Benton Foundation Accepts The Dirk Koning-George Stoney Award

Personally, as you can imagine, and for all of us at the Benton Foundation, 2015 has been a rough year. But the outpouring of love and support we’ve received from all corners has been amazing. Charles Benton would have been so thrilled to realize how many lives he touched and impacted. And I am so honored to be here with you all to accept The Dirk Koning – George Stoney Award. I am not sure that Charles knew Dirk Koning, but reading Chuck Peterson’s online remembrances, they were birds of a feather. They shared a common Southwest heritage, they embraced bolo ties, they treasured the paradox of loving and hating technology, and they lived comfortably in their own skins, being paid to pretty much be themselves. But Charles was a longtime friend of George Stoney, the father of public access television. In fact, Charles introduced me to Stoney when I moved to New York City right after college in the late seventies. They shared a vision of film as a tool for voiceless people. They shared a belief that documentary film, teamed with public access TV, would help enable community building.

Today I’m here to say that the key community communications issue of 2015, and for Benton Foundation, is the preservation and expansion of the FCC’s Lifeline program to bring broadband service to low income families. If we are working to include everyone in our democracy, in our debates about where our communities are going, then we need everyone online. We need everyone’s voice or else critical populations will be left out. We must make use of all policymakers’ tools to ensure that modern communications are available and affordable for all. I accept this award in Charles’ name, but in the foundation’s, too. Our missions remained aligned, our goals the same. I look forward to continuing our work together – and reaching our shared goal of enhancing American democracy.