Telecommunity Conference Public TV and Universal Access: Bringing Home the Electronic Highway On November 4 and 5, 1993, the Lyndon B. Johnson Library, the LBJ Sch= ool of Public Affairs, the Public Broadcasting System, and the Allian= ce for Public Technology will hold a telecommunity conference to asse= ss the past and future of public electronic media. Thursday, November 4, will begin with a retrospective celebrating 25 = years of public television. Panelists, who will critically assess t= he contribution of PBS to education and to conveying public culture i= nclude Douglass Cater, aide to President Johnson; Shari Lewis, produc= er of children's programming; and Roger Resenblatt, Time Magazine and= McNeil/Lehrer News Hour. Thursday afternoon will focus on the potential of the new electronic = superhighway if its services were available in people's homes. Pane= lists will discuss present demonstration projects and future possibil= ities in the areas of health, jobs, and education. A final speaker = will discuss electronic curb cuts=D1that is, the ways in which effort= s to assist the disabled will assist us all. Friday will be devoted to a summit on telecommunications policy. Thr= ee panels including representatives from a variety of telecommunicati= ons media, consumers, and government will discuss the following quest= ions:=20 1. From Highway to Home. Can we reasonably adopt a national goal of= broadband sevices in the home? If yes, within what time? Will the= re be more than one or only one network? What will be the nature of = the "last mile;" that is, the portion of the network from the curb in= to the home? 2. Can We Live by Entertainment Alone? Does the present regulatory = framework promote reaching the goal of broadband to the home? What s= hould constitute universal service in the 21st century? Are there inc= entives for creating health, education, and other public services on = the network? Will such public services emerge from an unregulated, co= mpetitive information industry? 3. Who Pays for the Highway and Who Benefits? How do we ensure affor= dable access to the network for all? What role, if any, should govern= ment play in ensuring universal service? Is there any place for reg= ulation? If so, what kind? The conference is free and open to the public. It will be held at t= he LBJ Library in Austin, Texas. People who would like to obtain fur= ther information about hotels or the conference may request a brochur= e from Barbara Biffle, Lyndon B. Johnson Library, 2313 Red River Stre= et, Austin, Texas 78705. 512-482-5137. More detailed substantive q= uestions may be addressed to Susan G. Hadden. Internet [log in to unmask] c.utexas.edu. Attached is a more complete program and an issues pa= per.