New Media, Technology & Internet Use in Indian Country

On November 19, 2009, Native Public Media and the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative released New Media, Technology and Internet Use in Indian Country: Quantitative and Qualitative Analyses, one of the most extensive studies of on the ground technology use, access, and adoption in Native American lands.   Demonstrating the great need to include Native Americans in the discourse around the National Broadband Plan, the report combines both a survey of Native American technology use amongst 120 tribes, normed against other national surveys, and in-depth case studies of six successful projects exhibiting Digital Excellence in Native America.

During his keynote, Blair Levin,
coordinator
FCC National Broadband Plan, explain that “Ultimately those without connectivity are disenfranchised. They’re unable to interact with their own communities. Without connectivity its difficult to be an informed citizen in any nation.” Mr. Levin continued to say the challenge of connectivity “looms especially large in tribal communities” and this that the FCC “need to approach tribal connectivity on a Tribal level.”

Daniel Weitzner, 
Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy Analysis and Development
National Telecommunications and Information Administration added the report “is so striking in that it reflects the participation of demographically diverse respondents” and provides “much needed data about both the challenges and opportunities for broadband in Indian country.”

Propelling Native voices into the national broadband discussion, New Media, Technology and Internet Use in Indian Country: Quantitative and Qualitative Analyses lays the groundwork for Native deployment, access, and adoption of digital communication that is driven by and serving the needs of Native America.

The full report, New Media, Technology and Internet Use in Indian Country: Quantitative and Qualitative Analyses, is available for download here.

This event was jointly hosted by Native Public Media and the Open Technology Initiative.

Participants

Loris Taylor
Executive Director
Native Public Media

Traci Morris
Policy Analyst
Native Public Media

Sascha Meinrath
Director, Open
Technology Initiative
New America Foundation

Blair Levin
Coordinator
FCC National Broadband
Plan

Geoffrey
Blackwell
Native Public Media Advisory Council and Chair
Telecommunications Subcommittee of the National Congress of American Indians

Daniel Weitzner
Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy Analysis and Development
National Telecommunications and Information Administration