The launch of Wisconsin Eye's new television channel on May 16, will grant residents across the state unlimited access to Wisconsin government in a format similar to C-SPAN.
Wisconsin Eye is a privately funded not-for-profit organization that aims to provide the public with complete coverage of the happenings in the State Capitol building. The organization began broadcasting live coverage of state government action in April of 2006 on its website.
In less than two weeks, Wisconsin Eye plans on unveiling a redesigned website and launching a cable channel devoted entirely to coverage of public affairs and state government.
President of Wisconsin Eye Christopher Long said the channel is very important to the citizens of Wisconsin.
""Think of us as a state-wide C-SPAN covering civic and community life and the action of government in Madison but also taking a look across the state at local communities and their issues as well.""
The organization is in the final stages of assembling its equipment and planning programming for the upcoming launch. Long said cameras and infrastructure have been installed throughout the Capitol and will eventually allow Wisconsin Eye to broadcast from the state Senate and Assembly chambers, from the governor's office, the committee hearing rooms, the state attorney general's office and the state Supreme Court chambers.
""The goal of Wisconsin Eye is to cover representative government and not only show those representatives in action, the governor and the lawmakers and the legislature, but also the people and communities that are being represented here. It's a two way process,"" Long said.
UW-Madison professor of Journalism James Hoyt said he is anticipating the project.
""It's a wonderful opportunity for the citizens of Wisconsin to get a first hand look of their government in action,"" he said. ""They will not be seeing digested, edited, summaries, headlines, etcetera, it will be showing the operation of the state agencies and state government in a very thorough way.""
All of the material broadcast on the Wisconsin Eye channel as well as the website will be archived and available for viewing 24 hours a day on the web, Long said.
""I think it's a very important function for the citizens and also the government,"" Hoyt said. ""Personally, I think a government that operates in the sunshine, under cameras aware that people are watching, operates much better than government isn't being closely scrutinized.""
Wisconsin Eye is still in the process of finalizing agreements for specific channels with the cable companies Charter and Time Warner, which provide services to 60 percent of Wisconsin. Channel station information will be provided with the launch of the new website and as agreements are made.
""It's not only about representative government, it's what's being represented. The whole idea is to show the kind of range of issues and communities that find common ground here in the Capitol and constitute Wisconsin,"" Long said. ""All that diversity and all those different people and communities is what the state is about.""
