Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an unprecedented level of policy activity and government funding to universalize broadband access. What has been the impact and what remains to be done? This talk will summarize findings from the Measuring the Effectiveness of Digital Inclusion Approaches (MEDIA) project, a multi-year research effort that seeks to evaluate the impact of alternative digital inclusion strategies. In particular, the talk will address the vexing question of why so few eligible households take advantage of low-cost access plans or enroll in broadband access subsidy programs.

About speaker: 

Hernan Galperin is an Associate Professor and Director of the Annenberg Research Network on International Communication (ARNIC) at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.