New York City Has An Internet Inequality Problem

Last Monday night, Mark Zuckerberg published a post announcing Facebook's new initiative to bring Internet access to the developing world. The blueprint for internet.org mapped out how Facebook and a host of phone company allies might connect an additional 5 billion people online through more affordable access, increasing data efficiency, and investing in local business infrastructure. It came with a video that depicted IRL social interactions in developing countries, along with a soundtrack cut from a JFK speech and soft, inspirational piano tones. As the Atlantic's Alexis Madrigal deftly pointed out, no one can call this ignoble, or unreasonable, even. Simply put, increased Internet access is a good idea––though the other message Facebook was trying to sell, the one that equated the company with peace and progress, was hokey at best. But there's another facet of Internet access that Internet.org does not address, and that's Internet inequality right at home, in cities that otherwise rank as some of the most "connected" places on the planet. New York City is already well–known for its ample (and growing) income inequality. But on Wednesday, Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer put out a report showing that the city's public schools and libraries vary widely when it comes to its broadband speeds. The report revealed that over 75% of New York City schools had maximum download speeds of 10 megabits per second, 100 times slower than the 2020 goal outlined by President... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2013-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #report revealed #president obama #public libraries #online learning

Other Publishing stories related to: 'New York City Has An Internet Inequality Problem'


China closing in on Silicon Valley as home of internet giants, research shows

Tencent and Baidu are only non-US digital media companies in top 10 by revenue, but country has four of top 10 fastest-growing firms, report saysChina is eroding Silicon Valley’s pre-eminent position as the home of the world’s largest internet businesses, with two companies making the top 10 by... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #silicon valley #internet giants #pre-eminent position #companies making #survey published


We Build The City: ALA Midwinter Spotlight

In a popular post last month on Motherlode, the New York Times's parenting blog, Luisa Colón made a surprising admission: she doesn’t like to take her kids to the library anymore. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Chris Hughes' New Republic Cuts Frequency, Moves to New York

The New Republic magazine, which reached its 100th anniversary last month, is reducing its frequency to 10 issues a year from 20, moving its headquarters to New York from Washington, D.C., and replacing its editor. Gabriel Snyder will assume the role of editor of chief, succeeding Frank Foer.Mr.... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #republic magazine #chris hughes #100th anniversary #media companies #bloomberg media


New York Times Buyout Requests Don't Meet Paper's Goal

At least 85 New York Times employees applied for voluntary buyouts by yesterday's deadline, falling short of the number the newspaper publisher said was needed to avoid firings, according to a union representative.Grant Glickson, the chairman of the New York Times unit of the Newspaper Guild of... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #newspaper guild #forced cuts #digital businesses #job cuts #fluctuate based


New York Times Deadline for 100 Buyouts Nears

A 5 p.m. deadline bore down on New York Times employees considering whether to accept buyout packages, a bid for the newspaper publisher to trim costs.The company has said there will be forced cuts if 100 jobs can't be eliminated through voluntary buyouts.Like many newspapers, the Times is... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #forced cuts #voluntary buyouts #print circulation #regulatory filing #staff cuts #digital future


Mackenzie tells SYP: 'Amazon's success could cause it problems'

Things are "only going to get tougher for traditional publishers unless we can show ourselves to be very good at what we do,” Ursula Mackenzie told the Society of Young Publishers (SYP) at its annual conference on Saturday (8th October). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishers #annual conference


New York Magazine digs into Hawaii media owner Pierre Omidyar, Civil Beat digs on buying nice things

New York Magazine has just come out with an in-depth profile of the intensely private Honolulu resident Pierre Omidyar. It quickly gets beyond the basics—"the programmer who created eBay, is one of America's richest men, a 47-year-old philanthropist intent on giving away the fortune he made when... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #york magazine #richest men #personal journey


Scribd Rolls Out the Internet’s First All-You-Can-Listen Audiobooks Service

The rise of the Subscription Economy continues. Little more than a year after launching its all-you-can-read ebook service, the San Francisco startup Scribd has announced that the service now offers more than 30,000 audiobooks, including titles from big-name publishing houses HarperCollins and... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #including titles


Half North Yorks libraries could face closure

Half of the libraries in North Yorkshire could face closure unless volunteers come forward to keep them open, the county council has warned. The push towards community-run libraries follows an original decision by the council in 2010, which saw nine of the council's 42 libraries run by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #community-run libraries #county council #face closure #north yorkshire


Apple and Amazon Have a Problem: People Don’t Want to Buy Stuff Anymore

The failure of the Fire Phone has been widely cited as the reason for Amazon’s disastrous quarter, but a darker cloud has settled over the world’s biggest online retailer. The core of Amazon’s business—its original reason for being: selling books and other media—has grown wobbly. The problem:... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-10-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post apple #people don #fire phone #selling books #buy stuff


Regular Guy From Boston Decides to Map the City’s Entire History

A veteran EMT and ambulance driver in Boston, Ed McCarthy is in a great position to understand his hometown spatially. But he’s also a history geek, and while constantly driving around the city’s neighborhoods, he loves recognizing the streets, buildings and other locales from the history books... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #history books


Amazon and Simon & Schuster reach a deal on internet book sales

Amazon just found a way to put further pressure on Hachette in its ongoing pricing war: strike a deal with another publisher. The online retailer has forged a new agreement with Simon & Schuster that will keep the book giant's digital and physical... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online retailer #simon schuster #book giant


International New York Times Enters Publishing Agreement with Republica in Nepal

The New York Times Company today announced a new publishing agreement between the International New York Times (INYT) and Republica that will create a combined print edition in Nepal. The new product, in which each publication will have a distinct s ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing agreement


Diversity and Pop Culture Reign at New York Comic Con

With 151,000 attendees, this year’s edition of the New York Comic Con had the largest crowd ever announced at a North American con. And despite the size, it seemed to be an overwhelmingly peaceful celebration of pop culture, and the diversification of fandom. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #largest crowd #pop culture


No Shortage of Kids' Comics at New York Comic Con

Remember when comics grew up and got serious? Publishers have come full circle and now cater to young readers with new comics and graphic novels and tie-ins to old favorites. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #full circle #young readers #graphic novels


‘Attack on Titan’ Drives Manga Rebound at New York Comic Con

Manga sales were brisk at New York Comic Con as droves of fans turned out to clamor over hit series Attack on Titan and classic properties like Sailor Moon; while Super star manga artist Takeshi Obata made his first trip to a North American comics show. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #manga sales #fans turned #sailor moon


Photo Mania: New York Comic Con 2014

PW Comics World was at New York Comic Con, held October 9-12 at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, to bring back the news and memorable photographs of the show. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #photo mania #bring back


Vertical Inc. Debuts New Comics Line at New York Comic Con 2014

At New York Comic Con, Vertical Inc., a New York City publisher specializing in Japanese prose works and manga, announced plans to launch Vertical Comics, a new imprint focused solely on manga and anime-related titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #announced plans


Clooney surprises New York Comic-Con

Hollywood newly-wed George Clooney surprises fans at a New York comic book convention by turning up to promote his upcoming Disney fantasy film. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2014-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #york comic-con


Somehow, New York Comic Con Gets Bigger

Attendance at New York Comic-Con 2014 has reportedly grown by 20,000 to 151,000 people, making it even bigger than San Diego Comic-Con. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |