Community Broadband Bits Podcast

Community Broadband Bits is a weekly audio show hosted by Community Broadband Networks Initiative Director Christopher Mitchell featuring interviews with people building community networks or otherwise involved with Internet policy. You can listen to episodes below or download via Apple, Google, or Spotify. Alternatively if you know what to do with it, copy the feed here.

We also produce a semi-regular video show called Connect This! that has its own site. Find other podcasts from ILSR here.

We also have an index of all episodes and links to transcripts. Keep up with new developments by subscribing to our one-email-per-week list sharing new stories and resources. We’d love to hear your feedback! Email us.

Speed Tests and Why BEAD Keeps Getting Messier - Episode 665 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Doug Dawson joins Chris to break down the latest shakeups in broadband policy, from ISPs gaming the data to NTIA’s controversial BEAD changes and what it all means for communities trying to connect.

Follow the Money: Comcast, Starlink, and the BEAD Backslide - Episode 664 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Chris Mitchell, Karl Bode, and Sean Gonsalves break down the politics, corruption, and power plays shaping the broadband landscape—and what it all means for communities fighting for real Internet choice

After BEAD: The Future of Broadband and Accountability - Episode 663 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Chris Mitchell and Jordan Pittman dig into what federal broadband funding missed, why affordability still looms as the biggest barrier, and how communities can keep pushing for real accountability and digital equity.

Don’t Break the Internet - Episode 662 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Mike Masnick of Techdirt joins us to unpack the myths around Section 230, how reform efforts could backfire, and why protecting free speech online requires more nuance than most policymakers are willing to give.

Free Speech, AI Slop, and Media Power - Episode 661 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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In this episode of the podcast, Chris speaks with Karl Bode and Jordan Pittman to dig into free speech, media consolidation, and the flood of low-quality “AI slop” shaping how we experience the Internet today.

How Rural America Gets Left Behind - Episode 660 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Jonathan Chambers joins us to talk fiber, satellites, and the messy truth of federal broadband policy—and why evidence, not politics, should drive how we connect rural America.

How Federal Changes Could Derail BEAD - Episode 659 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Sarah Morris joins us to talk about the Trump administration’s push toward satellite, what it means for states on the frontlines, and why Congress’s original vision for closing the digital divide is at risk.

Gibson Connect's Rural Cooperative Model - Episode 658 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Scott Goff of Gibson Connect joins the show to share how an electric co-op in Tennessee is transforming rural communities with reliable, affordable fiber broadband. He and Chris discuss overcoming state barriers, building trust, and why community-first models are key to closing the digital divide

Sky High Promises: The Limits of Starlink - Episode 657 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Sascha Meinrath returns to break down what Starlink gets right—and wrong—about solving the digital divide. He and the CBN Team take a hard look at the hype, the reality, and why magic-bullet solutions often distract from real, community-driven infrastructure.

Abundance for Whom? - Episode 656 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

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Sascha Meinrath returns for a wide-ranging conversation on "Abundance" and what it gets right and wrong about broadband and public policy. He and Chris unpack the dangers of corporate-led infrastructure and why real abundance must center the public good.