Groups Hopeful Broadband Plan Will Narrow Divide
Some minority groups weighed in Thursday on the FCC's national broadband plan released earlier this week, saying they are hopeful the proposal will help narrow the broadband digital divide.
A survey, released last month and conducted by the Census Bureau for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, found that while the nation has made progress in the number of households that now get broadband Internet service, minorities, seniors, less-educated, unemployed and low-income households still lag behind other populations. For example, blacks and Hispanics showed much lower broadband adoption rates at home than whites.
"All Americans will benefit from the commission's efforts in offering concrete steps to making universal broadband a reality," Jesse Jackson, the founder and president of the Rainbow Push Coalition, said in a statement. "We are particularly encouraged by the impact that this plan will have on minorities who are currently underserved by broadband technology."
The Japanese American Citizens League said in a news release that the plan "is a critical first step towards the eradication of the digital divide and [the group] looks forward to seeing more Americans harness the power of broadband for their civic, economic, and educational success." In the NTIA study, Asian Americans had higher rates of broadband adoption at home than whites.
Both Rainbow Push and the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators said they were pleased the FCC did not adopt some proposals they said could have unintended consequences. "While we are reassured that the commission did not adopt some of the more extreme calls for unnecessary regulations that could have devastating unintended consequences, the NHCSL Broadband En Accion Taskforce will be looking forward to working with the commission to continue its focus on full access and adoption, especially in our underserved communities," the Hispanic caucus said in a statement.
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