About the Webcast USDA invites you to join us on Wednesday, December 14, to learn more about the opportunities presented by new broadband investments made through USDA Rural Development’s broadband programs in rural communities across the country. You will hear from several USDA representatives as well as representatives from innovative companies that are taking advantage of broadband to attract and develop businesses in rural America<< MORE >>

Tribal Telecom 2012
Tribal Sovereignty and Development in the Digital Age

February 2-3, 2012

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino at
Gila River Indian Community (Phoenix, Arizona)

Why Should You Attend?
From Digital Divide to Tribal Opportunity

The global economy, even as it struggles to find footing from the long recession, is being transformed by a technology revolution. The world is moving from connected to hyperconnected, and many geographic barriers to social and economic opportunity are being eliminated along the way.

How is this Digital Revolution playing out in Indian Country? A recent study found that when Native Americans have access to broadband services, they are savvy users, utilizing digital multi-media and communications technologies at rates much higher than national averages.

Yet, for telecommunications generally, and broadband in particular, Native American communities are the most unserved and underserved in the nation. As many as one-third or more of households on tribal lands lack basic telephone service (compared to only about 2% nationally), and more than 90% of residents on tribal lands lack access to broadband technology.

Tribal-centric models for bridging this Digital Divide are increasingly being recognized as both viable and critical. Tribes are exploring opportunties to develop infrastructure, exercise regulatory oversight, and deliver communications services, in ways that promote tribal sovereignty and culture, provide affordable access,.and produce a more sustainable digital platform for economic opportunity.

Tribal Telecom 2012 brings together tribal leaders, administrators, enterprise executives, government agencies, and professionals to share information, explore options, and pursue solutions to bring Digital Opportunity to Indian Country.

This is one event in 2012 you can't afford to miss! Register before January 6 for the early discount.

Select Topics

·       FCC Regulations and Tribal Initiatives

·       Models of Telecom Service Delivery

·       New Media, Technology, and Internet Use

·       Financing Telecom Infrastructure Projects

·       Moving a Project to “Shovel Ready” – Preparing a Project for Funding Opportunities

·       Establishing a Tribal Telecom Service Provider

·       Structuring Tribal Enterprises and Joint Ventures

·       Convergence in Indian Country: Bringing Together Telecom, IT, Media, and Other Professionals to Advance Tribes in the Digital Age

·       Tax, Accounting, and Regulatory Issues

Who Should Attend?

·       Tribal Leaders, Business Managers, Executive Directors

·       Tribal Telecom, Energy, and Utility Executives

·       Tribal CIOs and IT Managers

·       Tribal CFOs, Accountants, and Attorneys

·       Tribal Tax Administrators

·       Native Media Providers

·       Tribal Economic Development Directors

·       Others Interested in Telecommunications on Tribal Lands

For more information and to register, visit www.tribaltelecom2012.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:

September 15, 2011 Neil Grace, 202-418-0506

Email: neil.grace@fcc.gov  

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

FCC CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI AND COMMISSIONER MICHAEL COPPS 

TO ATTEND HEARING ON “THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES”

 IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Washington, DC – On October 3, 2011, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski will attend a field hearing on the recommendations of the recently released staff-level report on the current state of the media landscape. The report, titled “Information Needs of Communities: The Changing Media Landscape in a Broadband Age” was delivered to the FCC in June 2011. 

The report describes tremendous innovation in the media landscape but also identifies critical gaps, including a shortage of local news reporting. The report also offers recommendations for government, nonprofit players and entrepreneurs. At this hearing, Chairman Genachowski and Commissioner Copps will hear from journalists, academics, businesses, and the public about innovating and strengthening news and information-gathering and reporting to meet citizen needs.  

WHO: Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission

Michael J. Copps, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

Steve Waldman, Chair, FCC Working Group on the Information Needs of Communities 

WHEN: Monday, October 3, 2011 at 9:00AM-11:30AM 

WHERE: Arizona State University – First Amendment Forum

Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications

555 N. Central Avenue 

Phoenix, AZ 85004

MEDIA: For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact FCC Press Secretary Neil Grace at neil.grace@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0506. 

