Where Policy Meets Action: The Enduring Vision of Kevin Taglang
Friday, August 1, 2025
Digital Beat
Where Policy Meets Action: The Enduring Vision of Kevin Taglang
Three decades of shaping how—and whom—broadband policy serves.
Today, like all weekdays, the Headlines Daily Digest brings the latest broadband and digital equity news to thousands of policymakers, practitioners, researchers, funders, and curious minds. Today, we at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society celebrate our Executive Editor, Kevin Taglang, who has been curating and creating Benton’s news and analysis for 30 years.
Our readers know Kevin as a familiar presence in their inbox, but what they may not know about our low-key colleague is his deep and abiding commitment to communications policy in the public interest. He will hate this article, but we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge his leadership and lasting impact on our field.
Benton’s Beacon of Information & Analysis
Headlines is a daily resource for our field. The newsletter offers a wealth of information to keep people up-to-date, be they decades-long experts or new learners in the field. Every day, from the early morning to sometimes late into the night, Kevin compiles the latest news to share with Headlines readers the next morning.
Kevin created Headlines long before newsletters became ubiquitous. For thirty years, Headlines has remained the only free, reliable, and non-partisan newsletter that curates and distributes news about universal broadband, while connecting communications, democracy, and public interest issues. Even before the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Kevin recognized the need to nurture the conversation around broadband access, adoption, and use.
Jim Kohlenberger, a longtime Benton Board member who helped shape the Telecommunications Act of ‘96 as part of the Clinton White House, says about Kevin's vision and Headlines:
“When Kevin started at the Benton Institute 30 years ago, AOL still played ‘You’ve got mail,’ the Internet was still ‘dialed up,’ and only 14 percent of the country had access to it. Cell phones had no way to text, and proposals to connect every school, library, and clinic to the internet were still just ideas that lived in State of the Union addresses. In fact, at a time when just two percent of Americans had screaming fast 28.8 dial-up modems, even the idea that you could actually use the internet to inform policy and policymakers was a brand-new idea that Kevin and Benton helped pioneer by creating a daily e-mail of 'headlines.' And since then, across previously unthinkable technological advances––and a multitude of essential policy debates––he has remained a constant, and the impact of his words and wisdom has only grown. His words mattered then, and his words matter even more today.”
As Andrew Butcher, President of Maine Connectivity Authority, puts it, “He serves as an important part of my day-to-day life. When my children get dressed for school, I get a sacred 5 minutes alone to learn important stuff, all compliments to Kevin.”
Through Headlines, Kevin has helped to break major news stories on communications policy and digital equity initiatives. Whether it is digesting and analyzing a groundbreaking federal law or taking an in-depth look at a decades-old digital navigator program run by a local library, Kevin has written powerful stories “to humanize communications policy and help people understand its impact on their everyday lives,” said Adrianne B. Furniss, Senior Fellow at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.
But Headlines is only part of the story (pun intended because our Executive Editor has not reviewed this article). As Benton’s Executive Editor, Kevin works with staff and outside contributors to collect and develop a wealth of policy analysis and research spanning a wide range of topics. Kevin writes or edits the Weekly Digest and Digital Beat, which recap the biggest (or most-overlooked) communications stories of the week in an understandable, reader-friendly way—perfect for catching up on fast-moving, communications policy debates—whether they be a summation of a Congressional hearing, a broadband bill, or a background piece on a federal policymaker. It’s not uncommon for us to hear from government officials and public advocates alike that Kevin’s work helps them better do their jobs.
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, Benton Institute Senior Counselor, says about Kevin:
"Headlines has a national audience, but it has become especially important in Washington, D.C. Private sector and public interest advocates alike rely upon its rigorous and comprehensive coverage. When I identify my association with Benton, it is commonplace for people to smile and say how much they value Headlines’ daily updates. I am often told that it is more useful than expensive trade press publications."
Kevin tackles these subjects with a recognizable, consistent voice that assures readers they are being given the information they need to do their research, advocate for their communities, or develop policies or programs of their own.
A trusted editor hones the ideas of staff and contributing writers and suggests how stories can be made more accessible. In his time at the Benton Institute, Kevin has brought countless reports, op-eds, and stories to life and recognized and raised the profiles of other writers in the field. He established the Benton Institute as a place where members of the community come to publish opinion pieces, analysis, and original research. It takes an open mind and discipline to maintain such a respectable resource, and Kevin does this with ease.
In the words of John Windhausen, President of Telepoly and Former Executive Director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB):
“Kevin’s ability to collate so much information on a daily basis is masterful. I remember Charles Benton saying to me, ‘I don't know how Kevin does it, but I'm sure glad he does it for us.’ Kevin combines amazing attention to detail with insightful humor, which was particularly evident when he reviewed and edited all 10 articles of SHLB's Broadband Action Plan, published by Benton for SHLB in 2016. On our SHLB calls, I always looked to Kevin to verify any legislative language and welcomed his kind corrections when I wandered astray. I hope he can continue to serve the public interest for another 30 years.”
Driving the Conversation on Broadband
Kevin’s editorial leadership helps to shape the larger conversation on broadband and make the case for significant, sustained investment and effort in broadband.
