Beyond Broadband Access: Developing Data-Based Information Policy Strategies (Donald McGannon Communication Research Center's Everett C. Parker Book Series) - Tapa dura

"Making communications policy is difficult because policymakers are constantly forced to select one among multiple policy alternatives when neither principles nor theory can provide a definitive answer. Ideally data-based analysis could be used to resolve such uncertainties, but all too frequently the data available and empirical methods employed to analyze it are not up to the task. Beyond Broadband: Developing Data-Based Information Policy Strategies tackles this problem head-on. Chapters by leading communications policy scholars identify problems with the data and empirical methods currently employed to address communications policy problems, offer suggestions for improving both, and recommend process improvements to improve the way data-based analysis is used to inform policy decisions. Communications policy scholars and policy officials should both find this book to be a helpful resource." -- -Steven Wildman * Michigan State University *

After broadband access, what next? What role do metrics play in understanding "information societies"? And, more important, in shaping their policies? Beyond counting people with broadband access, how can economic and social metrics inform broadband policies, help evaluate their outcomes, and create useful models for achieving national goals? This timely volume not only examines the traditional questions about broadband, like availability and access, but also explores and evaluates new metrics more applicable to the evolving technologies of information access. Beyond Broadband Access brings together a stellar array of media policy scholars from a wide range of disciplines-economics, law, policy studies, computer science, information science, and communications studies. Importantly, it provides a well-rounded, international perspective on theoretical approaches to databased communications policymaking in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Showcasing a diversity of approaches, this invaluable collection helps to meet myriad challenges to improving the foundations for communications policy development.