FCC Press Release

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities are available upon request.  Please e-mail fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY) with your contact information, should FCC staff need to contact you, and a detailed description of the accommodation you require. Requests should be made as early as possible, as last minute requests may be impossible to fulfill.  

In an unprecedented effort to address both the digital and media divides in Indian Country, two well-known tribal organizations, Native Public Media and the Institute of American Indian Arts announced their long-term partnership to establish the first comprehensive digital and media literacy program specifically for Native radio broadcasters and media makers.<< MORE >>

CASS LAKE MN, July 8, 2011:  KOJB Radio has hired two new staff members. Veronica Veaux has been hired as the business manager. Veaux will be in charge of underwriting sales and membership drives to support the operation of the station and will also develop and maintain the station website and coordinate social media for the station. She recently served as Registrar at the Leech Lake Tribal College. Ms. Veaux has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bemidji State University and a Master of Business Administration, American Indian Entrepreneurship, from Gonzaga University.
Marie Rock is the new program manager and host of the Rez Morning Show on KOJB. Rock has 12 years of radio experience with CD Broadcasting and RP Broadcasting in Bemidji. Most recently Rock worked as a counselor at Oshki Manidoo Center in Bemidji. Rock has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Bemidji State University.
Brad Walhof Station Manager at KOJB said, “We are extremely pleased to add Veronica and Marie to the staff. They have the knowledge and experience to make KOJB a great community radio station.”

KOJB is owned by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe with new studios located at the junction of Bingo Palace and Resort Drive and Little Wolf Road just West of Cass Lake. KOJB will broadcast from a new 500 foot tower in Bena. The Non-Commercial Educational Community radio station will broadcast on a frequency of 90.1 FM and will be listener supported. KOJB is expected to be on the air in late August.

 
Re:       Creation of a Low Power Radio Service; Amendment of Service and Eligibility Rules for FM Broadcast Translator Stations, Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
 
            “Low Power to the People.”  That’s been the dream of a lot of us for a long, long time.  Today the dream moves an important step closer to reality.  A year ago the chances of this happening looked rather bleak, but thanks to the incredible efforts of Representatives Mike Doyle and Lee Terry and Senators Maria Cantwell and John McCain, the committee leadership of the House and Senate, and many others, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Local Community Radio Act.  Behind all their effort was the great and even heroic work of Prometheus, the Future of Music Coalition and many other public interest groups whose inspiration and energy overcame numerous obstacles along the way. Theirs was a lesson in what vision and perseverance combined can achieve.  Thanks to the Local Community Radio Act, more than 160 million people unserved and underserved by local Low-Power FM radio will be able to reap its benefits—truly local broadcasting operated by truly diverse station operators.  Now the duty falls on us to ensure this wonderful new opportunity for people’s radio on the people’s airwaves.
 
Digressing but a few seconds, I think the Third Circuit Court’s decision last week on media ownership rules underscored that it’s not just everyday citizens and public interest advocates who expect real diversity in their media outlets—the statute and the courts expect it, too. Its decision addressed head-on the limited attention and lackluster action previous FCCs demonstrated in confronting the dearth of minority-owned and female-owned broadcast stations in this country. In this day of so much media consolidation, of mind-numbing program homogenization and dumbing-us-down news, new voices are critically important if we are really serious about sustaining America’s civic dialogue and citizen engagement.  Consider the stats: Between 1996 and 2007 the number of commercial radio station owners in our country declined by almost 40%, and the largest two commercial companies in our markets currently have, on average, 74% of the total radio advertising revenue.  So much for localism, diversity and competition.  Quite a few full-power broadcasters have struggled to resist the trend, but it’s tougher every day for them to sustain their values in markets—a media market and a financial market—where the bottom line so often trumps the common good.  Something more is needed, and a significant part of that “something else” could just be Low Power FM radio.
 
