Introduction In connection with the Federal Communications Commission's ("FCC") National Broadband Plan 2 and its ongoing Future of Media Project, 3 as well as other initiatives, we have studied how redesigned systems of digital public service media might serve the public's needs for information, communication, engagement, and meaningful narratives in the 21st century. This article is based on our comments to the Broadband Plan, which is currently being implemented. 4 The Federal Communications Commission's broadband workshops 5 and several recent reports have documented national deficits in both the communications infrastructure and the narrative content necessary to involve the entire population in democratic decision making or foster widespread economic and social flourishing. 6 Information gaps are especially wide in the areas of investigative journalism, effective teaching materials, and content directed to underserved, minority, and poor populations. 7 A number of these reports have called on digital public service media - building on, but also transcending, the legacy public broadcasting system - to help correct these deficits. Our research suggests that there are indeed opportunities to use digital public service media to drive broadband adoption and exploit broadband capacity for public purposes. But there are obstacles to doing so without significant restructuring of public service media systems. 8 In theory, and in the best traditions and highest aspirations of American communications policy, these networks can maximize the "social dividend" of broadband technology. 9 The potential is there and can be realized if public service media systems become ...