FCC Introduces Crowd-Sourcing, Blog

"IdeaScale, the Federal Communications Commission's first "crowd-sourcing" platform, debuted last week at www.broadband.gov/ideascale. The site is part of the agency's effort to get more community input via online resources - with the initial focus on the National Broadband Plan. Other social media sites on Facebook and YouTube will be linked via the FCC's site: www.fcc.gov/connect. FCC officials say that the expanded online presence is part of the commitment to open government data to consumers as well as industry organizations. Chairman Julius Genechowski posted his first video blog last week, too, on the FCC's Blogband page, http://blog.broadband.gov/?page_id=185

In it, he said that the FCC needs "to find new ways to use new media" to perform its functions to communication, generate citizen participation and collect data. He echoed what is becoming a popular refrain: unleashing the power of entrepreneurs and innovation.