I am pleased the item before us handles the implementation of the Local Community Radio Act in a measured and generally balanced manner.  It gives long-delayed life to Low Power while recognizing the importance of translators. Translators serve an important function in reaching underserved communities and in providing greater reach to valuable programming—I think we would all agree on that.  Currently in the top 50 markets there are 607 licensed FM translators fulfilling this function.  In those same markets there are just 86 licensed LPFMs.  I believe—and this item proposes—that the time is now to add more independent Low Power voices to the airwaves.  And LPFMs should not be relegated to low-density markets where radio spectrum is in lower demand—they should serve their listeners wherever we can find room. The opportunity we have before us now for new stations to reach deep into their diverse communities of service with targeted news, information, music and other cultural offerings is precious and we need to seize the day.
 
I am supportive of the market-by-market approach put forward in the Further Notice.  This approach is crafted on the proposition that Low Power should be available in every possible market—specifically including spectrum-limited markets—while permitting translator applicants to pursue more licenses once Low Power FM has a shot at gaining a toe-hold.  There is nothing in today’s action that precludes translator applicants from pursuing licenses in the future even in those markets where pending applications may be dismissed. Today’s action simply clears the path forward to a new LPFM window, a window that may be the last substantive opportunity for LPFMs to obtain licenses. I would also note that the less stringent licensing standards applicable to translators will allow for pending applicants to have many licensing opportunities in the future.
 
This tiered approach takes a realistic and I believe acceptable view of spectrum availability and community needs. While reaching the numerical channel floors proposed in this item may not be totally attainable in all major metropolitan areas, today’s action is a crucial step towards creating at least some LPFM opportunities in large, diverse and spectrum-crowded communities.
 
             But make no mistake: a lot of hard work remains to be done to create a vibrant LPFM marketplace. There are a number of accompanying steps the Commission must take to breathe real life into LPFM.  The most pressing is promptly to open a new LPFM window so potential licensees can get about the job of putting together plans and financing.  In this regard, I hope that when the auction window opens, we will have put in place some effective incentives so that women- and minority-owned businesses can take shape in the Low Power world.  Additionally, the Commission will need to address the issues of second-adjacent waivers and of permitting LPFM stations to use a more flexible contour-based approach for locating available channels.
 
Put in a larger context, the benefits of Low Power FMs—local coverage, viewpoint diversity, minority- and female-ownership, and strengthened civic engagement—are also the qualities we want to have across the entire broadcast landscape.  We license the public airways in the public interest and, as the licensor of America’s limited spectrum, the FCC must remain constantly vigilant to ensure all broadcasters are serving the core public interest goals of localism, competition and diversity.  
 
I want to thank the Chairman for bringing this item to us and I hope we will continue to push full-steam ahead with a fulsome record gathered by a wide diversity of stakeholders.  Special thanks are due to Peter Doyle and Jim Bradshaw, and others in the Media Bureau, who have spent an inordinate amount of time poring over the data and identifying the best path forward.  I also want to thank my Media Advisor Josh Cinelli for really wading into this issue and working for its enhancement every step of the way.
 
Low power radio is truly radio of the people, by the people, and for the people. And given the dedication of the grassroots effort for the last ten years I have, as the majority of my Low Power friends have, the hula-hoop to prove it.  So I end where I began—“Low Power to the People.”  Please note, however, that I remain an ardent enthusiast for “Full Power to the People,” too.
 
           Thank you.
 
 

Native Public Media is currently in the process of evaluating and restructuring its Media Services Program to serve you better.  We would like to highlight our new programs and services, which will improve the Native Radio and Media Network, facilitate engagement, offer training, and improve communications between stations.  NPM’s Signature Station Services Program will include:

•  A dedicated Financial Analyst to work directly with stations in helping them to meet the funding compliance of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting CSG grant program.  

• A dedicated newsletter on compliance.

• A new NPM Media Excellence Program that will provide intensive training for our radio broadcast personnel in new media technologies and journalism. 
  

• Hosting the 2012 Native Media Summit in the heart of Indian Country for the first time, by working with other Native organizations dedicated to media.

• The exploration of new ways to support local station underwriting through a National Underwriting Program.

• The highlighting of stations on the NPM website and Facebook as essential anchor institutions serving Indian Country.

