by Colin Rhinesmith

Inspired by last October’s Knight Commission report, “Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age,” the Federal Communications Commission launched a new review last week, entitled The Future of Media to examine and report on the information needs of local communities.

The FCC’s public notice, released on January 21 (.Doc), announcing the initiative explains:

The objective of this review is to assess whether all Americans have access to vibrant, diverse sources of news and information that will enable them to enrich their lives, their communities and our democracy.

The FCC is encouraging public comments and suggestions, by March 8, 2010, on various aspects of the media landscape, including changes within Noncommercial and Public Media. In question 27, the FCC asks a number of pertinent questions related to the state of Public, Educational and Government Access Television:

With regard to cable television, local franchising authorities can require a cable operator to provide channel capacity for Public, Education and Government (PEG) channels and some facilities and funding for such channels. Are these channels being used as effectively as possible for the provision of useful news and information to communities? How has the role of PEG channels changed over time, and how could their effectiveness be improved? Does statewide franchising change the number and composition of PEG channels? Does it serve to promote the intended benefits from PEG channels or undermine them? Are there other ways to provide for the benefits from PEG channels in the digital age? How should operators of PEG channels work with noncommercial television and radio licensees, as well as with other non-profit media entities?

The FCC is also looking for answers to the following questions about the state of Media In Your Community:

Tell us about your community and its media. Do you have a newspaper? Local TV news stations? Great websites? Anything else? What works well? What works poorly? How have things changed over time? What information do you wish you could get but can’t?

The Future of Media website at Reboot.FCC.Gov also provides visitors with the opportunity to vote on ideas that have already been submitted.

To learn more about the FCC’s Future of Media, visit the project’s mission on their website.

Original Post on colinrhinesmith.com

In May of 2009, I became a public access television producer. Couldn’t have picked a worse time.

Not because I don’t enjoy hosting and co-producing Media News. It’s a great joy to interview guests and try to shed a little light on the issues closest to my heart including: net neutrality and the digital divide, coverage of turmoil abroad and at home, the loss of local public affairs coverage and the rise in citizen journalism. I feel privileged to bring voices that need to be heard onto my local TV dial.

The reason it was bad timing is that the nation’s more than 3,000 public access centers are on the verge of extinction. Yours may go next week, next month or next year, but their days are numbered due to statewide cable franchising.

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Full Article (huffingtonpost.com)

Tracy Rosenberg is the Executive Director of Media Alliance, a media advocacy organization located in the SF Bay Area.