Grant Program Must Balance Competing Interests and Remain Transparent, Experts Say

Free Press, the Open Internet Coalition and former-Rep Chip Pickering (R-MS) had a press conference in advance of Tuesday's joint meeting of the federal agencies that will oversee the stimulus law's broadband provisions. The three seemed to agree that data soon to be available from the Federal Communications Commission will help balance the competing interests of getting stimulus dollars flowing quickly and identifying the areas that need the funds the most. The FCC will join the National telecommunications and Information Administration and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service on Tuesday in a public meeting to present plans for the new programs. Tuesday's meeting is the beginning of "an extraordinary period, in which the government is investing in broadband infrastructure," said Ben Scott of Free Press. Scott compared the broadband stimulus program to previous public investments in highways and electrification. But Scott was clear to emphasize money alone won't solve the nation's broadband infrastructure problems. "It all hinges on getting the policy right," he said, invoking President Obama's inaugural address: "It's about government that works." Scott outlined three goals for the stimulus program in order to ensure its success: 1) The program must be "data driven" to give priority to projects that give taxpayers "the biggest bang for the buck." 2) Grantees must recognize the public sector as a partner: Grant applicants should take into account benefits to schools, libraries and public safety in designing their programs. 3) The program also can't just be about "last mile" connections in areas that also need upgrades for their backbone networks.