MMMM # 242 -- DIgital Divide in The Black Belt

     As much as half of the population living in some  Alabama Black Belt counties does not have access to high-speed Internet...and that population is especially feeling the loss of printed newspapers with the end of daily publishing at the largest papers in the state.
     The Anniston Star reported on the issue Sunday, though their story didn't include the collapse earlier this month of a $65-Million Federal project to bring that missing connectivity to the eight county Black Belt region.
     On October 5th, the day before the one year anniversary of a ribbon cutting in Hayneville for the project, it was declared dead in the water.
     At the time of the grant award, Ralph Brown, the president of the Bessemer-based company Trillion Communications, promised great things:

 “This will make a difference in the community,” said Brown. “It impacts eight counties, 1,000 businesses and community anchors including public libraries and institutions, HBCUs, 80,000 households, as well as an Indian nation in the Montgomery, Alabama area.” 

     But it was not to be.
     Early this year the feds ordered a halt to the work when it became clear Trillion could not meet a number of deadlines for actually laying cable.
     The company is now marketing itself as a provider of telecommunication services.
     On the  positive side, Troy Cablevision appears to be on its way to completing its portion of the project in a half dozen counties.
     

[The Monday Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of www.TimLennox.com]