Columnist says loss of net neutrality threatens local journalism - Entrepreneur Generations

Rolling back net neutrality laws could hurt community journalism, according to a new report from Stanford University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. The laws prevent internet service providers from charging more for certain kinds of content, or throttling or blocking other content. "If net neutrality disappears, it could have a significant negative effect on the local journalism market in the US. Author Adam Hersh says the market for local news is in an extremely fragile state, thanks in part to the decline of advertising, and the loss of net neutrality protections could hit local providers particularly hard," Mathew Ingram reports for Columbia Journalism Review.

Hersh says local journalism is often the first source of information in a crisis, and a particularly well-informed one, since local reporters know the local politics and culture. But independent local news outlets won't have the buying power of large media conglomerates, and won't be able to negotiate good deals for reader access with ISPs. That means fewer new readers, especially if outreach efforts involve bandwidth-heavy videos.

The Federal Communications Commission will vote on whether to roll back the net neutrality laws tomorrow night. The roll back will likely pass on a straight party-line vote, but will also likely be challenged in court.

Below Ingram's article is a great list of current stories on net neutrality worth a read.

from The Rural Blog http://ift.tt/2Ajhoa5 Columnist says loss of net neutrality threatens local journalism - Entrepreneur Generations

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