The Federal Communications Commission announced this week that it “has begun an examination of the future of media and the information needs of communities in a digital age.” According to a Public Notice issued by the FCC (.doc / .pdf), “[t]he objective of this review is to assess whether all Americans have access to vibrant, diverse sources of news and information that will enable them to enrich their lives, their communities and our democracy.”
The Public Notice sets out a list of 42 “preliminary questions” on which the FCC has invited public comment. The questions cover a variety of topics, addressing the role of public media, the Internet, television, radio, cable, and traditional print publications in the delivery of news.
Comments are due by March 8, 2010 and may be submitted electronically (via the FCC’s Electronic Comments Filing System or the Future of Media website) or in paper form. The Public Notice includes detailed instructions about the filing process.