The Center for Digital Culture conducts research into the social, political and economic impacts of emerging broadband and telecommunications technologies. It supports public policy initiatives that provide access for increasing numbers of people to new technologies, including the Internet. I believe that the public sphere and private ownership are not fundamentally incompatible, but also that purchasing power is not at all akin to real social and political power. The challenge before us as audiences, users, the Center for Digital Culture, moguls, regulators, journalists, all of us is to strike a balance between the two. As a first step in that process, regulators, producers, journalists, owners and foundations need to ensure access to media technologies and forums.
Access alone is insufficient, though, to create and nurture a functioning public sphere.
Knowledge, skills and expertise are prerequisites in this novel, hybrid model of mass communication. We must ensure that the many voices at the table are empowered to speak. Once they have spoken, we must not value their perspectives according to the amount of money or purchasing power each brings to the table. Search engines, for example, should be careful about selling high-frequency exposure. To this end, the Center for Digital Culture supports public policy initiatives that provide access for increasing numbers of people to new technologies, including the Internet.