COVID-19 Affecting Advisory Committee on Diversity Plans

With COVID-19 disproportionately affecting minority and disadvantaged communities, the FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment's working groups adjusted their focus to grapple with the pandemic, according to work plans presented Tuesday at the group’s teleconferenced first meeting under its new charter. Along with reacting to the virus, the committee’s working groups laid out plans for workshops and events aimed at increasing diversity among communications companies. “When the country catches a cold, the most vulnerable catch the flu,” said Brookings Institution Fellow Nicol Turner-Lee and Diversity in Tech WG chair.

The pandemic highlighted the importance of removing barriers to broadband adoption and use, said Comcast Vice President and Counsel-Global Public Policy Rudy Brioche, who chairs the ACDDE’s Digital Empowerment and Inclusion group. He said COVID-19 affected how his group examines the issue: “How does one adopt when you’re actually forced to?” His working group plans to reach out to public sector leaders about the virus' effects on underserved communities that lack ready access for broadband, Brioche said. A Digital Inclusion subgroup is focusing on libraries, which have become ad hoc Wi-Fi hot spots for those without home broadband during quarantine, said Harin Contractor, director-workforce policy, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Libraries are critical resources, and are likely to face funding trouble as the pandemic hits state and local budgets hard, he said.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said at the meeting's start that the committee’s proposals were “very much in harmony with our goals here at the commission for universal employment of broadband in all communities and neighborhoods regardless of economic status or whether you are urban or rural.” Commissioner Geoffrey Starks hoped it will consider ways the FCC can create “a connectivity stimulus” to ensure students have access to broadband. Commissioner Brendan Carr called COVID-19 a “crucible” that has burned away “distractions” from efforts to close the digital divide.

NJ Broadcasting owner Nimisha Shukla said her subgroup on how minority broadcast owners can generate revenue will study how to ensure that federal and state ad buys and public service announcements on COVID-19 involve stations that serve or are owned by minorities. The disparities in access to information and broadband faced by minorities hampers “penetration of local and national response to this emergency,” said Aama Nahuja, legal counsel for A Wonder Media and member of the ACDDE’s Access to Capital WG. Circle City Broadcasting CEO Dujuan McCoy said his Indianapolis stations began broadcasting two hours of school lessons during the quarantine for families lacking home broadband. The ACDDE’s Diversity in Tech WG is studying minority-owned companies being less likely to receive COVID-19 stimulus funds, said Turner-Lee.

Several WG reports Tuesday emphasized producing deliverables and recommending things the FCC could accomplish itself. The groups want to “give the FCC something the FCC can do,” said Brioche, saying action could be based on the agency’s own authority, “the bully pulpit,” or coordination with other entities. Recommendations are how the ACDDE can be “the most impactful,” Brioche said.

The Digital Inclusion WG is focused on meeting with libraries, tribal entities, and historically black colleges and universities to improve the ability of “anchor institutions” to help spread access to broadband. The WG also plans a conference and symposium highlighting opportunities for minority-owned companies in tech and supplier diversity, said Lerman Senter attorney Jenell Trigg. Several WGs detailed plans for workshops and events: the Access to Capital group plans an event to link possible minority broadcast owners with sources of financing and Small Business Administration officials, and the Digital Empowerment group plans an event on libraries.

An Access to Capital subgroup is advocating for the return of the minority tax certificate, said Nahuja. It will seek to raise awareness among broadcasters, legislators and potential owners about the certificate and its past success in increasing minority ownership, she said. The group’s efforts would focus on pending legislation that seeks to reestablish the certificate, Nahuja said.