skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Seeking Security Net for Net Neutrality

play audio
Play

Monday, July 10, 2017   

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After winning the battle for open Internet rules two years ago, net neutrality advocates are hoping a wave of public comments can help them keep the rules in place.

Net Neutrality Day of Action this Wednesday is an online protest of the Federal Communications Commission's recent decision to roll back its Obama-era rule.

Nearly 4 million public comments helped usher in net neutrality in 2015, guaranteeing consumers equal access to the Internet.

Marty Newell, coordinator of the Rural Broadband Policy Group, says the FCC's move would repeal those protections.

"Everybody deserves a fair shake on the Internet,” he stresses. “Big Internet service providers ought not to be able to pick winners or losers. They ought not be able to block content, lawful content."

Internet service provider giants, such as Comcast and Verizon, maintain they will not block content.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says the regulations shackle the cable and telecom industries.

Newell counters, saying net neutrality has not slowed down investment or innovation.

The FCC is currently in its public comment period before finalizing its decision on loosening the rules.

Newell says the nation's history in treating telephone service as a utility illustrates the importance of regulating common carriers, especially in under-served rural areas where the Internet can help small businesses compete.

"Content being generated in rural America is not going to be the big guys that can afford to buy their way into a faster Internet," he stresses.

Amazon, Vimeo and Netflix are among the tech companies that support net neutrality.





get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021