SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Wired Less: Disconnected in Urban America
Apr 13, 2009
For many Americans living in urban areas, high-speed Internet access remains elusive.
Much discussion about broadband expansion in the United States
focuses on the rural areas that still lack this essential
infrastructure. As we documented in our earlier report, Five Days on the Digital Dirt Road, residents in rural areas are struggling to live and work without high-speed Internet.
But this rural snapshot only shows a part of the picture of the
digital divide in America. Even in some of our most tech-savvy wired
cities, millions of people - particularly low-income households,
immigrant populations and senior citizens - do not have high-speed
Internet in their homes or businesses.
Barriers to Access
For many urban residents, high-speed Internet services, which
typically cost $40 to $60 per month, are simply too pricey. Compounding
the Internet access problem, many people are unable to afford a
computer or lack the skills to navigate the Web.
And just like their rural counterparts, some urban areas have been
redlined by Internet service providers that refuse to offer service to
communities that may not provide as large a financial return.
Many urban residents are locked out, unable to participate fully in
the digital era. They're prevented from applying for jobs,
telecommuting, taking online classes or even finishing their homework.
It's becoming increasingly clear that Internet connectivity is key to a
sound economy and could assist those hit hardest by the economic
downturn.
Additionally, the Internet has revolutionized the way everyday
people can mobilize, organize and work for social change. It allows
people - at least those fortunate enough to have a high-speed
connection - to create media with their own voices.
From Coast to Coast
To further understand how the digital divide is affecting our urban
areas, Free Press traveled to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. We
interviewed dozens of people trying to raise families, go to school,
and start businesses using antiquated dial-up service or relying on
libraries or community centers for a high-speed connection.
In Washington, where Blackberries are everywhere, only 52 percent of
homes are connected to broadband. In total, more than 240,000 D.C.
residents are not connected to the Internet at home, and nearly 160,000
have no Internet access at all.
While there are no specific numbers that accurately capture the
digital divide in Los Angeles, nearly 16 million people across
California do not have high-speed Internet, according to the U.S.
Census Bureau.
The stories from both coasts are a testament to why our leaders in
Washington should make bridging the digital divide a national priority.
View all of the stories here.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Megan Tady
Megan Tady runs Word-Lift, a consulting and copywriting service in western Massachusetts. Previously, she was Campaign Coordinator for Free Press. Prior to joining Free Press, Megan was a national political reporter for In These Times, The New Standard, and worked extensively as a freelance journalist.
For many Americans living in urban areas, high-speed Internet access remains elusive.
Much discussion about broadband expansion in the United States
focuses on the rural areas that still lack this essential
infrastructure. As we documented in our earlier report, Five Days on the Digital Dirt Road, residents in rural areas are struggling to live and work without high-speed Internet.
But this rural snapshot only shows a part of the picture of the
digital divide in America. Even in some of our most tech-savvy wired
cities, millions of people - particularly low-income households,
immigrant populations and senior citizens - do not have high-speed
Internet in their homes or businesses.
Barriers to Access
For many urban residents, high-speed Internet services, which
typically cost $40 to $60 per month, are simply too pricey. Compounding
the Internet access problem, many people are unable to afford a
computer or lack the skills to navigate the Web.
And just like their rural counterparts, some urban areas have been
redlined by Internet service providers that refuse to offer service to
communities that may not provide as large a financial return.
Many urban residents are locked out, unable to participate fully in
the digital era. They're prevented from applying for jobs,
telecommuting, taking online classes or even finishing their homework.
It's becoming increasingly clear that Internet connectivity is key to a
sound economy and could assist those hit hardest by the economic
downturn.
Additionally, the Internet has revolutionized the way everyday
people can mobilize, organize and work for social change. It allows
people - at least those fortunate enough to have a high-speed
connection - to create media with their own voices.
From Coast to Coast
To further understand how the digital divide is affecting our urban
areas, Free Press traveled to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. We
interviewed dozens of people trying to raise families, go to school,
and start businesses using antiquated dial-up service or relying on
libraries or community centers for a high-speed connection.
In Washington, where Blackberries are everywhere, only 52 percent of
homes are connected to broadband. In total, more than 240,000 D.C.
residents are not connected to the Internet at home, and nearly 160,000
have no Internet access at all.
While there are no specific numbers that accurately capture the
digital divide in Los Angeles, nearly 16 million people across
California do not have high-speed Internet, according to the U.S.
Census Bureau.
The stories from both coasts are a testament to why our leaders in
Washington should make bridging the digital divide a national priority.
View all of the stories here.
Megan Tady
Megan Tady runs Word-Lift, a consulting and copywriting service in western Massachusetts. Previously, she was Campaign Coordinator for Free Press. Prior to joining Free Press, Megan was a national political reporter for In These Times, The New Standard, and worked extensively as a freelance journalist.
For many Americans living in urban areas, high-speed Internet access remains elusive.
Much discussion about broadband expansion in the United States
focuses on the rural areas that still lack this essential
infrastructure. As we documented in our earlier report, Five Days on the Digital Dirt Road, residents in rural areas are struggling to live and work without high-speed Internet.
But this rural snapshot only shows a part of the picture of the
digital divide in America. Even in some of our most tech-savvy wired
cities, millions of people - particularly low-income households,
immigrant populations and senior citizens - do not have high-speed
Internet in their homes or businesses.
Barriers to Access
For many urban residents, high-speed Internet services, which
typically cost $40 to $60 per month, are simply too pricey. Compounding
the Internet access problem, many people are unable to afford a
computer or lack the skills to navigate the Web.
And just like their rural counterparts, some urban areas have been
redlined by Internet service providers that refuse to offer service to
communities that may not provide as large a financial return.
Many urban residents are locked out, unable to participate fully in
the digital era. They're prevented from applying for jobs,
telecommuting, taking online classes or even finishing their homework.
It's becoming increasingly clear that Internet connectivity is key to a
sound economy and could assist those hit hardest by the economic
downturn.
Additionally, the Internet has revolutionized the way everyday
people can mobilize, organize and work for social change. It allows
people - at least those fortunate enough to have a high-speed
connection - to create media with their own voices.
From Coast to Coast
To further understand how the digital divide is affecting our urban
areas, Free Press traveled to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. We
interviewed dozens of people trying to raise families, go to school,
and start businesses using antiquated dial-up service or relying on
libraries or community centers for a high-speed connection.
In Washington, where Blackberries are everywhere, only 52 percent of
homes are connected to broadband. In total, more than 240,000 D.C.
residents are not connected to the Internet at home, and nearly 160,000
have no Internet access at all.
While there are no specific numbers that accurately capture the
digital divide in Los Angeles, nearly 16 million people across
California do not have high-speed Internet, according to the U.S.
Census Bureau.
The stories from both coasts are a testament to why our leaders in
Washington should make bridging the digital divide a national priority.
View all of the stories here.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy