As News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch tries to minimize the phone-hacking scandal that has led to several arrests and snared British officials and police in a web of unethical and possibly criminal behavior, U.S. public interest groups and some members of Congress are seizing the opportunity to call attention to the dangers of too much media in too few powerful hands. And a “broadband underclass” is developing in America as some populations soar with the fastest broadband connections available and others plod along with slow or no connections at all.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation wins three victories in new exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. And Twin Cities Community Voice Mail offers cell phones and service to the homeless population of St. Paul, Minn.

The cell phone industry not only engages in price-gouging, but its anti-competitive practices have left the United States wireless industry lagging behind the rest of the world. And university scholars, city and state government, and private enterprise are working to bridge the digital divide in Chicago.

In North Carolina, nearly 5 million people are without a broadband connection. Hundreds will meet in Durham for a town hall meeting on the future of the Internet. Megan Tady of Free Press recently spoke to people across the state about the importance of Internet access.

From the best of Media Minutes: President and CEO of Clergy Strategic Alliances Rev. Romal Tune brought his message of collaboration and unity to the National Conference for Media Reform in Minneapolis. And guest commentator Megan Tady wants our new president to address the digital divide.

The FCC is tackling the thorny issue of cable program carriage. On December’s open meeting agenda: the complaint process for programmers and wholesale unbundling. And with 40 percent of all U.S. homes still not connected to high-speed Internet, millions of young people are left with few opportunities to succeed in school and beyond.

Why do the corporate media have a lock on all new channels that will emerge from the digital TV conversion? And a new Massachusetts law promises to bring broadband to the entire state.