Broadband Access not a Hot Topic with Voters

Posted on by

EETimes is the “global news for the creators of technology”. They have been running a survey on their top issues for the election. While the pool of pollsters was small (560 respondents), the outlook for broadband was not high:

  1. 56 percent said the economy was the most important of nine business and tech issues
  2. 18 percent chose immigration
  3. 14 percent said energy
  4. 1 percent said broadband policy

Unfortunately this is a crowd that I thought would be predisposed to lean towards technology – but apparently not. I can understand people worrying about the economy but I don’t understand where EETimes readers would not make the connection between broadband access and the economy.

This entry was posted in Elections by Ann Treacy. Bookmark the permalink.

About Ann Treacy

Librarian who follows rural broadband in MN and good uses of new technology (blandinonbroadband.org), hosts a radio show on MN music (mostlyminnesota.com), supports people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota (elimstrongtowershelters.org) and helps with social justice issues through Women’s March MN.

3 thoughts on “Broadband Access not a Hot Topic with Voters”

  1. It’s probably crass for me to comment on my own article – but I just ran into a great blog post on this topic from DSL Reports:
    Has Broadband Finally Jumped The Shark In Politics?
    Is our national broadband policy a political priority anymore? Does anyone care?
    http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Has-Broadband-Finally-Jumped-The-Shark-In-Politics-91652

    A passionate view on the lack on interest in broadband in America. (And who can resist an allusion to Happy Days!)

    Reply ↓

  2. Hi Ann,

    A very interesting little poll. Nice find!

    “I can understand people worrying about the economy but I don’t understand where EETimes readers would not make the connection between broadband access and the economy.”

    This was the first thing that popped into my head as I was reading your entry, and it also baffles me to no end how supposedly tech savvy readers – people ‘in the know’ – can’t make this connection… that broadband IS a necessity for todays economies and that the two issues go hand in hand.

    Politically, I think the issue is in fact readily recognized at the local and (somewhat less) at the state level, because they see directly the results of the lack of a sound broadband policy and what the lack of interest in one can do to an economy. Thats why you see coal and state efforts to improve access.

    Its when you get into the national level politics that broadband becomes a forgotten issue.

    Thanks for your comment on my post. And yes… I figured no one could resist The Fonz. 😉

    – Chris

    Reply ↓

  3. Pingback: The Candidates on Broadband « Blandin on Broadband

Leave a comment