In 2020, the Benton Institute published Broadband for America Now, which laid out the need for a national, comprehensive broadband strategy and a plan that ensures that everyone in America can use High-Performance Broadband as soon as possible. The principles articulated in this publication––honed in style and substance by Kevin––included an emphasis on digital equity, the role of Community Anchor Institutions, and the need for state and local leadership, all of which came to be reflected in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021.
Jonathan Sallet, the author of the report, recognized how Kevin’s “continuing insights in both the substance of policy and the style of effective writing” helped make the work possible.
Advocating for Affordable Broadband
Kevin guides and contributes to the Benton Institute’s policy priorities and initiatives, in particular, the need for affordable broadband. Kevin understands that affordability is the main barrier to getting people online and keeping them online, and has emphasized for his readers the individual and societal costs of not having access to broadband service.
Kevin helps translate research to make this case, in particular through his work with Benton Senior Fellow John Horrigan, PhD. Horrigan credits Kevin for his precision and knowledge of the landscape in amplifying the impact of his work. “Kevin has been especially helpful when it comes to my work on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)," he says. "He encouraged that the work be done and pushed its dissemination to the right places…his sharp editor's eye and policy smarts improved the clarity of the work immensely.”
The Benton Institute remains a steadfast supporter of Universal Service Fund programs, such as Lifeline, and closely tracks the rollout, impact, and benefits of the Federal Communications Commission’s ACP. Kevin’s focus on affordability through research and reporting offers crucial support to our allies advocating for ensuring that cost does not bar people from the benefits of connectivity.
Olivia Wein, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, describes Kevin’s work as the “connective tissue for our advocacy work on affordable broadband.” And Angie Kronenberg, President and CEO of Sligo Solutions, recognizes that what Kevin publishes is only part of his impact on policy:
“Kevin has been an integral part of our tech and telecom world for three decades, and his influence on the stories we read is just one small part of his overall impact. His efforts to achieve more affordable broadband connectivity for all, and his relentless focus on assisting our large coalition to success, also must be acknowledged, appreciated and duly praised. It takes many people from numerous organizations coordinating and coalescing, and Kevin's contributions to our successes are immeasurable.”
Championing Accountability Along With Investment
The federal broadband funding in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is the largest national investment in history, with $65 billion going to broadband infrastructure, affordability, and digital equity. From the early development of the Infrastructure Act to the ongoing execution of its programs, Kevin has served as a guide and accountability partner to all the stakeholders working to bring broadband to all. He kept state broadband offices informed as they developed their broadband and digital equity plans, and, once they were completed, he tracked and evaluated their successes and challenges.
Since 2021, Kevin and the writing staff he leads have produced a wealth of reporting and research on the IIJA’s programs. Kevin oversees and executes reporting on:
- The states’ Broadband, Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program plans, and specifically their affordability plans;
- All fifty-six state and territory Digital Equity Plans; and
- State and local initiatives spurred by federal broadband investments.
With his understanding of the complex climate of broadband funding and efforts in the U.S., Kevin makes it easy for people in the telecommunications field to follow federal funding investments and monitor their progress over time.
Kevin’s unique role as a “tracker” of federal programs is instrumental in promoting transparency and accountability. In so many cases where the measurement of federal programs’ progress and effectiveness may be challenging, Kevin “has helped readers understand the steps taken, milestones met (or not met), and outcomes of broadband funding programs, providing an invaluable service to the public interest community,” said Joanne Hovis, President of CTC Technology and Energy, and Benton Institute board member.
IYKYK: Kevin Taglang
Kevin’s work brings attention and representation to all kinds of communities. He sheds light on the urban digital divide, rural broadband initiatives, digital discrimination issues, broadband champions of all sorts, and the human infrastructure of broadband nationwide.
But his impact behind the scenes is even greater. He is a resource to many, bringing facts, context, nuance, and history to any conversation about broadband. Our Encyclopedia Broadband is also as generous and supportive as he is knowledgeable. He invests his time and expertise in mentoring those of us at Benton and many others across the field.
Amy Huffman, Policy Director at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), puts it best:
“Long before I met Kevin, I was among the many daily Headlines readers who admired his masterful summaries and analysis of the latest digital equity and broadband news, policies, and national trends. Soon after joining NDIA, I got to know Kevin through a million Zoom meetings and coalition calls. I was a little starstruck, yet Kevin was so kind, thoughtful, and patient—always taking the time to answer my questions, offering insightful and prescient commentary, and being very supportive of NDIA's work. I still feel incredibly honored and humbled to consider one of our industry's great thinkers and writers not just a colleague, but also a friend.”
And to take the opportunity to use some first person (since Kevin, of course, didn’t get to review my article this time), it is easy to say that I would not be the writer I am without the lessons I have learned from working with Kevin. He shows me how to ask the right questions and how to tirelessly search for answers. Above all, he exemplifies selfless dedication to our community and a commitment to striving towards the public good.
Jim Kohlenberger calls Kevin “one of the most read––but least seen––policy influencers in DC.” Today, we honor Kevin by making sure he is not only read––but also recognized.
Grace Tepper is Senior Writing Associate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.
The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.
© Benton Institute for Broadband & Society 2025. Redistribution of this email publication - both internally and externally - is encouraged if it includes this copyright statement.
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Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
1041 Ridge Rd, Unit 214
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-220-4531
headlines AT benton DOT org
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