Off the Record: Journalists Need High Speed

Off the record: I have a need for speed.

So do many other folks these days. That's why, on Tuesday May 26th, Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick visited my small town to discuss an issue of great importance to independent journalists like me, home-based business people, and students: the need for speed.

Of course I'm referring to High Speed internet, which, believe it or not, is very difficult to access in rural communities like mine. The majority of households and businesses here run on dial-up!

Before the governor's arrival, I was interviewed by ABC, Springfield's Ray Hershel. Off the record: Hershel's coverage is succinct and clear. I'm very pleased with the report overall, as it highlights the most important aspects of the issue.

Of course, the part of my interview that was left on the cutting room floor was the part where I explain WHY I'm interviewing people via email. My first choice is always to interview people face-to-face. However, time and distance do not always permit this.

For example, when I interviewed the cutting-edge Indian artists, Thukral & Tagra, for Anokhi magazine, email was the only way. The magazine was not going to send me to India for the interview, and the time difference between locations made a phone conversation untenable. Hence, "Everyday Thukral & Tagra: a hot commodity" was the result of internet communication.

Off the record: if not for my Sprint broadband card, my job would be a lot more difficult.