An FCC commissioner has challenged minority groups to think differently about how a non-neutral Internet might impact their communication strategies.
“The reality is that minority content is almost impossible to get distributed through traditional channels,” Clyburn noted. But with an initial investment of $526, Moore put his video network online. “Had the costs of access been much greater, however—say if he had to buy his way into priority status on one or more networks—Rowdy Orbit may never have seen the light of day,” Clyburn added.
Then she lobbed this concern into the crowd. “To my surprise, most of the filings submitted and public statements issued by some of the leading groups representing people of color on this matter have been silent on this make-or-break issue,” Clyburn confided. “There has been almost no discussion of how important—how essential—it is for traditionally underrepresented groups to maintain the low barriers to entry that our current open Internet provides.”
I think this point of network access costs for less well-to-do media outlets (and individuals) has been occasionally lost in the fray. I’m particularly glad to see it come up in this exact context.
Also of interest, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication is formally supporting Net Neutrality. As a member, I’m glad to see them going out on a limb like this.