The Disconnect is a 5-episode narrative podcast about digital access and inclusion in Baltimore City.
In 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey published a ranking of U.S. cities and their populations access to household internet connections. Out of 296 cities that were surveyed, Baltimore was ranked 261. This same source estimated 74,116 households in Baltimore have no internet access.
In 2017, the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation and Media Democracy Fund commissioned a report called Digital Access and Equity in Baltimore City. The Disconnect uses the report as a starting point to explore subjects such as: the history of household internet, Baltimore City’s digital infrastructure, computer and internet access in Baltimore City public schools, adult literacy and education, and some of the local initiatives working to expand access to the internet.
The series was produced by The Rise of Charm City team for the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation. I was co-producer and audio editor.
Listen here