[NLA] It's a small world --

[Gail Spangenberg]

Colleagues -- The following press release, on a subject of enormous 
importance, came to me via the U.K. and I pass it along for those of 
you are working this issue.  Gail Spangenberg


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 11, 2002

Contact: Tony Wilhelm, Ph.D.
(202) 638-5770

BUSH ABANDONS NATIONAL STRATEGY
TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

Proposed FY 2003 budget scuttles tech opportunities
for working class, rural communities and children

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Bush administration, in a stark about-face, has given
up on the decade-long national fight to bridge the digital divide.

After a year of public speculation over whether the White House was
committed to expanding Internet access and skills to all of America's
citizens, the administration has finally broken its silence. In its FY 2003
budget, the White House stripped over $100 million in public investments
previously available for community technology grants and IT training
programs-programs that offer real payoffs to rural communities, the working
poor, minorities and children.

(See Chart 1: Cuts in Federal Spending: CTC, TOP, PT3 Programs
http://www.benton.org/press/2002/fundingchart.gif)

The budget's clear message is that the digital divide is no longer a concern
for the government-the problem will somehow solve itself.

"After years of building up successful public investments to expand
technology opportunity, the administration's decision to pull out comes at
an unfortunate time," said Tony Wilhelm, Senior Director at the Benton
Foundation. "With the nation in an economic slump, technology has been a
proven catalyst in increasing productivity and economic growth, especially
in rural and underserved communities."

To justify these shortsighted budget choices, the administration last week
released "A Nation Online," the latest nationwide study on computer and
Internet use in America. Once the national benchmark for measuring the
digital divide, the latest report tries to take the position that the
digital divide is no longer a major concern-a position belied by the facts.

Benton's analysis of the data reveals that the gaps in technology access
among citizens of different educational, income, racial and geographic
backgrounds are not abating. According to "A Nation Online's" own numbers,
only one in four of America's poorest households were online in 2001
compared with eight in ten homes earning over $75,000 per year. Even more
striking is the fact that this gap expanded dramatically between 1997 and
2001.

(See Chart 2: Internet Access by Income, 1997-2001
http://www.benton.org/press/2002/accesschart.gif)


Additionally, when it comes to high-speed broadband Internet access, almost
twice as many urban households are connected when compared to rural
communities, despite the fact that rural communities would stand to gain the
most from the educational, health and economic benefits of high-speed
connectivity.

The White House's decision to backpedal on public investments also dampens
private sector and philanthropic investments, since public-private
collaboration has been the mainstay of community technology sustainability.
Pulling the plug now not only threatens hard-won productivity gains but
potentially our nation's long-term prosperity if the digital divide is left
unchecked.

Since 1981, the Benton Foundation (http://www.benton.org) has worked to
realize the social benefits made possible by the public interest use of
communications. Through its projects, the nonpartisan organization seeks to
shape the emerging communications environment in the public interest. The
Benton Foundation is located in Washington DC.

Download the Press Release:
http://www.benton.org/press/2002/pr0211.html (HTML)
http://www.benton.org/press/2002/pr0211.pdf  (PDF)



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