Information Needs of Communities: The Changing Media Landscape in a Broadband Age

The Federal Communications Commission's Working Group on the Information Needs of Communities delivered an in-depth analysis of the current state of the media landscape along with a broad range of recommendations.

The staff-level report was delivered to the FCC at an open commission meeting. The report was produced by a group of journalists, scholars, entrepreneurs and government officials, led by Steven Waldman, a successful digital media entrepreneur and former journalist. Waldman worked for many years as a highly-respected reporter and editor at Newsweek, U.S News & World Report and WallStreetJournal.com. He was also the co-founder and CEO of Beliefnet.com, which won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online and was later acquired by FOX Networks Group.

Key findings and recommendations include:

• Fueled primarily by broadband-enabled innovation, the news and information landscape is more vibrant than ever before. Digital technology is creating a world of opportunity to keep the public informed in ways unimaginable just a few short years ago.
• The disruptive impact of the Internet has enabled an unprecedented free exchange of ideas and information. Breakthroughs in hyperlocal news and citizen journalism are on the rise, empowering individuals with a wealth of new information to better inform decisionmaking and engender more accountable government.
• There are nonetheless serious gaps, including in local accountability reporting. These deficits increase the likelihood of corruption, wasted tax dollars, worse schools and other problems for communities.
• Accelerate move from paper to online disclosure. Disclosure information required by the FCC should be moved online from filing cabinets to the Internet so the public can more easily gain access to valuable information. FCC should eliminate burdensome rules and replace the current system with a streamlined web-based disclosures focused on providing information about local programming.
• Remove barriers to innovation and online entrepreneurship by pushing for universal broadband deployment and adoption. Achieving this goal would remove cost barriers, strengthen online business models, expand consumer pools and ensure that the news and information landscape serves communities to the maximum possible benefit of citizens.
• Target existing federal spending at local media. Existing government advertising spending, such military recruiting and public health ads, should be targeted toward local media whenever possible. Each year, the federal government spends roughly $1 billion in advertising without maximizing potential benefits to local media.