Arizona's economy has suffered greatly during the Great Recession, recording absolutely stunning job (275,000) and economic losses. Those most basic of tools for success and prosperity in the 21st Century, a computer and internet access, are not available to thousands of people in Tucson, Arizona. The City of Tucson continually lags behind the state of Arizona in terms of prosperity and access to resources. The city’s per capital income is $16,322 compared to the state’s $26,838 and nearly 20 % of Tucson's one million metro residents live below the federal poverty level. In these homes computer and internet use are also low. While the 2009 Pew broadband report notes home broadband usage at 63%, the lowest income users stand at only 35 %. Access Tucson has provided media training to thousands of individuals and production services to hundreds of community organizations since 1984. In 2008, close to 200 producers/members created 2460 hours of original programming. Annually, approximately 500 people receive training and free access to digital production equipment to create content for cable television and internet distribution. Every aspect of Access Tucson's mission is geared to reaching and training underserved communities. We empower, through media, the community's multicultural (Native American, Hispanic, Anglo, African American, global refugees) communities and organizations to disseminate information in ways they could never afford to otherwise. Access Tucson operates three television cable channels serving Tucson and Pima County and since 1999 has streamed its channels on www.accesstucson.org. We've provided computer/internet access to the public for 14 years and in 2008 served more than 5000 citizens. Access Tucson proposes to increase broadband internet use in the following ways:>Increase the number of public internet computers from 6-12; add printers and CD/DVD burners; supply on site Q&A help. > Create Tucson.Org--develop a new centralized web service which includes; motion media, social networking, and ecommerce for non-profit organizations to help them reach their communities and audiences.>Continue and enhance technology and content creation classes.>Mobile Learning Service--In partnership with a local broadband access service provider, Access Tucson will reach underserved and geographically distant populations. Access to public computer centers is vital in the current economic and communications environment. Our most vulnerable citizens need admittance and training in areas that range from accessing e-government agencies and services to researching homework and jobs. They also need resources to organize for social activism and the means to be able to communicate in an media enriched environment. We would like to serve as an access point for the resources, training and distribution to serve this purpose.

Access Sacramento (inc. 1985) is the public access radio, TV and Internet nonprofit organization for Sacramento County with an annual budget of $650,000. More than 600 volunteers routinely create 4,500 original radio and television programs per year, serving 250,000 cable homes. Our training workshops annually teach production skills to more than 1,000. Completed television & radio are streamed at www.AccessSacramento.org and on www.SacBee.com/Access_Sacramento, our commercial journalism media partner. Our mission statement reflects the challenges of a diverse community and multiple media outlets. It reads: “Access Sacramento gives voice to the thoughts, dreams, opinions and community events not otherwise seen or heard on commercial and public radio, television, and other popular forms of media.” Using this experience and broad based community support, Access Sacramento is working to increase usage of broadband access to the Internet by helping those households with the lowest incomes and greatest ethnic and cultural diversity in South Sacramento County. We propose to offer training, equipment, and a common purpose to these communities by establishing "Neighborhood News Bureaus" in partnership with five, established "brick & mortar" sites. Access Sacramento, in partnership with County government, two Universities, on-line Sacramento Bee plus many culturally diverse and youth focused nonprofit organizations, shall train volunteer “community reporters” to investigate, write and report “hyper-local” content in culturally varied South Sacramento County. Training & reporting will be in multiple languages from “news rooms” physically located in neighborhood & youth centers and also directly posted on-line. Stories, complete with visuals, audio, hypertext, and metadata, will be submitted to open source web site www.AsIsOnline.tv. Revenue to sustain project shall be derived from a multiple revenue stream, community media ecosystem plus sales efforts targeting diverse businesses and grants. We know this approach will make a difference. Citing the March 2, 2010 study, “Broadband Adoption in Low-Income Communities -- Stories from the field create a better understanding of barriers to broadband adoption”, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) was commissioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to analyze the factors shaping low rates of adoption of home broadband services in low-income and other marginalized communities. At the broadest level, it finds that: • Broadband access is increasingly a requirement of socio-economic inclusion, not an outcome of it. • Price is only one factor shaping the fragile equilibrium of home broadband adoption, and price pressures go beyond the obvious challenge of high monthly fees. • Libraries and other community organizations fill the gap between low home adoption and high community demand, and provide a number of other critical services, such as training and support.

HOME, Inc. serves over 1,500 students in 11 high schools and middle schools in Somerville and Boston, MA with media and computer instruction in lab and cable access facilities. The mission of HOME,Inc. is to empower teens and young adults with 21st century technology skills through digital media training and the creation and distribution of media products that positively impact teens’ lives, address issues of concern, counter negative stereotypes, and promote constructive youth activities and opportunities in our region. We would like to greatly strengthen our interface with our community of teens, their families, educators and the larger world community to provide for self expression, cultural appreciation and connectedness that can lead to educational and economic opportunities. Unfortunately urban schools and poorer families do not have access and support to use current communications and media technologies that are available in more affluent communities. By helping students to form affiliations and long term connections with caring adults and providing access we will help support our students to produce new media, collaborate in its production, share their work, and develop 21st century skills that can support good citizenship and equity in employment and education.