• ‘Sloppy’ Goliaths need their myths busted

    Russ Caditz-Peck
    July 23, 2009

    With sheer strength and overwhelming odds on their side, they were frontrunners to win their battles. But Goliath, Apollo Creed, and whoever lost to the “Mighty Ducks” have one thing in common: sloppiness late in the game. The same can be said of America’s telecom giants.

  • The Costs of the Journalism Crisis

    Victor Pickard
    July 23, 2009

    The bad news continues. Recent reports that the Bay State Banner, Boston’s only black-owned newspaper, was forced to take a city loan of $200,000 to stay afloat is further evidence that advertising no longer adequately supports newsgathering. It also shows the very real consequences of the journalism crisis, particularly for underrepresented communities.

    In many cases, debt-laden chain newspapers and big metro dailies are hurting more than others. Yet it’s increasingly clear that the problems facing the press are systemic, with the same trends of disappearing ad revenue and lower circulation numbers affecting papers of varying sizes.

  • Cell Phones Aren't Soft Drinks

    Josh Levy
    July 22, 2009

    Two weeks ago the USA Today tackled the problem of handset exclusivity -- exclusive deals between cell phone makers and wireless companies -- and now the New York Times editorial board has taken up the issue as well. I'm sensing a trend.

  • If You Love the Internet, Fight for It

    Megan Tady
    July 20, 2009

    It’s official; I’ve become a geek. I love the Internet, gush over it like it’s a newborn baby. In conversations, I relate everything back to the Internet. “Oh, that’s great about you, but back to the Internet.” If I was eight-years-old, I would probably marry it.

    What’s with my love affair with the Web (should I talk to my therapist about this)?

  • Call Your Rep Today for Better Radio

    Josh Stearns
    July 20, 2009

    There’s a bill moving through Congress right now that could open up the airwaves to thousands of new community journalists and reporting projects. The Local Community Radio Act will unleash a new wave of low power FM radio stations run by local organizations and nonprofits.

  • Time for the Internet Generation to Save Itself

    Russ Caditz-Peck
    July 17, 2009

    Hey “Internet Generation,” it’s time to save our namesake! Prepare to update your Facebook status, Tweet away and text your bff!

  • Sotomayor Questioned on Net Neutrality

    Megan Tady
    July 16, 2009

    Sen. Al Franken’s (D-Minn.) debut grilling a Supreme Court nominee was no joke. He asked Judge Sonia Sotomayor this week about one of the most pressing issues of our time: Net Neutrality and the future of an open Internet.

  • Want better radio? Pick up your (micro)phones

    Candace Clement
    July 16, 2009

    Sometimes passing good public policy is about telling compelling stories. In the case of our quest to pass the Local Community Radio Act, which could put new LPFM stations on the air across the country, there are numerous stories to tell.

  • Just the Facts

    Josh Stearns
    July 16, 2009

    One of the first magazines I ever subscribed to was Harpers. Each month, when the magazine showed up in my mailbox, I eagerly flipped to the “Harper’s Index,” where the editors listed arcane, odd and ordinary facts to surprise, unsettle or alarm the reader.

    This week, the magazine Mother Jones published a similar index on the state of journalism. In “Black and White and Dead All Over,” Senior Editor Dave Gilson provides a long list of troubling journalism statistics. Here is a quick sampling:

  • Google Voice: A 'Dumb Pipe' for All?

    Josh Levy
    July 15, 2009

    I'm still waiting for my Google Voice invite. I know, I know, there are other things to worry about, but for those of us concerned with freeing our phones, the implications are too big to ignore.

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