Is Your Community a Healthy Information Community?

Posted by KnightComm on Feb 24, 2010 in Spotlight

No one has developed a system for scientifically measuring the quality of a local community’s information environment although, following the release of the Knight Commission report, efforts to do so are now underway. But communities can begin to take stock of their information environments by considering the following eight features that the Knight Commission report stresses as elements of a healthy information community. To what extent are these features present in your own community and where is there room for improvement? What other features are important for a healthy, informed community?

Read through this checklist, then tell us about the information health of your community. What measures has your community taken that are particularly useful and worthy of adapting in other communities? Share your ideas in the Comments section below.

1. A majority of government information and services online, accessible through a central and easy to use portal

Driver license and vehicle registration information
Tax information
Social services
Contact information for government officials

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2. A local government with a committed policy on transparency

Are documents publicly available and understandable?
Are they easy to obtain and promptly released under appropriate freedom of information laws?
Is government operating in the sunshine?

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3. Quality journalism through local newspapers, local television and radio stations, and online sources

Are they economically healthy and robust, providing high quality civic information as well as life-supporting information?
Is there a diversity of viewpoints and competitive choice?

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4. Citizens with effective opportunities to have their voices heard and to affect public policy

Are there civic organizations prepared to transform information into active civic engagement and public policy engagement?
Is there opportunity for public comment on proposed policies and expenditures?
Are there online channels for expressing views and concerns?
Does the community have regular summits and town meetings to inform and engage the community in civic issues?

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5. A vibrant public library, or other public center for information that provides digital resources and professional assistance

Does the community have public spaces available to all that provide easy access to Internet content as well as traditional sources material, such as newspapers, periodicals and books?

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6. Ready access to information that enhances quality of life, including information provided by trusted intermediary organizations in the community on a variety of subjects:

Health
Education resources
Employment
Social services
Public transit
Emergency services
Arts and Entertainment

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7. Local schools have computer and high-speed Internet access, as well as curricula that support digital and media literacy

Are kids trained to use the modern digital tools to learn, to produce content, and to coordinate and organize activity? This is digital literacy.
Are kids trained to question the validity of online material, develop a critical eye, perceive and protect themselves from dangerous situations, and appreciate the dictates of journalistic integrity? This is media literacy.

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8. High-speed Internet is available to all citizens

Does local and state government promote development of and access to a telecommunications infrastructure that gives easy and affordable access to services and information found primarily on-line or digitally?
Are these services, including high speed Internet access, available in the home, in schools and in other public institutions?
Are there choices of service providers?
Wireless and wireline communications and Internet services are valuable and offer different experiences. Are both available?
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