In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by Karl Bode and Sean Gonsalves to unpack three major broadband stories shaping the moment: 

California’s new law giving tenants the right to opt out of monopolistic bulk billing deals, Comcast’s latest play to cozy up to Washington power, and how the federal “benefit of the bargain” shift is gutting BEAD and funneling billions toward Starlink. 

The trio discusses how these developments expose deeper issues of corruption, enforcement, and the growing divide between corporate priorities and community broadband needs.

This show is 28 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris and ILSR’s Jordan Pittman sit down for a candid, post-retreat conversation about what comes after the BEAD program.

They dig into the gaps left behind by federal broadband mapping, why millions of Americans will still be unconnected or unable to afford service, and how short-term policymaking risks leaving rural communities behind.

The pair also unpack the challenges with Starlink’s limitations, the false promise of corporate “efficiency,” and why public investment—and accountability—remain key to real digital equity.

This show is 39 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by Mike Masnick, founder and editor of Techdirt, for a wide-ranging conversation about the Internet’s past, present, and uncertain future.

They dive into the origins and misunderstood purpose of Section 230, the bipartisan push to reform it, and how most proposed “fixes” could actually make the Internet worse—especially for smaller platforms and individual users.

Along the way, Mike and Chris discuss government overreach, misinformation, and why protecting free expression online means accepting complexity over easy answers.

This show is 35 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by freelance journalist Karl Bode and ILSR’s Jordan Pittman for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of the Internet. 

They dig into the dangers of government overreach on free expression, the precarious role of Section 230, and how media consolidation threatens independent journalism. 

The group also unpacks the rise of “AI slop” — low-quality, automated content flooding our feeds — and what it means for media literacy, democracy, and the way younger generations navigate the online world.

This episode was recorded on September 22nd when Jimmy Kimmel Live! was still suspended by ABC

This show is 31 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris reconnects with Jonathan Chambers from Conexon to unpack the past, present, and future of federal broadband policy. 

They revisit the lessons of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), the wave of defaults that followed, and why definitions of “broadband” have so often favored weaker technologies over fiber.

Jonathan shares insights on the BEAD program, the risks of funneling funds to satellite providers, and how policy choices today will shape whether rural communities thrive or wither tomorrow.

Despite frustrations, he ends with a call for evidence-based decisions and hope that local voices can still steer broadband investment where it’s needed most.

This show is 48 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined by Sarah Morris, Managing Director of Technology at Waxman Strategies and former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at NTIA.

Sarah offers an insider’s perspective on the BEAD program, reflecting on her time helping design and launch the $42.5 billion initiative to close the digital divide.

Together, they unpack the Trump administration’s recent push to steer more households toward satellite service, what it means for state-led broadband planning, and the risks of undermining Congress’s original vision for BEAD.

The conversation also dives into the importance of non-deployment funds, why state-driven processes matter, and how to keep accountability and community needs at the center of federal broadband policy.

This show is 41 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Scott Goff of Gibson Connect, a subsidiary of Gibson Electric in Tennessee. 

They explore how the electric co-op’s long-standing community trust helped launch a successful fiber network, bringing reliable, affordable Internet to areas that had long been unserved or underserved. 

Scott shares stories of rural residents experiencing broadband for the first time, the challenges of state restrictions, and how Gibson Connect balances growth with a cooperative, member-first philosophy.

This show is 26 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Sascha Meinrath returns to unpack the mythology surrounding Starlink and similar “miracle” broadband solutions. 

He and the CBN team (Chris, Sean, and Ry) dive into how overhyping space-based Internet distracts from building reliable, ground-up infrastructure that communities actually need. 

From confusing speed metrics to misleading policy narratives, they explore how Starlink has become a tech mirage—promising abundance while leaving many still unconnected.

This show is 49 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris is joined again by Sascha Meinrath, Palmer Chair of Telecommunications at Penn State, for a wide-ranging, discussion about the book Abundance by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein—and what it gets wrong about broadband and public policy. 

They dive into the historical failures of corporatist infrastructure models, the rise of regulatory complexity that benefits incumbents, and the dangers of framing government as the problem instead of part of the solution. 

From the Kingsbury Commitment to BEAD to trickle-down tech policy, Chris and Sascha explore why bold, community-centered visions of abundance are necessary to deliver real digital equity and structural change.

This show is 39 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean dive into three key issues shaping the broadband landscape. 

First, they celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Universal Service Fund and explain why it matters for schools, libraries, and low-income communities. 

Then, they take aim at corporate “sludge”—the deliberate barriers big companies use to frustrate customers—and how it reveals the importance of local broadband options. 

Finally, they unpack a promising new lawsuit filed by 21 states and D.C. challenging the Trump administration’s move to cancel Digital Equity Act grants, pushing back to defend federal broadband funding.

Click here to check out the Atlantic story discussing Customer Service and "Sludge".

Click here for more information about the lawsuit filed by 21 states and D.C. challenging the Trump administration’s move to cancel Digital Equity Act grants.

This show is 33 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license