Public News Service Piece on ‘Middle of Nowhere’ Social Action Campaign

Film Fights Prison Phone Price-Gouging

In the new movie Middle of Nowhere, a wrenching story unfolds amid the hardships endured by those outside as they try to support loved ones behind bars. One such burden is the cost of phone calls, jacked up by prison telephone service contracts. The film’s director, Ava DuVernay, says those costs are the result of monopolies that benefit phone companies and state governments.

“To further victimize folks with these exorbitant phone rates that have so many ripple effects for the community is just not right.”

Members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently saw an advance screening of the film, arranged by advocates who have been trying for more than 12 years to get the FCC to step in and cap the cost of interstate calls from prison. They say they are encouraged that the commissioners may be finally starting to listen.