Beyond Broadcast: Larry Irving Keynote

Again, I had to pass through American University's walled-garden-connectivity-hell hoops to get online, so I haven't been able to record the key points, which is a darn shame, because this is a good talk!

Larry Irving is doing a great job challenging some of what we've heard about funding and business model, reminding us, James Wilson did, that we need a media space independent from commercial pressures, driven by discursive necessities and democratic logic. This is especially true, because the advertising market values people differently depending on race and gender and class, and reliance on advertising dollars is a dependence on masters who don't value everyone equally. Why does this even have to be said?

Even further, he's talked about how even foundations can pull the funding if they don't like the message.

Now he's talking about the wireless revolution and the need to open white spaces.

I'm remembering now that I say him talk at the Rainbow PUSH Media & Telecommunications Symposium, moderating a panel of telecom execs and one guy from Pew Internet and American life. I remember the panel being highlighted by a bunch of softball questions and plenty of time for the execs to talk about everything they were doing to deepen broadband penetration.

Now, this guy is on fire. You can find his agenda here.

More on white spaces and the NAB: Larry is advising that people who care about white spaces should throw in with Google on the policy fight. BUt he also makes the point that you might have to go your separate ways on other issues.