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FCC CHAIRMAN GENACHOWSKI APPOINTS GEOFFREY BLACKWELL TO LEAD NEW INITIATIVES ON NATIVE AFFAIRS |
 On 6/22/10, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the return of Geoffrey Blackwell to the FCC, where he will lead the FCC’s efforts to work with Native Nations and carry out the National Broadband Plan’s recommendations for bringing broadband to all Native communities. Mr. Blackwell will be charged with helping to implement the recommendations outlined in the National Broadband Plan, including establishing a new office dedicated to addressing Native needs and overseeing a new FCC-Native Nations Broadband Task Force. He will also be responsible for developing and implementing a robust policy of meaningful dialog and consultation with Tribal entities.
Geoff is pictured here with FCC Commissioner Clyburn.
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Groundbreaking Tribal Priority Radio Broadcast Licensing Procedures Established by the FCC |
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(Washington, DC) – In an unprecedented effort to open new opportunities in the broadcasting field for American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) has adopted an order establishing a new “Tribal Priority” in the broadcast licensing regulatory process that will promote the allocation and licensing of new radio Tribal and Tribally controlled stations to provide coverage for Tribal communities and lands. Native Public Media (“NPM”) and the National Congress of American Indians (“NCAI”) hailed the FCC’s order as groundbreaking important step in the right direction to solve the pervasive problems of the lack of myriad communications services in Tribal communities. In addition to some of the lowest levels of telephony and broadband internet services in the nation, American Indians and Alaska Natives have been largely invisible in the broadcasting industry on all levels ranging from media access, to control and ownership of broadcast facilities.
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Read more... [Groundbreaking Tribal Priority Radio Broadcast Licensing Procedures Established by the FCC]
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Native Public Media and New America Foundation Report Propels Native Voice to Forefront of National Broadband Stage |
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In Native America, broadband penetration on Indian lands is estimated at less than ten percent. Native Americans live in communities where broadband often is unavailable or unaffordable. Compounding this situation is a lack of data on Native broadband adoption, availability and connectivity.
In an unprecedented joint effort, Native Public Media and the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative released the New Media, Technology and Internet Use in Indian Country: Quantitative and Qualitative Analyses the first step in bringing national awareness to the deplorable state of broadband in Native American communities.
The New Media Study was presented before the Tribal Leader-Scholar Forum at the National Congress of American Indians Mid-Year Conference on June 22, 2010.
 NCAI Press: Tribal Leader-Scholar Forum
To download the study...
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Read more... [Native Public Media and New America Foundation Report Propels Native Voice to Forefront of National Broadband Stage]
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