Creating the Illinois Channel

Interim Report

Terrence J. Martin

Barbara E. Ferrara

Institute for Public Affairs University of Illinois at Springfield

April 2001

This project was supported by funds provided by The Joyce Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. We gratefully acknowledge their support. “For 22 years, C-SPAN has allowed citizens throughout the nation to follow the debates in the U.S. House and Senate. We believe the citizens of Illinois deserve the same.”

Chancellor Emeritus Naomi B. Lynn University of Illinois at Springfield Chair, Illinois Channel Advisory Board

“It is crucial–if our democracy is to survive and be effective–that the people know what’s going on in government.”

Former Governor Jim Edgar Vice Chair, Illinois Channel Advisory Board

“I’m for informing citizens so we can make the kind of sensible decisions we should make in a democracy.”

Former U.S. Senator Paul Simon Vice Chair, Illinois Channel Advisory Board

ii The Illinois Channel

April 18, 2001

Just over one year ago, the Institute for Public Affairs of the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) received grants from the Joyce Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to study the requirements for establishing a statewide public affairs television channel. An advisory board, comprised of statewide leaders, was created to review and evaluate the study’s recommendations. We envisioned a channel that would televise the work of all three branches of Illinois state government, thereby making its activities more accessible to the average citizen, not just in Springfield but from Chicago to Cairo, and Quincy to Danville. Some referred to this proposed channel as a C-SPAN for Illinois. We have come to call it the “Illinois Channel.”

We began with specific goals in mind for the Illinois Channel:

P A channel dedicated to providing nonpartisan, gavel-to-gavel coverage of scheduled events.

P A channel that would free government officials from the abbreviated soundbite and headline format that often dominates current media coverage and limits a full discussion of complex public policy issues.

P A channel that would cover other interesting and worthwhile public affairs events around the state.

Today, halfway through our two-year study, we are presenting this interim report to the governor, the legislature and the public. It explains more comprehensively just how such a channel could be established, what it would cost and why it is needed.

As a result of our study’s preliminary research, we remain convinced that the Illinois Channel will bring coverage of state government into the information age of the 21st century. Nineteen other states already are providing televised gavel-to-gavel coverage of at least their legislature. Many cover all three branches. Other states, such as Wisconsin, soon will join their ranks.

Televising state government is not just a timely idea; it is a good idea both for officials and for citizens. Voters and taxpayers have a right to see their government in action, just as elected and appointed officials rely on informed public opinion to conduct public business. We continue to view this as a win-win proposition and invite your consideration and support of the Illinois Channel.

UIS Chancellor Emeritus Naomi B. Lynn, Chair Illinois Channel Planning Study Advisory Board

Former Governor Jim Edgar Former Senator Paul Simon Co-Vice Chair Co-Vice Chair

iii TABLE OF CONTENTS

Illinois Channel Planning Study Advisory Board...... vi

Executive Summary...... viii

Frequently Asked Questions ...... xii

Acknowledgments...... xvii

Introduction ...... 1

Need and Interest in the Illinois Channel ...... 3 Unfiltered, Unfettered Communication ...... 4 Depleted Capitol Bureaus ...... 5 Extending Knowledge of State Government ...... 7 Interest in the Illinois Channel...... 7 Statewide Survey Results...... 8 Town Hall Meetings ...... 8 Endnote: Florida Presidential Contest ...... 9

Programming on the Illinois Channel ...... 11 Significance of Gavel-to-Gavel Coverage...... 11 Editorial Decision Making...... 11 Program Policy Guidelines ...... 12 Legislative Coverage...... 13 Illinois House of Representatives Coverage ...... 14 Adding a fourth House camera ...... 15 Adopting camera protocols for legislative coverage...... 15 Copyright law to protect misuse of legislative video...... 16 Illinois Senate Coverage ...... 16 Committee Coverage ...... 16 Sample of Program Coverage in Pennsylvania ...... 17 Use of On-Air Graphics...... 17 Impact of TV Cameras on Legislative Debate...... 17 Televised Coverage and Legislative Grandstanding: The Experience of Washington State...... 19 Benefits to the Legislature of an Illinois C-SPAN...... 21 Illinois Supreme Court Coverage...... 21 Illinois Executive Branch Coverage...... 22 Public Affairs Coverage beyond State Government ...... 23 Bringing Government to the Classroom ...... 24 Published Program Schedules ...... 25 Video and Audio Archives...... 25 Television Coverage of State Government ...... 27