• Greater use of Social Networking tools to tell our stories.  Please feel free to post on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NativePublicMedia

Since our inception in 2004, Native Public Media has continuously provided service to the Native Media Network. Our team is dedicated to working with you on how best to meet compliance requirements with FCC and CPB regulations; learning how to use new broadcast technology and alternate media/digital platforms; exploring fundraising and development strategies; providing training on programming, production and audience development; working with station personnel on management training and professional development; and increasing our community engagement across our network.  

The particulars change as the needs of stations change, but NPM is here to assist stations in fulfilling their missions as strong, engaged institutions in service to their communities. The power of Native media lies in our ability to make the voice of Native people heard both within Native America and beyond.

“In the United States, there are 565 federally recognized American Indian Tribes and approximately 4.1 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Thirty-two percent of this population still is without basic telephone service. Ninety percent of Native Americans have no access to high speed Internet. The absence of adequate communications services in Indian Country is no accident. Decades of failed federal policy, market forces, and the socioeconomic conditions of Native American populations located in some of the most remote areas of the country result in high build-out costs for all media. For the foreseeable future, we need your help in preserving and expanding the public broadcast system in Indian Country.”

Ms. Loris Ann Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer, Native Public Media

More Information

National Broadband Map

Native Nations Data Link

COMMERCE’S NTIA UNVEILS NATIONAL BROADBAND MAP AND NEW BROADBAND ADOPTION SURVEY RESULTS

Five to Ten Percent of Americans Lack Access to Basic Broadband Speeds; Despite Broadband Adoption Increase to 68 Percent, America’s Digital Divide Persists

WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today unveiled the National Broadband Map -- the first public, searchable nationwide map of broadband Internet availability -- and the results of a new nationwide survey on broadband adoption.  The data will support efforts to expand broadband access and adoption in communities at risk of being left behind in the 21st century economy and help businesses and consumers seeking information on their high-speed Internet options. NTIA met the deadline Congress gave the agency to create and launch the National Broadband Map by February 17, 2011.

 “A state-of-the-art communications infrastructure is essential to America’s competitiveness in the global digital economy,” said Acting Commerce Deputy Secretary Rebecca Blank. “But as Congress recognized, we need better data on America’s broadband Internet capabilities in order to improve them. The National Broadband Map, along with today’s broadband Internet usage study, will inform efforts to enhance broadband Internet access and adoption -- spurring greater innovation, economic opportunities, and advancements in health care, education, and public safety.”


“The National Broadband Map shows there are still too many people and community institutions lacking the level of broadband service needed to fully participate in the Internet economy. We are pleased to see the increase in broadband adoption last year, particularly in light of the difficult economic environment, but a digital divide remains,” said Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling. “Through NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, digital literacy activities, and other initiatives, including the tools we are releasing today, the Obama Administration is working to address these challenges.”


National Broadband Map
 
The National Broadband Map, available at www.broadbandmap.gov, is an unprecedented searchable database of information on high-speed Internet access. NTIA created the National Broadband Map in collaboration with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), using data that each state, territory and the District of Columbia (or their designees) collected from broadband providers or other data sources.

The website resulting from this Federal-state partnership includes more than 25 million searchable records showing where broadband Internet service is available, the technology used to provide the service, the maximum advertised speeds of the service, and the names of the service providers. Users can search by address to find the broadband providers and services available in the corresponding census block or road segment, view the data on a map, or use other interactive tools to compare broadband across various geographies, such as states, counties or congressional districts.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said, “The release of the National Broadband Map, the first of its kind in the nation, is a significant milestone.  This cutting-edge tool will continue to evolve with the help of new data and user feedback. It will provide consumers, companies and policymakers with a wealth of information about broadband availability, speeds, competition and technology, and help Americans make better informed choices about their broadband services.”

The map shows that between 5 - 10 percent of Americans lack access to broadband at speeds that support a basic set of applications, including downloading Web pages, photos and video, and using simple video conferencing. The FCC last July set a benchmark of 4 Mbps actual speed downstream and 1 Mbps upstream to support these applications. NTIA collected data in ranges between 3 – 6 Mbps and 6 – 10 Mbps maximum advertised download speeds, which are the closest measurements to the speed benchmark for broadband that the FCC set.

