FCC to Discuss Digital Future at Pittsburgh Hearing on July 21

The Federal Communications Commission announced it will hold a public hearing about broadband and the digital future in Pittsburgh on July 21. The hearing will be held at Carnegie Mellon University and the Commission will hear from expert panelists. The hearing is open to the public, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Timothy Karr, campaign director of Free Press, the organizer of InternetforEveryone.org, issued the following statement:

"We applaud the FCC for continuing to seek public input on key policy questions. Few issues facing the nation are more important than the future of the Internet and its vital role in economic growth, education, media and democracy.

"Broadband is no longer a luxury; it is a public necessity. The country that invented the Internet should be able to connect every home, business and civic institution. But right now half of American homes are still not connected to high-speed Internet. This vast digital divide has left entire communities shut out of the economic, political and social opportunities that access to technology brings.

"We hope this is the beginning of a broad public dialogue on how to connect this nation -- and what policies Congress and the FCC must implement to get us there."