iv Distribution of the Illinois Channel ...... 29 Option One: Cable Distribution...... 29 Option Two: Internet Broadband Video Streaming ...... 30 A Major Advantage to Streaming Video...... 31 Building on the Illinois Century Network...... 31 Option Three: PBS Multi-Channel Distribution ...... 32 Option Four: Direct Broadcast Satellite ...... 33 Conclusions...... 34

Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget ...... 37 Funding a State Channel ...... 37 Development of the Operating Plan...... 38 Full Coverage Operating Plan ...... 39 Springfield Master Control ...... 39 Chicago Bureau...... 40 Covering the Rest of the State...... 40 Illinois Information Service...... 41 Satellite Truck ...... 41 Annual Operating Budget (Full Coverage) ...... 41 Intermediate Coverage Operating Plan ...... 43 Annual Operating Budget (Intermediate Coverage) ...... 43 Limited Coverage Operating Plan ...... 44 Annual Operating Budget (Limited Coverage) ...... 47 Capital Budget Narrative...... 48 Full Coverage Capital Budget ...... 50 Intermediate Coverage Capital Budget ...... 51 Limited Coverage Capital Budget ...... 52 Conclusions...... 53

Governance of the Illinois Channel ...... 55 Governing Principles...... 55 Ensuring Editorial Independence and Accountability ...... 55 Ensuring Administrative and Fiscal Accountability ...... 55 Ensuring Stability and Sustainability ...... 55 Governing Models...... 55 Nonprofit Cable-Funded Model ...... 56 Government-Funded Legislative Branch Model ...... 56 Government-Funded PBS Model ...... 56 Government-Funded Independent, Nonprofit Corporation Model ...... 57

v Proposed Illinois Channel Governing Structure ...... 58 Nonprofit Corporation with Own Governing Board ...... 58 Articles of Incorporation ...... 58 University Related Organization...... 59 Proposed Bylaws ...... 59 Management and Services Agreement with University of Illinois ...... 59 Benefits of University Affiliation ...... 60 Separate Funding ...... 61 Conclusions...... 61

vi Illinois Channel Planning Study Advisory Board

Chair: Naomi Lynn Chancellor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Springfield

Vice Chairs: Jim Edgar Distinguished Fellow, Institute of Government and Public Affairs University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Paul Simon Director, Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Members: Ken Alderson Executive Director, Illinois Municipal League Juan Andrade President, U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute Michael Ayers Executive Vice President/COO, Illinois Chamber of Commerce Frank Beal Executive Vice President, Chicago Metropolis 20/20 Charles Benton Chairman, Public Media Inc. Margaret Blackshere President, Illinois AFL-CIO Amy Bradford Issue Management Liaison, Office of the Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture Timothy Bramlet President, Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois Steve Brown Press Secretary, Office of House Speaker Michael Madigan Carl Caldwell Station Manager, WILL-TV, University of Illinois Gene Callahan Retired Chief of Staff to Former Senator Alan Dixon Cindi Canary Director, Illinois Campaign for Political Reform James Compton President, Chicago Urban League Darcy Davidsmeyer Director, State Government Relations, Motorola, Inc. Mary Dempsey Commissioner, Chicago Public Library Doug Dougherty President, Illinois Telecommunications Association John Dowling News Editor, The Associated Press Gregg Durham Press Secretary, Office of House Minority Leader Lee Daniels Alejandro Escalona Editor, Exito Jan Flapan President, League of Women Voters of Illinois Nancy Ford Executive Director, Institute for Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Springfield Valery Gallagher Regional Manager, State Government Affairs, Abbott Laboratories Martin Green Executive Assistant, Office of Attorney General Jim Ryan Joe Hampton Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture Larry Hansen Vice President, The Joyce Foundation Cindy Heubner Press Secretary, Office of Senate Minority Leader Emil Jones Dan Hynes State Comptroller Thomas Hynes Attorney, Law Offices of Quinlan and Crisham Ltd. Ken Keller Illinois News Broadcasters Association Ben Kiningham Statehouse Bureau Chief, Illinois Radio Network Jack Knott Director, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois

vii David Kohn Press Secretary, Office of Lt. Governor Corinne Wood Mike Lawrence Associate Director, Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale John Liskey Executive Director of Government and Public Affairs, AT&T Broadband, Great Lakes Division Hazel Loucks Deputy Governor for Education & Workforce, Office of Governor George Ryan John Lumpkin Director, Illinois Department of Public Health Dennis Lyle Executive Director, Illinois Broadcasters Association Kristin Lindsey Vice President, External Relations, Donors Forum of Chicago Carl Madison President, Springfield Chapter, NAACP “Max” McGee State Superintendent of Education, Illinois State Board of Education Marty McLaughlin Vice President, WTTW/Channel 11, Chicago Newton Minow Attorney and Former FCC Commissioner, Law Offices of Sidley and Austin Tim Price Executive Director for Governmental Affairs, Illinois Farm Bureau Patty Schuh Communications Director, Office of Senate President James "Pate" Philip Michael Schwartz Director, Illinois Department of Central Management Services Judy Baar Topinka State Treasurer Joseph Tybor Press Secretary, Illinois Supreme Court Tom Walters Illinois Government Affairs Manager, Caterpillar, Inc. Laura Washington Editor and Publisher, The Chicago Reporter Charles Wheeler Director, Public Affairs Reporting, University of Illinois at Springfield Jesse White Secretary of State Woodward Wickham Vice President for Community Affairs, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Don Wooten General Manager, WVIK-FM, Augustana College

Project Staff, University of Illinois at Springfield

Terry Martin Project Director, Institute for Public Affairs Barbara Ferrrara Co-Director, Institute for Public Affairs Jo Warfield Co-Director (Jan. - Aug. 2000), Television Office Brenda Suhling Project Secretary, Institute for Public Affairs Tess Fyalka Communications Consultant Rob Raleigh Fiscal and Web Support, Institute for Public Affairs

Project Advisers, University of Illinois at Springfield

Barbara Hayler Professor, Criminal Justice Christopher Mooney Director, Illinois Legislative Studies Center, and Professor, Political Studies Ray Schroeder Director, Office of Technology Enhanced Learning, and Professor, Communications Richard Schuldt Director, Survey Research Office Ed Wojcicki Publisher, Illinois Issues

viii CREATING THE ILLINOIS CHANNEL

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY April 2001

NEED INTEREST

American democracy is founded on the In a recent statewide telephone survey of fundamental principle that power is derived a random sample of the Illinois public from the people and is granted to govern- conducted for this study, a sizeable majority, ment. Therefore, the people have a 86 percent, said they support efforts to create fundamental right to see their government at a channel that would televise state govern- work, as the visitors’ galleries in Congress ment. Asked what they would like to see and in every state legislative chamber attest. televised on the channel, almost two-thirds Moreover, citizens’ ability to influence (63%) said they would be interested in policy starts with information. Inadequate watching General Assembly floor debate, information means reduced citizen impact while nearly as many (61%) would be on government or citizen involvement that is interested in seeing committee hearings. not as meaningful, relevant or informed as it Three-quarters (78 %) of those surveyed could be. Televising state government is were interested in executive branch agency nothing more than using modern technology hearings, while two-thirds (67%) said they to expand the visitors’ galleries of the House would like to view oral arguments before the and Senate chambers to the living rooms, Illinois Supreme Court. classrooms and boardrooms across Illinois. Citizens’ interest extends beyond events The need is immediate. Media coverage occurring under the Capitol dome. Accord- of state government is declining at the very ing to the survey results, a large majority of time that state government is playing a more citizens, 80 percent, are interested in significant role in the lives of Illinoisans, programs that explain how government both in terms of the taxes it collects and the works. Considerable interest also was services it provides. Although 64 percent of expressed in public affairs programs on the the state’s legislative districts are located in state’s businesses and economy (88%), the Chicago and its suburbs, not one Chicago state’s natural resources and environment television station maintains a bureau in the (88%), education (90%), science and state Capitol. A statewide poll conducted by technology (81%), and health care and the University of Illinois at Springfield in public health issues (92%). 1999 found that 54 percent of the people could not name one bill, action or event that Newspapers from around the state have occurred in state government in the past endorsed the concept of televising state year. government. The editorials are included in the Needs and Interest appendix.

