Washington, DC (April 4, 2022) —On April 6, 2022, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society celebrates 40 years of advancing communications policy rooted in the values of access, equity and diversity in order to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities. Since its founding in 1981, the Benton Institute has worked to create a more equitable and just nation by ensuring that everyone in America has access to, and can use, the latest communication technologies.

To honor this important milestone, Benton will host a celebration in Washington, D.C. featuring leading voices in broadband and communications policy. The event will:

• Feature an interview with House Majority Whip James Clyburn and Mignon Clyburn, former Acting Chairwoman and Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission and member of Benton’s board of directors;
• Award the Broadband Emerging Leader Award to Kathryn de Wit, Project Director, Broadband Access Initiative, The Pew Charitable Trusts; and
• Celebrate the 75th birthday of Andrew Jay Schwartzman, “dean” of the public interest communications bar and Benton Senior Counselor.

Benton has long championed the public benefits of widespread broadband use as an essential pathway to deliver individual opportunity, strengthen communities, and ensure a thriving democracy. This has only become clearer as the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the high costs of communities, families, and individuals being offline, unable to access affordable high-performance broadband for education, healthcare, economic development, civic engagement, and more.

“For the last 40 years, the Benton Institute has proudly supported leading experts to advance our mission of fast, fair and open broadband for everyone in the U.S.,” said Adrianne Benton Furniss, Executive Director of the Benton Institute. “From underwriting expert voices and connecting relevant stakeholders to curating and sharing critical research, Benton’s work to support, connect, and inform policymakers, communities, nonprofits, and philanthropy has resulted in policies that advance high-speed, affordable broadband for all. Today we are proud to celebrate just a handful of the individuals that have contributed to this noble goal.”

The Benton Institute has had an active role in advocating for some of the most impactful communications policies of the last four decades including Net Neutrality, Universal Service, including the modernization of the FCC’s Lifeline program, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Institute’s 40^th anniversary event will take place at the First Congregational United Church of Christ (945 G St NW Washington, DC 20001) on April 6th.

The event is open to the press.

www.benton.org

Contact: Kevin Taglang headlines@benton.org 847.894.9977

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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