Yonder Radio Special Report – Power Dynamics: The Rural Data Center Boom

Two-thirds of new U.S. data centers will be built in rural areas, according to the Pew Research Center, yet rural communities have not seen the economic benefits of AI. Yonder Radio's first special report, 'Power Dynamics: The Rural Data Center Boom,' examines the competing visions for land, water, and energy resources as data centers expand, featuring rural economist Michael J. Hicks and grassroots organizer Saul Levin.

Yonder Radio’s first-ever special report is called Power Dynamics: The Rural Data Center Boom. We’re digging into how different kinds of power – from literal computing power to political and economic power – shape data center development in rural America. Two-thirds of new data centers are going to be built in rural places, according to the Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/04/13/most-new-data-centers-in-the-us-are-coming-to-rural-areas/?cb viewport=table . That puts rural communities at the forefront of a nationwide scramble to build the physical infrastructure powering AI. Still, as the U.S. economy embraces AI, rural America has yet to feel the technology’s economic windfall. Instead, many communities are grappling with competing visions for the future of their land, water, and energy resources, as data centers crop up to supply growing AI demand. Over the past year, the Daily Yonder has reported on the rural data center rush https://dailyyonder.com/tag/data-centers/ in nearly every region. What has emerged is a story not only of what gets built, and where, but also of who gets to decide. We start with the geography of the data center boom, and then move on to data centers’ power, land, and water needs. We continue with rural economist Michael J. Hicks, who analyzes the expectations versus reality of data centers’ promised economic development. Then, grassroots organizer Saul Levin breaks down the growing opposition to data centers, and attorneys from the Southern Environmental Law Center talk about how developers can work alongside – rather than against – communities’ best interests. This special report covers the power needs, the power playbook and the people power. You can find more about Power Dynamics: The Rural Data Center Boom and read our coverage on data centers here https://dailyyonder.com/power-dynamics/ . Yonder Radio is available across all digital platforms, and on air with partner radio stations around the country. If you’re a station interested in broadcasting Yonder Radio, sign up below or get in contact with the team at joel@ruralstrategies.org mailto:info@yonderradio.com . Join our Network If you want to broadcast or publish Yonder Radio, sign up here to be the first to know when the show goes live. If you have questions, you can also reach our team at info@yonderradio.com. More Information About Yonder Radio What? Yonder Radio is a new, free, hour-long show that is fresh every week and designed to help fill programming gaps. We’ll feature nuanced stories that represent the 60 million people who live in rural America, and the distinct communities they call home. Each week will start with a news round-up: think of this as the top headlines read through a rural lens. For instance, how does a government shutdown affect federal workers living in rural communities? Or, what do changes in Medicare policy mean for small town hospitals? We’ll also talk with reporters for in-depth but conversational segments going beyond the headlines, exploring their coverage on topics shaping rural communities. We’ll highlight how these stories unfold across different regions, offering local nuance with a broader perspective. Yonder Radio is not just news. It’s also a show focused on rural lives and livelihoods. That means weekly human-interest stories, hearing from hunters, farmers, gardeners, and shopkeepers; conversations with artists supporting and reimagining traditions; performances by regional musicians; and vibrant analysis of rural representation in pop culture. Add in a round of engaging trivia, and you’ve got a show that’s as rich and varied as the places it comes from. Why? Public media just took a $1.1 billion hit, thanks to recent Congressional cuts, and as we’ve all seen, it’s rural broadcasters that bear the brunt. And even before these cuts, the rural communities we all cover have felt the consequences of a media landscape transformed by conglomerates, consolidation, and the declining resources available to local outlets. Yonder Radio is designed to fill programming gaps for those stations struggling to find quality content. It will be formatted to fit stations’ needs with internal breaks built in. The show gives stations an accessible, flexible, high-quality hour of content every week. Who? Yonder Radio is produced by the Center for Rural Strategies, publisher of the Daily Yonder. Centering rural stories with nuance, context, and care has made the Daily Yonder the nation’s preeminent source for rural news for nearly two decades. Rural Strategies’ additional programs, including Rural Assembly, Rural Faith Initiative, and Living Traditions, will provide enriching voices and stories to this collaborative radio show. Yonder Radio is hosted by Jared Ewy, a veteran radio personality and regular contributor to the Daily Yonder.