Charles Benton

Benton Editorial

Benton Salutes FCC’s Move to Bring More Fiber to More Communities, Sooner

In too many communities around the U.S. – and especially in rural communities – no commercial Internet service providers are offering broadband – and do not plan to.

Today, the Federal Communications Commission sided with community-based solutions. Today, the FCC sided with choice. Today, the FCC sided with bringing better broadband everywhere.

Benton Editorial

Chairman’s Year End Message 2014

I believe deeply that our media and telecommunications can and must serve the public interest and enhance our democracy. On this bedrock faith, the Benton Foundation seeks policy solutions that support the values of access, diversity and equity; demonstrates the value of media and telecommunications for improving the quality of life for all; and provides informational resources to policymakers and advocates to inform communications policy debates.

Benton Editorial

Benton Foundation Applauds FCC’s Big Broadband Boost for Education

“We cannot always build the future for our youth,” said President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “but we can build our youth for the future.” Today, the Federal Communications Commission improved education for all our young people by providing the tools to connect every school and library to high-capacity broadband -- and Wi-Fi connectivity that delivers critical education tools right to students’ desks.

This is a huge win for U.S. education.

Benton Editorial

Who Will We Leave Behind?

Kevin Taglang is travelling again, so this week we share an editorial from our chairman, Charles Benton, on the big news surrounding the E-rate program.

Benton Editorial

Chairman’s Year End Message 2013

Chairman’s Year End Message 2013

The New Year is both a time to reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of the past 12 months and a time to be excited about the future. As the Benton Foundation closes 2013, here’s what I’m most proud of – and what has me reenergized for 2014.

Benton Editorial

Time to Reflect: An End-of-Year Message from Charles Benton

Time to Reflect

We are coming to the close of 2012 with heavy hearts. The senseless violence that ended the lives of 20 young children and 8 adults, including six heroic teachers and administrators in Newtown, Connecticut concerns all of us. As Americans, we all lost some innocence on that fateful day.

Benton Editorial

Finding Your Voice

“”
Charles Benton
30th Annual Everett C. Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Award
September 25, 2012
(prepared remarks)

Everett Parker is a role model for us all. That is why for my comments today I called several old friends to ask how he had inspired them. Let’s begin with Andy Schwartzman, who started as a young assistant to Earl K. (Dick) Moore, Everett’s lawyer on the WLBT case.

Andy’s three insights from Everett were:

Benton Editorial

Our Deepest Gratitude to Media Access Project

The public interest community and media reform movement suffered a major body blow today, when the Media Access Project (MAP) announced it will suspend operation next month. I personally have looked to my friend and colleague Andy Schwartzman for leadership and guidance on media policy issues for more than three decades. Under his tenure, MAP has been at the forefront of major telecommunications and media policy fights, always with the mission of representing the public interest.

Benton Editorial

Looking Back at 2011

As the Benton Foundation closes out our 30th year as an organization dedicated to the ideal of media and telecommunications serving the public interest and enhancing our democracy, here are some thoughts on our major activities during these past twelve months.

Benton Editorial

Benton Foundation Opposes Proposed AT&T Acquisition of T-Mobile USA

After a review of the purported benefits and early analysis of the proposed acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T, the Benton Foundation urges the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission to reject a deal that offers no public interest dividend.

First and foremost, the acquisition will combine the 2nd and 4th largest wireless carriers in the US. Undoubtedly, this combination will reduce competition in this market and will result in fewer choices for consumers, higher prices, and less innovation.

Benton Editorial

Sputnik 2: Time for Broadband

By Charles Benton

Earlier this month, President Barack Obama said our generation’s Sputnik moment is upon us. President Obama likened our recent economic setbacks to a key moment in October 1957 when Americans saw our scientific leadership in the world fall from first to second as a small beeping sphere sped through the night sky. I strongly agree. And I see broadband as a key element in our response to Sputnik 2.

Benton Editorial
Benton Editorial

Day 1 of the National Broadband Plan


Charles Benton

Charles Benton

March 16, 2010

To paraphrase poet Robert Burns,

"The best laid plans of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!"

Benton Editorial

Why We Must Measure the Results of the $7.2 Billion in ARRA Broadband Funding

By Charles Benton and Kate Williams Ph.D.

On December 17, Vice President Joe Biden began rolling out $2 billion in broadband stimulus grants. Grants to extend broadband's reach across the country will be announced over the next 75 days.

Why is broadband data and research so critical? ARRA-funded projects represent an unprecedented opportunity to fill the enormous knowledge gap we have with respect to what works and what does not work in broadband deployment and broadband adoption.

Benton Editorial

Think People


Remarks of Charles Benton
Co-Chair Adoption & Use Committee, U.S. Broadband Coalition
Federal Communications Commission
November 13, 2009

People are the "killer app." From e-mail, to digital pictures, to today's social media, connecting people to people has always been a motivating force for getting people on and keeping them on the Internet. And the value of the network grows and grows with each additional person on it.

Benton Editorial

Circle of Knowledge

Charles Benton Comments, US Broadband Coalition meeting at FCC
September 24, 2009

Benton Editorial
Benton Editorial

A First Step to Our National Broadband Plan

by Charles Benton

With the rush to implement the broadband-related provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, little attention has been paid to a provision of the 2008 Farm Bill with requires the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Agriculture to craft a comprehensive rural broadband strategy. This plan is due to Congress this Spring and the FCC has requested public input.

Benton Editorial
Benton Editorial

Let's get to Work on Criteria for NTIA Grant Awards


By Charles Benton

The Recovery Act establishes several considerations for awarding grants under the national Telecommunications and Information Administration's new Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The NTIA is to consider whether an application to deploy infrastructure in an area --

Benton Editorial

Writing an Effective Public Interest Rule for NTIA Broadband Grant Eligibility


By Charles Benton
This blog became the basis for a Benton filing

Benton Editorial

Let's Get to Work on the Role of the States in the NTIA Broadband Grant Program


By Charles Benton
This blog became the basis for a Benton filing

Benton Editorial

Let's Get to Work on the Purposes of the Broadband Grant Program


By Charles Benton
This blog became the basis for a Benton filing