6/17/2010 9:20:00 AM Knight Commission presents workshop on information needs
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
"Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy & Citizen Participation in the Digital Age" was the opening workshop at the June 11-15 League of Women Voters National Convention in Atlanta Georgia attended by three members of the LWV of Montgomery County.
An overview of the conclusions and 15 recommendations by The Knight Commission on the "Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy" was presented by Charles M. Firestone, executive director of the Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program.
The three major conclusions of the commission are: people need relevant and credible information to be free and self-governing; people need tools, skills, and understanding to use information effectively; and to pursue their true interests, people need to be engaged with information and with each other.
Under "maximizing the availability of relevant and credible information," the commission concludes: the current financial challenges facing private news media could pose a crisis for democracy; public media should provide better local news and information; not-for -profit and non-traditional media can be important sources of journalism; public information belongs to the public and government must be more open; and informed communities can measure their information health.
The commission recommends: (1) Direct media policy toward innovation, competition, and support for business models that provide market place incentives for quality journalism. (2) Increase support for public service media aimed at meeting community information needs. (3) Increase the role of higher education, community and nonprofit institutions as hubs of journalistic activity and other information-sharing for local communities. (4) Require government at all levels to operate transparently, facilitate easy and low-cost access to public records, and make civic and social data available in standardized formats that support the productive public use of such data. (5) Develop systematic quality measures of community information ecologies, and study how they affect social outcomes.
Under "enhancing the information capacity of individuals," the commission concludes: all people have a right to be fully informed; there need be no second-class citizens in informed communities; funding to meet this goal is an investment in the nation's future; and Americans cannot compete globally without new public policies and investment in technology.
The Commission recommends: (6) Integrate digital and media literacy as critical elements for education at all levels through collaboration among federal, state and local education officials. (7) Fund and support public libraries and other community institutions as centers of digital and media training, especially for adults. (8) Set ambitious standards for nationwide broadband availability and adopt public policies encouraging consumer demand for broadband services. (9) Maintain the national commitment to open networks as a core objective of internet policy. (10) Support the activities of information providers to reach local audiences with quality content through all appropriate media, such as mobile phones, radio, public access cable, and new platforms.
Under "promoting public engagement," the commission concludes: creating informed communities is a task for everyone; young people have a special role in times of great change; technology can help everyone be part of the community; and everyone should feel a responsibility to participate.
The Commission recommends: (11) Expand local media initiatives to reflect the full reality of the communities they represent. (12) Engage young people in developing the digital information and communication capacities of local communities. (13) Empower all citizens to participate actively in community self-governance, including local "community summits" to address community affairs and pursue common goals. (14) Emphasize community information flow in the design and enhancement of a local community's public spaces. (15) Ensure that every local community has at least one high-quality online hub.
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan, multi-issue political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase public understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. All men and women are invited to join LWV where hands-on work to safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement. For information about the League, visit the website www.lwvmontco.org or voice mail 361-2136.
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