Emerging Media and Internet Positions
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Emerging Media and Internet Positions
A Neutral Internet “Net Neutrality”
The LWVCT believes that a free and open Internet is increasingly important to the protection of individual liberties—freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of association —guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and by the Connecticut Constitution. The League also believes that net neutrality protections are essential for political discourse, dissemination of news, and democratic participation. Therefore, the League of Women Voters of Connecticut supports the LWVUS position to protect the open, neutral, nondiscriminatory nature of the Internet. To further this position, the LWVCT supports efforts by the State of Connecticut to protect the open, neutral, nondiscriminatory nature of the Internet.
Universal High Speed Internet Access for Connecticut
The League of Women Voters supports making high speed Internet access available to all Connecticut residents, without charge, through schools, libraries, and other secure public buildings. High speed affordable Internet access is an essential service that should be readily available to all Connecticut residents and businesses. State and local government policies should support broadband, wireless, and other means of high speed Internet deployment throughout the state.
Efficient, high speed access to the Internet for all Connecticut residents—regardless of geographic location or neighborhood demographics—is a necessity for assuring equal access to local and state government, for maintaining openness and transparency in government activities, for communicating with legislative leaders, for engaging in political discourse, for competing in the global marketplace, and for assuring that voters receive the information they need to participate in our democracy.
Community Access and Public Affairs TV: Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) TV & the Connecticut Network (CT-N)
The League of Women Voters believes that community access television channels—for public, educational, and governmental programming—must be adequately protected, promoted, and funded, regardless of the provider of TV/video services to Connecticut residents. Statewide public affairs programming, such as provided by The Connecticut Network (CT-N), must be adequately protected, promoted, and funded by the state legislature and available to all Connecticut residents, regardless of the provider of TV/video services. Government should provide opportunities for citizen participation in decisions regarding community access, or PEG, TV.
Access to the public airwaves through modern TV/video communication is essential to the public interest and to League of Women Voters’ mission and purpose— to protect civil liberties, to ensure open, transparent government, and to promote the public’s right to know. To protect the public interest, high quality PEG transmission and PEG availability on basic service tiers are essential.
LWVCT 4/1/2008 |
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