<$BlogRSDUrl$>
{ An Autopsy of Democracy }

Monday, September 19, 2005

South Korea world leader in broadband internet acccess


With a population of 48 million, South Korea has a formidable position as the world's broadband Internet leader, far outstripping the United States and Europe. As of last month, 10 million Koreans -- which equates to 70 percent of households -- had home broadband connections supplying high-speed Internet access.

. . . . . . . .

Most pay about $33 monthly for an 8 megabit-per-second connection. Wireless access, which allows subscribers to access numerous public Wi-Fi networks, costs an extra $8.50 a month.

. . . . . . . .

Such broadband vitality didn't come out of nowhere. The Korean government sank over $1.5 billion into helping create the world's most advanced telecommunications network, according to a report from Britain's Brunel University.

. . . . . . . .


See also South Korea leads the way

This is NOT a trivial matter. Especially in this age of increasing media consolidation -- and with the FCC (grasping at straws, of course) stating that the internet makes it hard for the huge Corporations who own the media to compete, therefore we need to deregulate . . .

I actually think this might be more important than any other issue. Seriously. Because it effects every other issue. Whether or not people have access to the information they need to make informed decisions determines the efficacy of our democratic system. It's not an exageration to say that democracy itself is at stake. I think if every person in the country had spent just ONE DAY reading alternative news sources and the history of U.S.-Iraq relations online prior to the Iraq invasion, the Iraq war may not have happened; the public outcry would have been too great. (Though most people will still get most of their information from the mainstream media, which makes media reform perhaps more crucial.)

Why isn't there more discussion about this? And why is it that, in those states which are trying to get broadband to everyone, the Republicans are trying to stop it?

I don't think it's only because they favor big business before people. I think it's also because it benefits their party if people are ignorant.



| |




This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

blog