Press release;

June 11, 2010

NYCMA holds first Net Neutrality Conference for ethnic media, Announces Writing Challenge

Helen Brunner, Director of the Media Democracy Fund addressing the inaugural session of NYCMA Forum on Communications Policy and its Possible Effects on Ethnic Media and Their Communities. – Photo by Zooey Salazar

New York Community Media Alliance hosted its first conference on Communications Policy and its Possible Effects on Ethnic Media and Their Communities, Tuesday, June 8 at CUNY's Graduate School of Journalism. In attendance were journalists from a range of publications as well as many communications justice activists – all who sought to expose the connections between communications policy and the everyday life of community members. The conference also focused on wireless services and how their policies affect communities.

Network Neutrality means that Internet service providers may not discriminate against different kinds of content and applications online, therefore ensuring an open access to everyone.

"We are founded on the belief that access to information is a basic human right," said Helen Brunner, director of the Media Democracy Fund. This idea was furthered in the speakers' suggestions on fostering a sense of equality in Internet use and non-discriminatory methods of obtaining such resources.

(From L to R) Dharma Dailey of Deep Tech, Joe Torres of Free Press, Fabiola Carrion of Progressive States Network, Kunal Malhotra from the office of Councilmember Gale Brewer, Steven Renderos of Main Street Project and Roberto Lovato of Presente.org at the first session of the conference. --- Photo by Mohsin Zaheer

Supporters of net neutrality, such as NYCMA, say open access promotes free speech and equality on the Internet and keeps big companies from picking winners and losers online. With the present ownership of the communications infrastructure for both Internet communications and wireless services concentrated in the hands of four companies –Verizon, ATT, Sprint and T-Mobile – that want to impose charges for all services, such as your e-mail activity, making the case for the rights of the everyday consumer, the small businessman, for communities where broadband is not available among others, is a critical battle that pits social justice against profits.

Panelists also discussed the factors shaping low rates of adoption of home broadband services in immigrant, low-income communities and communities of color.

"This is directly tied to income," said Kunal Malhotra, director of Legislation and Budget for New York City Council Member Gale A. Brewer, former chair of the Committee on Technology and Government. Malhotra explained that while a majority of NY residents have access to broadband, many simply cannot afford it. The impact is to inhibit economic development, education, and access to financial aid such as unemployment, Section 8 housing and many job postings, which rely on online application forms.

"It has direct impact on people's everyday lives," Malhotra said.

The same goes for small businesses, such as community and ethnic newspapers, which would suffer if access to the Internet becomes too expensive for their readers, or for the publications to reside online. If Internet providers are given a green light to discriminate on the basis of content, by speeding up or slowing down access to your information or according to your ability to pay, they argued, providers would stifle many unique voices and perspectives.

"They want to monetize speech," said Senior Advisor of Government and External Affairs at Free Press Joe Torres. "This is about making sure we can speak with our own voice."

(From L to R) Deirdre Flynn, Executive Director of Telecom and Strategy at NYC DITT, Joshua Breitbart, New America Foundation, Lou Manuta of Public Utility Law Project, Chuck Bell of Consumers Union, Kristofer Ríos of People's Production House and Nicholas Hirshon of New York Daily News at the second panel of the conference. -- Photo by Mohsin Zaheer

If net neutrality is not preserved, then people of color – those that have been, for the most part, cut off from producing mainstream media – will be forced out of an Internet identity, which currently offers the potential for fundamental networking, particularly in minority communities. The Internet is a key tool for productivity within immigrant and ethnic communities, and serves to open communication between differing economic and class structures.

Fabiola Carrion, broadband and green jobs policy specialist at Progressive States Network, drew connections between broadband and a green economic future, and pointed to projects to establish smart grids to better manage the distribution and consumption of energy.

While broadband use was a major topic at the conference, also discussed was the stranglehold cell companies have on its customers, which currently tie the purchase of a cell phone to a service contract, often carrying steep termination fees should the consumer be dissatisfied and wish to switch carriers.

Joshua Breitbart, senior field analyst for the Open Technology Initiative at the New American Foundation, said that one should "be able to make choices about the device, separate from the service you're using."

Fabiola Carrion (2nd from left) speaks at the conference which was attended by a range of publications as well as many communications justice activists. – Photo by Zooey Salazar

Lou Manuta, senior attorney at the Public Utility Law Project, said that while 24.5 percent of cell phone users have given up their landlines, there is still no consumer complaints service regarding cell phones. He cited cases of "bill shock," where some consumers received bills upwards of $27,000, to make the case for why these companies need to be regulated.

Calling cards, a service used by many in low-income communities – mostly by immigrants or low-income residents who cannot afford cell phone contracts, or cannot provide proper identification, a fixed address, or a good credit history – are also not regulated. There is no place for a person to lodge the common complaint of not getting the minutes promised on card.

Nicholas Hirshon, of the New York Daily News, who covered stories about Verizon's neglect towards its customers, emphasized for the reporters the "importance to cover these stories." With media help in raising awareness on the common, yet underpublicized, acts of discrimination and consumer abuse, hopefully regulation will happen. Manuta added that Verizon is the largest employer in New York State, suggesting why consumer abuse is rampant and why there may be reluctance to take on the corporate giant.

You can find more information on these issues at: HearUsNow.org; FreePress.net; and savetheinternet.com.

NYCMA has announced a Writing Challenge to encourage coverage of these issues in the ethnic and community media. The awards for First and Second place will carry cash stipends of $1,000 and $750, respectively. For more information please on how to join the Challenge, please click here; or visit www.indypressny.org.

This conference is made possible with the generous support of