Access Humboldt to attend Policy Summit in DC

For Immediate Release
May 3, 2009

Contact: Tracy Jordan French, e: admin@accesshumboldt.net, tel: 707-476-1798

Access Humboldt joins national efforts for Broadband Media Access
Local advocate for “Digital Redwoods” to attend policy summit in DC

Eureka, CA - Access Humboldt will be representing the North Coast at two events in Washington DC next week (May 13-14) – the Internet for Everyone Coalition member meeting (internetforeveryone.org) and the Free Press Summit (http://www.freepress.net/summit).

Access Humboldt’s executive director Sean McLaughlin was invited to represent leading local efforts that are building sustainable broadband media access resources. Projects such as Digital Rio Dell, Access Humboldt Libraries, Digital Eureka and the new regional effort called Digital Redwoods, are innovative community based models that use both fiber and wireless networks to provide local access to broadband Internet connections for public, education and government purposes.

While in Washington DC, McLaughlin will attend the “Free Press Summit: Changing Media” which features key national policymakers including Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps, Susan Crawford of President Obama's National Economic Council, and former FCC Chairmen Reed Hundt and Michael Powell.

Access Humboldt will represent the North Coast to help inform the national policies and actions needed in today’s changing broadband media landscape. Sean McLaughlin, executive director of Access Humboldt said, “Access Humboldt is actively building innovative, sustainable, local broadband access ‘by any media and regardless of frontiers.’ So at this particular time, to have this opportunity to take our Digital Redwoods message to the Nation’s Capitol is a real privilege.”

Access Humboldt previously submitted testimony to Federal agencies supporting: locally-owned infrastructure deployment; broadband media access to build demand; assistance in technology adoption across diverse communities; accurate data on service availability and adoption; and, transparent uniform federal and state policies.

Access Humboldt is a non-profit public benefit organization created in 2006 to manage local media assets for the County of Humboldt and the Cities of Eureka, Arcata, Fortuna, Rio Dell, Ferndale, and Blue Lake, California. Broadband media resources include cable TV channels, local fiber and wireless network connections, and a community media center (Fall 2009) at Eureka High School. For information call Access Humboldt: 707-476-1798 or visit online at http://accesshumboldt.net

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