ix LESSONS FROM OTHER STATES DISTRIBUTION

While the level of coverage varies Cable television would be the primary widely, the number of states providing means of distribution because television televised coverage of at least their legislature remains the primary source of news and is continuing to grow. This summer, information for most Illinoisans. While a Wisconsin will become the twentieth state designated channel would be the preferred whose citizens can view their state govern- means of distribution, as Washington’s ment on television from the comfort of their TVW and Connecticut’s CTN have living rooms. State public affairs television demonstrated, it is possible to distribute a channels in other states demonstrate that the statewide channel by offering and requesting legislative process can be understood and that state government programming be that television cameras do not have a detri- carried on existing municipal government mental effect on the process. channels when they are not carrying local programming. PROGRAMMING A second level of distribution would be Like C-SPAN and other state channels achieved by video streaming the Illinois with programming 24 hours a day, seven Channel’s programming over the Internet. days a week (California, Washington, State channels that already video stream Connecticut and Pennsylvania), Illinois their programming on the Internet include Channel programming would consist Connecticut’s CTN, Pennsylvania’s PCN, primarily of unedited coverage of state the California Channel and Washington’s government proceedings. Coverage would TVW. Cameras now in the Illinois House include debate in the legislative chambers, chamber can provide a video stream that can hearings of legislative committees, public be distributed over television or the Internet. meetings of agencies, boards and Live video coverage of Governor George commissions of the executive branch and Ryan’s 2001 State of the State and Fiscal oral arguments before the state Supreme year 2002 budget addresses were distributed Court. Additional programming in the successfully over the Internet. gavel-to-gavel format would include press conferences, public policy forums and OPERATING PLAN interviews with legislators and constitutional officers that will open a direct line of To fulfill its stated mission of covering communication between policy makers and the three branches of government and other citizens. public affairs events around the state, the Illinois Channel’s Master Control Operation Although the primary emphasis of (MCO) center would be located in Spring- Illinois Channel programming would be on field, but the channel also would operate a covering the deliberations of state govern- bureau in Chicago. The MCO would receive ment, the myriad public policy-related video from fixed cameras located in the events held around the state also would be House and Senate chambers, the Supreme covered as resources permit. Court, the Blue Room in the Capitol and the briefing room in the Thompson Center in Chicago. Camera crews would be based in both Springfield and the Chicago bureau. A

x two-hour drive from either location would Even under the highest annual operating encompass most Illinois communities. The budget, the cost per citizen for televising Chicago bureau would be connected via a state government 24 hours a day, seven days land line to the MCO, allowing the MCO to a week, is about 25 cents a year. In other import a live or recorded program. words, with the convenience of just turning on a television, Illinois citizens could view FUNDING their state government all year for less than it now costs to mail one letter or buy one Of the states currently televising gavel- newspaper. to-gavel coverage of state government, only three are funded privately and those three GOVERNANCE receive some degree of public support, as their respective legislatures provide them To maintain its nonpartisan nature and with a video feed from the legislative editorial independence, the Illinois Channel chambers. Like the other public affairs would be established as a nonprofit corpo- channels currently operating, the Illinois ration with an independent governing board. Channel would seek funding through the To balance public, private and political state legislature. But, like Washington’s interests, seats on the board would be TVW, the Illinois Channel would seek reserved for the governor, the four additional funding from the private sector to legislative leaders and the chief justice of the augment its operating budget. Illinois Supreme Court, or their designees. Other members of the board would be drawn FEASIBILITY AND COST from the constitutional officers or their designees, the media, education, business, The technology needed to produce gavel- labor, state and local government units, to-gavel coverage of state government cable television companies, and citizen continues to decline in cost. Robotic education, nonprofit civic and public interest cameras, like those recently installed in the groups. Such independence and broad range Illinois House chamber, make the task of of board representation would mitigate televising state government very cost against potential conflicts of interest that effective. For example, in 1999, Washing- could arise when government seeks to cover ton’s TVW produced 2,000 hours of original itself. programming with fewer than 20 employees. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the As other states have demonstrated, the Illinois Channel would be a professional cost of communicating government actions employee answerable to the governing to citizens via television is far less expensive board. Editorial decisions would be made than the traditional method of printing and by the CEO and other professional staff in mailing newsletters. As presented in this accordance with programming policy report, the estimated cost of establishing and guidelines designed to ensure profes- operating the Illinois Channel is illustrated sionalism, balance and neutrality. Final in three budget scenarios, based on three authority for editorial decisions would rest levels of coverage. The full coverage annual with the CEO of the Illinois Channel. operating budget is estimated to be $3.2 million. The corresponding one-time start-up As a public service, the University of capital budget is estimated to be $3.0 million. Illinois at Springfield (UIS) proposes to

