Press Releases: 2010

WASHINGTON -- More than 80 grassroots organizations, consumer groups, civil rights organizations, innovative businesses, technology experts and public interest advocates filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission on Friday, signaling broad support for strong Network Neutrality rules.

WASHINGTON -- Today, Federal Communication Chairman Julius Genachowski's announcement that the agency will consider "network neutrality" policies at an open meeting on December 21, 2010.

SACRAMENTO -- More than 46,000 California workers who may have missed out on a significant federal tax credit - and local economies that may be losing the stimulus effect of workers spending those credits - are getting a boost from the Internal Revenue Service this November. The IRS is mailing notices to targeted filers this week and next week as part of a special outreach project in California to encourage more families to claim their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which the New America Foundation found stimulates local economies but suffers from low claim rates in the state.

The New America Foundation today announced that Olivia Calderon will be its California Legislative Director. Calderon has been with New America in California since 2006, serving as the Asset Building Program's Legislative Director in Sacramento.

For Immediate Release
October 25, 2010

Washington, D.C. -- Today, New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative launched Japanese and Chinese language versions of Measurement Lab (M-Lab) website to encourage Internet users based in both countries to test the speed and other performance measures of their broadband connections.

Today, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, Media Access Project, Benton Foundation, Center for Media Justice, Consumers Union, and Public Knowledge (Public Interest Commenters) responded to FCC's request for comment on “Specialized Services” and wireless open Internet rules.

A new issue brief from New America's Early Education Initiative sheds light on what's missing as states build data systems to analyze children's progress over time. "Many Missing Pieces: The Difficult Task of Linking Early Childhood Data and School-Based Data Systems," urges states to take steps to gather and integrate information from early childhood programs, including Head Start, childcare, and a fuller range of social services.

For Immediate Release

New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative announced that the Detroit Digital Justice Coalition (DDJC) is receiving approximately $2 million in federal stimulus funds to expand its community organizing and economic development efforts in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park, Michigan. The Open Technology Initiative has supported the DDJC since its inception in 2009. The federal grant comes through a partnership between the DDJC and Michigan State University.

Today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration awarded an $11.8 million grant to an 11 member coalition of community organizations lead by the Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, the second “Freedom Rings” proposal to be awarded in the City from the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.