Subject:
Benton Online Vol. 1, No. 2
Resent-Date:
Thu, 12 Jun 1997 13:49:41 -0700 (PDT)
Resent-From:
usnonprofit-l@rain.org
Date:
Thu, 12 Jun 1997 16:37:12 -0400
From:
Benton Foundation
To:
usnonprofit-l@rain.org
[best read/printed in a nonproportional font like Courier 10]
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Volume 1, Number 2 http://www.benton.org
12 June 1997 benton@benton.org
Welcome to the second installment of Benton Online, our periodic
e-newsletter serving to inform you of new and existing resources available
at Benton's web site, and of new or updated Benton projects. We promise to
keep these e-newsletters short and infrequent. A WWW version of this
newsletter may be found at http://www.benton.org/enews/.
Table of Contents:
Recent Benton Publication:
- Local Places, Global Connections: Libraries in the Digital Age
Benton's Communications Policy Work
Benton's Communications Practice Work
Other Benton Projects
- KidsCampaigns
- Open Studio
- Benton Videos Available
==================================================================
RECENT BENTON PUBLICATION
All Benton publications may be found at http://www.benton.org/Library/
==================================================================
What's Going On Series
Local Places, Global Connections: Libraries in the Digital Age
is now online:
http://www.benton.org/Library/Libraries/
This is a collaboration of the Benton Foundation and Libraries For the
Future, who share a belief in libraries as vital community institutions in
the Digital Age. Libraries have long been pivotal public spaces where people
can come together to learn, reflect, and interact. But today, information is
rapidly spreading beyond books and journals to digital archives, databases,
and a flow of electronic images over computer networks. Will libraries lose
their role as lending institutions? And what will happen to libraries as
physical places where diverse people can gather to pursue knowledge
individually and collectively?
Coming soon:
What's At Stake II
The networks of the digital age will take their shape from the
institutions that build them. But they will also be defined by
the users who make demands on them, by the policymakers that
set the rules for them; and by the citizens who see what's at
stake -- and act on it. What's At Stake II extends Benton
examination of public interest issues in the Digital Age.
This issue focuses on journalism, health, low-income communities,
grassroots organizing, and education technology.
The Learning Connection: Schools in the Information Age
This report, an update of our 1995 report by the same name,
examines how educators are grappling with the difficult
interplay of technological change and educational values.
It reviews the potential for technology-driven education reform,
spells out an agenda for building the human infrastructure of
the Information Age, describes some of the activities of major
institutional players in the education arena, discusses how the
success or failure of efforts to reform schools will be decided
by communities around the country, and provides resources for
further research.
==================================================================
BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS POLICY WORK
http://www.benton.org/Policy/
==================================================================
Picture This: Digital TV and the Future of Television
http://www.benton.org/Policy/TV/digital.html
On April 3, 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted
rules that will allocate additional spectrum to television station
owners so that they can transmit digital TV signals. The transition to
digital TV will forever change free, over-the-air broadcast television,
a service available in nearly every home in the nation. The new FCC rules
do not answer all the questions about how digital television will serve
the public interest, what the best device to receive these signals will
be, how cable television will be affected, and what fees broadcasters will
need to pay for providing nonbroadcast services. Our summary of the
proceedings examines what has been decided, what still needs to be debated,
and how you can be involved to help decide the future of television.
The New Definition of Universal Service
http://www.benton.org/Updates/summary.html
On May 7, the Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules to
implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and to guarantee affordable
telecommunications services are available throughout the nation. These
universal service rules also provide schools and libraries significant
discounts to help them connect and remain connected to the Internet. This
briefing describes the issues still at stake as universal service decisions
move to the state level for further implementation. Public interest groups
will play a crucial role in these debates by setting high expectations for
access to new technologies and making sure that information highways --
super or basic -- are available, affordable and accessible, for everyone
regardles of their ability to pay.
==================================================================
BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS PRACTICE WORK
http://www.benton.org/Practice/
==================================================================
What's Working: Advocacy on the 'Net
http://www.benton.org/Practice/Best/advoc.html
We are often asked for examples of advocacy on the Internet. As part of our
exploration into "best practices" of nonprofit use of communications, we
have begun compiling a list of nonprofit advocacy organizations that make
particularly good use of the Internet in their activities. The examples
we've listed are more than just a web presence for the advocacy
organization; these sites engage the visitor, and provide means as well as
information for informed activism.
As always, we encourage those of you doing exciting things with
communications technology (not just the WWW) to fill out our "best
practices" questionnaire at:
http://www.benton.org/Practice/Best/join.html
Coming soon: What's Working in Education: Profiles of educators making a
difference with technology in the classroom, an online companion
to our upcoming report, The Learning Connection: Schools in the
Information Age.
==================================================================
OTHER BENTON PROJECTS
==================================================================
KidsCampaigns
http://www.kidscampaigns.org/
KidsCampaigns (www.kidscampaigns.org) has comprehensive information on
how communities and citizens are working together for community building
and civic renewal. Find out what is happening around the country via
KidsCampaigns' reporting on the Presidents' Summit for America's Future,
especially under "community service" and the "summit cities."
"Getting By: What American Teenagers Really Think About Their Schools,"
a recent poll released by Public Agenda, lets adults know what is
important to teenagers and what is not, as high school students reflect
on their schools, teachers, and subjects. Check it out, at KidsCampaigns'
coverage of public opinion polling:
http://www.kidscampaigns.org/Smart/pubopinion.html
==================================================================
Open Studio: The Arts Online
http://www.openstudio.org/
Open Studio: The Arts Online recently selected its first set of access and
mentor sites (see the website for a current list). Access sites will offer
free public access to the World Wide Web at community arts and cultural
organizations. Mentor sites will train local artists and arts organizations
in electronic publishing to help increase the artistic and cultural materials
available online.
This year Open Studio will include up to two access sites in every state and
territory, and 10 regional training sites throughout the nation. Each access
site is awarded between $2,000 - $ 4,000 in matching funds and each mentor
site is
awarded up to $35,000.
Open Studio is a collaboration between Benton and the National Endowment for
the Arts to support public Internet access at arts and community institutions,
to help nonprofit arts organizations artists go online, and to increase the
arts and cultural presence on the Internet.
==================================================================
Benton Videos
http://www.benton.org/Videos/
Over the last few years, the Benton Foundation has produced what it calls
"trigger" tapes. These short videos were produced specifically to start
and focus discussion on various aspects of telecommunications policy and
nonprofit organizations. They have been designed for active, not passive
use, are not intended for **broadcase**?, but for use by audiences that
will engage in serious conversation about the issues after seeing the tapes.
More information, including scripts of the narration and order information,
can be found on the website.
Are You There?
* presents key concepts that encourage you to think about
reasonable expectations of a national information infraustructure.
This is Noise
* asks questions that challenge your willingness to discuss the
importance of content and access, and whether or
not nonprofits are serious about cutting through the noise.
Blue Skies
* was originally produced for and presented at Benton's June 10,
1996 Up for Grabs conference
(http://www.benton.org/Events/UpForGrabs/);
it presents six technology thinkers and activists all
of whom are both booster and critic of the "blue sky" expectations
for the new communications environment being developed.
==================================================================
(c)Benton Foundation 1997. Prepared by Jillaine Smith (jillaine@benton.org)
and Kevin Taglang (kevint@benton.org). Appropriate noncommercial
distribution is encouraged; please include this footer.