Other key findings based on the data include:

Speeds for community anchor institutions: The data show that community anchor institutions are largely underserved. For example, based on studies by state education technology directors, most schools need a connection of 50 to 100 Mbps per 1,000 students. The data show that two-thirds of surveyed schools subscribe to speeds lower than 25 Mbps, however. In addition, only four percent of libraries reported subscribing to speeds greater than 25 Mbps.

Wireless speeds:  Approximately 36 percent of Americans have access to wireless (fixed, mobile, licensed, and unlicensed) Internet service at maximum advertised download speeds of 6 Mbps or greater, which some consider the minimum speed associated with “4G” wireless broadband service. Ninety-five percent of Americans have access to wireless Internet service speeds of at least 768 kbps, which corresponds roughly to “3G” wireless service.

The map will serve a variety of uses. For example, Federal, state, and local policymakers can compare broadband availability among geographic areas and across demographic groups, which can inform policies to support private sector investments in deploying broadband. The data can assist broadband providers in assessing new business opportunities and economic developers as they work to attract businesses to, or address barriers to investment in, their communities. The map will also help consumers and small businesses learn about the broadband service options in their neighborhood or where they may relocate.


The State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program


NTIA created the map through the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program, a matching grant program that implements the joint purposes of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Broadband Data Improvement Act (BDIA). NTIA awarded grants to assist states or their designees in gathering and verifying state-specific data on broadband services. In less than one year, grantees performed two rounds of data collection from 3,400 broadband providers operating in their states, representing more than 1,650 unique broadband companies on the national level. Before sending data to NTIA, grantees used a range of analysis and verification methods, from drive-testing wireless broadband service across their highways to meeting with community leaders for input. Many grantees met with broadband providers, large and small, to confirm data or suggest more accurate depictions of their service areas. Some grantees, unsure of service, performed field investigations. Information on their specific processes may be found on the national broadband map website.

The map will be updated every six months based on input from grantees. Using crowdsourcing tools, the public can help improve accuracy by providing feedback on the data. The map is consistent with the Obama Administration’s Open Government Initiative, undertaking to bring transparency, participation, and collaboration to the way the government operates.

NTIA’s grant program also supports a variety of state-driven efforts to integrate broadband into their economies. In addition to managing this grant program, NTIA will expand its information-sharing and coordination activities in order to serve as a broader resource that empowers state and local broadband practitioners as they develop their individualized plans of action.

Broadband Adoption Data

NTIA today also released a new report previewing data collected through the Internet Usage Survey of 54,000 households, commissioned by NTIA and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in October 2010. The Current Population Survey (CPS) data show that while virtually all demographic groups have experienced rising broadband Internet access adoption at home, historic demographic disparities among groups have persisted over time.

Highlights of the February 2011 Digital Nation report include:

•  Broadband Internet access at home continues to grow: 68 percent of households have broadband access, as compared to 63.5 percent last year. (In the survey, broadband was defined as Internet access service that uses DSL, cable modem, fiber optics, mobile broadband, and other high-speed Internet access services.)

•  Notable disparities between demographic groups continue: people with low incomes, disabilities, seniors, minorities, the less-educated, non-family households, and the non-employed tend to lag behind other groups in home broadband use.

• While the digital divide between urban and rural areas has lessened since 2007, it remains significant. In 2010, 70 percent of urban households and only 60 percent of rural households accessed broadband Internet service. (Last year, those figures were 66 percent and 54 percent, respectively.)

• Overall, the two most commonly cited main reasons for not having broadband Internet access at home are that it is perceived as not needed (46 percent) or too expensive (25  percent). In rural America, however, lack of broadband availability is a larger reason for non-adoption than in urban areas (9.4 percent vs. 1 percent). Americans also cite the lack of a computer as a factor.

• Despite the growing importance of the Internet in American life, 28.3 percent of all persons do not use the Internet in any location, down from 31.6 percent last year.

This report, accessible on www.ntia.doc.gov, is based on the first data sets released by the Census Bureau. In the coming months, the Census Bureau will provide NTIA with more geographically detailed data. NTIA intends to release that data to the public through www.data.gov as part of the agency’s commitment to open government and transparency.