FASTER Arkansas Launches TV Buy (UPDATED)

A group wanting Gov. Mike Beebe to call a special session to change a state law to allow for K-12 access to a high-speed Internet network is launching a television media buy and social media campaign to influence public opinion.

FASTER Arkansas says it will begin airing a 60-second commercial this evening to spread its message.

“Ask your legislator to do the right thing and update state law to give our kids the tools they need to compete for the jobs of the future,” a narrator in the ad says.

FASTER Arkansas is a working group formed by Gov. Beebe after education policymakers suggested that most Arkansas schools did not have adequate broadband capabilities to participate in online Common Core testing or to take advantage of the internet for instructional purposes. Broadband industry leaders contend that sufficient internet service does exist to meet the needs of school leaders.

FASTER Arkansas is comprised of business leaders calling for the state’s public schools to connect to a university-based high-speed network called ARE-ON, a high-speed fiber optics network connecting Arkansas public colleges and universities, health care providers and others. Public schools are not allowed to connect to ARE-ON under Act 1050 of 2011.

“A single sentence in Arkansas law prevents a taxpayer-funded infrastructure, ARE-ON, from being an option that could help make sure all Arkansas children receive a 21st century education. The time to change the law is now.” Elsa Becker spokesperson for FASTER Arkansas said.

The ad, which you can view below, calls on viewers to contact legislators to change the 2011 law.

“The Faster campaign’s massive advertising buy is premature and misleading. Faster Arkansas is jumping the gun on our legislature while they currently assess broadband needs throughout the state,” said Jordan Johnson, spokesperson for the Arkansas Broadband for Kids Coalition, which represents some of the largest broadband providers in Arkansas.

ABKC has taken issue with state reports that suggest broadband service doesn’t exist or is inadequate in parts of the state. The group says many schools do have the service they need but have not done a good job communicating their capacity needs.

UPDATE: Johnson’s group also kicked out a press release late Sunday declaring that recent studies “performed on behalf of the Arkansas Governor’s office and Arkansas General Assembly” indicate Arkansas’s K-12 schools are saving 95.5% on their broadband purchases when dealing directly with private telecommunications providers.

The data, which it said is currently available on the Arkansas General Assembly’s website here and here, concluded that schools purchasing broadband from the state averaged paying $286 per Mbps.

“The same data revealed when the state was not involved in the purchase, schools paid an average of $13 per Mbps when procuring services directly through a competitive bid process of private providers,” the ABKC release said.

“There’s no question Arkansas schools save millions of dollars today when they purchase services directly from private providers,” said Johnson. “It’s interesting some continue to advocate government playing even a larger role in broadband going forward when we have yet to fully research the issue.”