The Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program released a new report calling for bold and broad measures by the new Obama Administration to promote widespread diffusion and adoption of broadband communications, promotion of new applications in government and private industry using communications, and the use of communications to save energy costs and reduce carbon emissions. Underlying each of the recommendations is the belief that policy reforms, investments, and certain uses of ICT can lead to significant economic and social gains throughout the country, serving a double bottom line. As an exercise, the group contemplated the government's spending up to $10 billion in this area as part of its economic stimulus, but it also made many suggestions that would cost very little. The recommendations fit into three over-arching categories: (1) presidential leadership, (2) infrastructure development, and (3) energy savings and environmental benefit.
