or meeting with the administration's White House Information Infrastructure Task Force % Advocating on behalf of legislative proposals involving nonprofits and the superhighway For a Nonprofit Rate Action Kit, contact Anthony Wright at the Center for Media Education.
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NONPROFITS LAUNCH THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY ROUNDTABLE
The Telecommunications Policy Roundtable is a new national coalition dedicated to applying public interest principles to the design and construction of the information superhighway. Launched by 60 nonprofit groups in October 1993, the roundtable has steadily increased in size, activity, and visibility. By March 1994 it had over 90 members, including a diverse group of consumer, labor, educational, civil rights, arts, social service, and community organizations from across the country. The roundtable was formed to foster a public interest vision for the coming information infrastructure. This was needed to balance the much-hyped commercial models being presented by the communications industries. Recognizing that new technologies will transform everything from work to education to government to culture, the roundtable articulated several key principles for ensuring that these technologies will enhance the lives of every American. The roundtable principles (see sidebar) have been endorsed by such groups as the American Library Association, America's Public Television Stations, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, the Consumer Federation of America, and the National Coalition on Black Voter Participation. Such widespread support for a public interest agenda for telecommunications is unprecedented. The principles have been widely disseminated by members of the roundtable and through the national media. The roundtable meets on the first Tuesday of every month in Washington, D.C. Officials from the White House and Congress regularly brief the group. Speakers have included Larry Irving, Assistant Secretary of Commerce (who is leading the Administration's communications policy-making effort), and Gerry Waldron, Senior Counsel of the House Telecommunications Subcommittee. In addition to regular updates on policy developments, the roundtable has organized a number of special meetings on new technologies, universal service, and common carriage. Activities of the roundtable led to the administration's decision to hold a public interest "summit" on media policy issues on March 29. An Internet discussion list has recently been formed for anybody interested in the roundtable and its work. To participate, send a note saying "subscribe roundtable" to listproc@cni.org. To learn more about the roundtable and to request a complete copy of the TPR Principles, contact Emily Littleton at the Center for Media Education.
THE ROUNDTABLE PUBLIC INTEREST PRINCIPLES A SUMMARY
1. Universal Access--All people should have affordable access to the information infrastructure.
2. Freedom to Communicate--The information infrastructure should enable all people to effectively exercise their fundamental right to communicate.
3. Vital Civic Sector--The information infrastructure must have a vital civic sector at its core.
4. Diverse and Competitive Marketplace--The information infrastructure should ensure competition among ideas and information providers.
5. Equitable Workplace--New technologies should be used to enhance the quality of work and to promote equity in the workplace.
6. Privacy--Privacy should be carefully protected and extended.
7. Democratic Policy Making--The public should be fully involved in policy making for the information infrastructure.
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ABOUT THE CENTER FOR MEDIA EDUCATION
The Center for Media Education is dedicated to educating the public about critical media policy issues. Established in 1991 as the debate over the future of the media system began, CME has provided critical information and analysis on telecommunications issues and developments to the press, policy makers, nonprofit groups, and foundations. A nonprofit organization, CME currently runs projects in three principal areas: * Nonprofits and the Information Superhighway: provides analysis and support to the nonprofit community on information infrastructure issues. As a principal co-founder of the Telecommunications Policy Roundtable, CME has helped nonprofits become more actively involved in communications policy making. * The Future of Media: tracks and analyzes developments in communications, conducts research, and provides assistance to consumers. CME publishes Cablewatch to inform consumers of their rights under the new cable television law. CME's work has motivated the Federal Communications Commission to develop a more consumer-friendly complaint procedure. * The Campaign for Kids' TV: engages in research and public education on behalf of children's needs in the electronic media. The campaign's 1992 study on the failure of broadcasters to comply with the Children's Television Act led to Congressional oversight hearings and an inquiry at the FCC. The campaign is the successor to Action for Children's Television.
A number of reports and publications are available from the Center, including "The Information Superhighway and the Reinvention of Television" (1993) ; "Cablewatch: It Pays to Complain" (1993); "When Pulling the Plug Isn't Enough: A Parents' Guide to TV" (developed in association with two other groups, Advocates for Children and Youth, and Ready At Five, 1993); and "A Report on Station Compliance with the Children's Television Act" (1992).
Major support for the Nonprofits and the Information Superhighway project comes from the Pew Charitable Trusts. National Video Resources, an initiative of the Rockefeller Foundation, has given CME a grant to distribute Title X to the independent media community. CME also receives support from the Angelina Fund, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Bauman Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Phoebe Haas Fund, Hoffman Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, J. Roderick MacArthur Foundation, and the Rockefeller Family Fund.
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Resources on Telecommunications Issues
"A Plain English Guide to Technology." Descriptions of a number of trends in technology, the telecommunications industry, and public television, with an emphasis on their impact on non-commercial programming. Association of America's Public Television Stations, Suite 200, 1350 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. (202) 887- 8406. $10 prepaid.
"Universal Service and the Information Superhighway." One in a series of communications policy briefings, working papers, and bulletins. Benton Foundation, Communications Policy Project, 1634 Eye Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. (202) 638-5770. Free.
"Serving the Community: A Public Interest Vision of the National Information Infrastructure." A statement of principles that should guide the information infrastructure, with detailed recommendations on both the policy and design of the NII. Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, P.O. Box 717, Palo Alto, CA 94302-0717. (415) 322-3778. Free.
"The National Information Infrastructure: The Federal Role." Background and analysis on the federal communications policy issues. Congressional Research Service Issue Brief. The Library of Congress Order Code IB93101. Your Representative may be able to obtain a copy for you. Also request "The Information Superhighway and the National Information Infrastructure," A CRS Report for Congress. Order Code 94-112 SPR.
"Providing Universal Service And Protecting Consumer Rights In The Information Age." The issues that consumers should be aware of when dealing with telecommunications policy. Consumer Federation of America, 1424 16th Street, NW, Suite 604, Washington, D.C. 20036. (202) 387- 6121. $10 pre-paid.
"The National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action." A report put out by the Clinton administration's Information Infrastructure Task Force, describing its vision for the NII. NTIA NII Office, Department of Commerce, 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20230. (202) 482-1840. Free.
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"Key questions remain to be answered if citizens are to be assured that we aren't being bamboozled: Who will have access, what will it cost, and how will disputes over access, cost, or content be arbitrated? The key questions of access, pricing, censorship, and redress of grievances will be answered in practice, in law, in executive order or legislative action, over the next five years, and thus determine the political and economic structure of the Net for decades to come." -- Howard Rheingold, 1993. The Virtual Community Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley
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InfoActive: The Telecommunications Monthly for Nonprofits
Publisher Kathryn C. Montgomery Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey A. Chester Associate Editor Anthony E. Wright Senior Writer Jeffrey D Porro Copy Editor Barbara Disckind Design Magnet Design and Communications, Inc.
The views expressed in InfoActive are solely those of the Center for Media Education. InfoActive is published ten times a year. Copyright 1994 Center for Media Education. This post may be reposted with attribution.
Center for Media Education 1511 K Street, NW Suite 518 Washington, DC 20005 (202)628-2620 Fax: (202)628-2554 cme@access.digex.net
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Anthony E. Wright cme@access.digex.net Coordinator, Future of Media Project Center for Media Education ```
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