The Center for Social Media at American University and the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) propose to produce a whitepaper on one of the most critical issues of media access American media will face in the coming decade: the Next Generation Internet. This paper will: 1) examine three emerging and diverse cases of public media participation in advanced fiber optic networks (a state network in Vermont, a regional network in Louisiana, and a municipal network in San Francisco); 2) examine regulatory frameworks and challenges to participation in each case; and 3) use the findings to recommend national policy and practical steps for stakeholders that will ensure diverse public media participation in America's Next Generation Internet. The whitepaper will provide critical information on the nation's communications infrastructure, and will aid policy makers, public broadcasters, and community media organizations, including the research partners and study participants, in advocating for broad public participation in the Next Generation Internet in the United States.

Contact:

Jennifer Gilomen
Lead Developer of Strategic Initiatives
Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC)
415.558.2121