1. Subject: (Article Idea) Detroit Children Left Behind In The Digital Age
Editor Name: Keith Owens
Hello Keith Owens,
I am a huge fan of your newspaper, Michigan Chronicle. You have helped the black
community start conversations on controversial issues that African Americans face on a
daily basis. I have a great idea for an article for your future releases.
In conjunction with “Internet Day” on October 29th, local mentors from The Chauncy
Glover Project are raising awareness of the disparity of homes in Detroit without the
access to the Internet, as well as steps to solving this problem.
Detroit ranks low with 56.9 percent of households lacking physical broadband
subscription. This category covers residences without any Internet access, homes that
have Internet access without a subscription, homes with mobile broadband only and
homes with dial-up access only.
With the lack of access to the Internet there will continue to be an education divide which
is also linked to many people of color in the urban communities and their lack of income.
The Chauncy Glover Project provides all the students in their program with a free iPad, to
help foster their education and to open their world to all the communication networks.
Here is an example of tips, trends, and topics they can speak to:
 Functional disadvantages of not having access to the Internet- Many teachers
assume that students have access to the internet when they get home, but many
are being left behind
 Solutions to help close the digital divide- We can do more to increase the
availability of Wi-Fi. There are programs for some, including Comcast Internet
Essentials where if you have a child in school that qualifies for the National
School Lunch Program a household can get a decent connection for $9.95 a
month
The Chauncy Glover Project helps at risk teenage boys beat the odds. Our mentors help
empower, encourage, and inspire young men to become strong, moral and confident
leaders in society. We have first hand stories of how families struggle to give their
children the necessities of life, but there not as accessible in their situations.
Do you think this article idea would be considered by your publication?
Thank you for your time and your expert opinion on this topic.
Kind regards,
Gabriel Norwood

2. To: Chauncy Glover
From: Gabriel Norwood
Date: October 1, 2015
Subject: Interview with Keith Owens Editor of Michigan Chronicle
This is to confirm your in person interview on Monday, October 5 at 10:30 a.m. with
Keith Owens, editor for the Michigan Chronicle. I will be on site to greet Keith and help
facilitate the interview.
Keith is interested in writing about Detroit’s Internet gap and The Chauncy Glover
Project. Specifically, he said he was interested in the functional day-to-day disadvantages
of not having access to the Internet in the homes.
For consistency, you may want to focus on personal anecdotes from the students in the
Chauncy Glover Project and relying on statistics to drive the point home.
1. When school lets out how are students able to gain access to the Internet
To gain access to the Internet students will walk by blocks with liquor stores, small
supermarkets, and the occasional drug dealers on corners, just get to a place where
you can do research and homework and there be a time limit on the computer. Many
times after the libraries close, students stay close to the library or inside a fast food
restaurant booth to get a signal. Insightful anecdotes to the struggles of being able to
connect to the Internet
2. Why urban areas have a problem getting connected
Many families live in urban blighted neighborhoods, unable to afford a computer or
laptop, let alone the Internet service. Being disconnected isn’t just a function of being
poor. It is a reason why some people stay poor. The Internet has become a essential
platform for job hunting and furthering your education. Families without access are
finding the basic tools to escape poverty are increasingly out of reach.
3. Statistics to help foster last point
About 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies -- including Target and Walmart -- only
accept job applications online. High school students who have broadband Internet at
home have graduation rates 6 to 8 percentage points higher than a student who don’t,
says a 2008 study by the Federal Reserve.
4. What is the biggest factor why families don’t have Internet service

3. Many surveys cite the most common factor to why there is no Internet service in the
home is because of cost. A lack of competition among Internet providers keeps prices
high and is the main reason why low-income families can’t afford it.
5. Alarming numbers to how the digital divide is expanding
Roughly seven in 10 teachers assign homework that requires access to broadband.
Data, at the Federal Communications Commission, suggests that as many as 1 in 3
households do not subscribe to broadband service at any speed. In Detroit, the
numbers are even more troubling; seven in 10 students have no way to get online at
home. It's basic arithmetic: For too many students, these numbers don't add up.
Where they overlap is what I call the "homework gap."
6. What Chauncy Glover Project is doing to help
All of our students in the Chauncy Glover Project all get provided with an iPad mini
when they join the program. Not only do a lot of families not have access to the
Internet, but they don’t have access to an electronic device as well. We want to help
our students and give them the best tools to succeed…
You should already have the tips for media interviews and the media advisory. So to
additionally help you prepare, below we’ve included some background information on
the publication and a recent article she has written so that you can get a better sense of
her writing style.
If you have any questions prior to the interview, please contact me at 248-469-5666.
Otherwise, I will see you at your office on Monday morning.
Thank you!
Publication Background
The Michigan Chronicle is a weekly newspaper based in Detroit, Michigan, serving
the African-American community. It was founded in 1936 by John H. Sengstacke,
owner of the Chicago Defender. Together with the Defender and a handful of other
African-American newspapers, it is owned by Detroit-based Real Times Inc. Its
headquarters are in the Real Times offices in Midtown Detroit.
(Please see article attached)