This "issue" (if that's what it is) was apparently generated by
this editorial in the Wall Street Journal a couple of weeks ago. The writer of the editorial is a Republican FCC Commissioner appointed by O'bama. Basically it's a study of how information is processed.
Yes, the government is doing a study. When has that ever happened...
Rather than biased editorials, half-wits fanning flames of mythologies and OPs that give no basis for themselves whatsoever, let's go right to the heart of the matter.
Here's the actual proposal from the research company designed to execute this study. The reader will note it's a year old already.
Excerpt:
>>
Overall Project Goals and Objectives
We understand that the purpose of this Study of Critical Information Needs (CINs) is to provide
a comprehensive analysis of access/barriers to CINs in diverse American communities.
The objectives of the study are to:
• collect data to inform:
o the access (or potential barriers) to CINs as identified by the FCC;
o the media that makes up media ecologies (i.e., what media is actually included in that ecology; ownership of that market; what specific type of content dominates those media ecologies; what is the flow of information within the ecology, etc);
o the use of and interaction between media that makes media ecologies (i.e., how do different layers of the ecology interact to provide for CINs; how do individuals of diverse neighborhoods/communities differ in terms of access to CINs);
• validate data collection tools/templates and protocols;
• demonstrate high internal validity and reliability of measured constructs
Study Goals and Objectives
The objectives of the study are to help FCC answer the following questions:
• How does this study inform the acquisition and/or barriers to CINs in American communities?
• What barriers to entry exist in the FCC regulated markets and to what extent do those barriers to entry have a negative impact?
• Do the tools/templates demonstrate a high degree of internal validity? Do the tools/templates demonstrate a high degree of reliability across diverse target markets? <<
Sorry but that's the boring reality. As you were with the fantasies...