Digital Divide
What the ‘Digital Divide’ Means for Access to Services
Losing internet access can cut off food benefits, health coverage, and job opportunities, and here is where to find offline help and support programs.
Broadband and Telecommunications
Broadband and telecommunications cover the networks that carry internet, phone, television, and radio signals. These systems connect homes, businesses, schools, and emergency services. Government shapes them by licensing airwaves, setting rules for providers, funding network buildout, and overseeing how media companies operate. Federal agencies, states, and private companies all play a part.
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October 6last updated
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Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
Latest in Broadband and Telecommunications
Antitrust Enforcement
Netflix Is Buying Warner Bros. for $82 Billion. Here’s Why Regulators Might Block It
Netflix announced a deal to acquire the film and television studios of Warner Bros. Discovery, alongside its premium streaming service HBO Max and the HBO cable…
Broadcasting and Media
The Republican Case Against Public Broadcasting Funding
A reader writes us to ask: "There are enough sources of information, do we really need funding for public media?" In summer 2025, a decades-long political…
Broadcasting and Media
The Democratic Case for Public Broadcasting Funding
A reader writes us to ask: "There are enough sources of information, do we really need funding for public media?" The debate over federal funding for…
Topics in Broadband and Telecommunications
Getting connected
Broadband Internet Access covers how households and businesses reach the internet, and Digital Divide covers the gaps between those who have reliable service and those who do not.
Rules and programs
Broadband Policy and Programs covers public efforts to extend and fund service, and Telecommunications Regulation covers the agencies and laws that oversee phone, internet, and airwave providers.
Media
Broadcasting and Media covers television, radio, and the public and private outlets that use the airwaves.
All Articles on Broadband and Telecommunications
Can the FCC Force a TV Host Off the Air? The Kimmel Case, Explained
In September 2025, a media firestorm erupted when Disney-owned ABC abruptly suspended its flagship late-night program, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, announcing at the time that…
Is the FCC Ready for the Digital Age? A 90-Year-Old Agency Faces Modern Challenges
In the heart of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Communications Act of 1934, a piece of legislation from…
How America’s Communications Watchdog Has Shaped the Media
For a century, the Federal Communications Commission has wrestled with technology that outpaces the laws designed to govern it. From the crackle of early…
How the FCC Controls Your Phone, TV, and Internet
From the smartphone in your pocket and the Wi-Fi that connects it, to the emergency alerts that buzz across a city, the Federal Communications…
When the FCC Can Revoke Your Broadcast License
The radio frequencies that carry our favorite songs, the television signals that bring news into our homes, and the wireless spectrum that connects our…
Judge Judy vs. Real Courts: How TV Shows Ignore Your Constitutional Rights
Judge Judy's courtroom offers a no-nonsense judge, rapid-fire questions, and a final, decisive ruling all within a single television segment. While entertaining, this popular…
Fair Trial vs. Free Press: How Courts Balance Constitutional Rights in High-Profile Cases
In American democracy, few principles are as foundational as the right of the accused to a fair trial and the right of the public…
How the First Amendment Shapes Movies and Music You Watch Today
The First Amendment quietly governs nearly every movie you watch and song you hear. It's the legal force behind the scenes that determines what…
Can the Government Force a TV Network to Cancel a Show?
Government pressure on TV shows raises free-speech questions. FCC licenses, broadcast-content rules and court cases explain where lawful authority ends.
America’s Digital Divide: The People Left Behind
Nearly every aspect of American life now requires internet access. Yet millions of Americans still lack reliable broadband service, creating a persistent gap between…