xi facilitate the establishment of the Illinois citizens cannot name one bill, action or Channel by creating a nonprofit, university- event that occurred in Illinois state related organization (URO) that would government within the last year. operate the channel. To streamline the management functions of the channel, the Just as the telegraph, telegram or posted URO would enter into a management and mail are inadequate to today’s business services agreement with the Institute for needs, concerned citizens recognize that the Public Affairs of UIS to provide business highly summarized radio, newspaper and and administrative services, including fiscal, television reports are woefully inadequate in technology and human resource manage- the face of modern technology that makes ment. Accordingly, the UIS chancellor, the gavel-to-gavel coverage a viable option. executive director of the Institute for Public Affairs and a representative of the Univer- The case is made within this report that sity of Illinois Board of Trustees would also the time is right for Illinois to join the 19 hold positions on the governing board. other states in the country that have invited their citizens to participate more fully in CONCLUSION democracy by following the proceedings of their state government through a state public As C-SPAN and 19 other states have affairs television channel. demonstrated, it is possible to televise the three branches of government in a nonpartisan way and do so without disturbing the proceedings. They have also demonstrated it is not expensive to do so. Illinois citizens deserve no less than what other state legislatures are providing their citizens.

This report shows how a state public affairs television network can become a reality in Illinois. It shows what it would televise, how it would operate and what it would cost. While there is a price tag to televising state government, there is a continuing cost in not doing so. The cost is in an uninformed citizenry, a general apathy about government, the importance of a lowering of civic values and a rise in cynicism about government’s actions.

Just as each generation must be good stewards of our state’s fiscal and environmental resources, so too must we be stewards of our democratic institutions. The foundation of our democracy is an informed electorate. But that foundation is clearly weakened when more than half of Illinois

xii CREATING THE ILLINOIS CHANNEL

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS April 2001

What is the Illinois Channel? Do other states have such a channel? It is a proposed statewide television channel that would televise legislative Yes. In fact, later this year Wisconsin is debate, committee hearings, press confer- scheduled to become the twentieth state ences by the governor and other constitu- where citizens can view gavel-to-gavel tional officers, as well as public policy coverage of at least the legislative branch. A speeches and conferences held around the number of the existing state public affairs state. Such coverage would allow families, channels provide gavel-to-gavel coverage of businesses, local governments, journalists all three branches, including televised and educators to watch and follow public coverage of oral arguments before the state policy developments at the state level. supreme court. However, not all of the state public affairs channels provide year-round coverage, as is proposed for the Illinois How would this differ from existing Channel. televised coverage of state government? Who would control the cameras in Unfortunately, existing televised the House and Senate chambers? coverage of Illinois state government is extremely limited. None of the Chicago The cameras would be operated television stations maintains a bureau in the robotically. The cameras would be wired state Capitol. In fact, only three television through the audio board in each chamber so stations, all from the central Illinois area, the camera would focus on the member provide any regular coverage of state whose microphone is turned on. In that way, government. PBS stations also provide only a member at the podium or the occasional coverage of legislative recognized member on the floor would be developments during the legislative session. televised in a close-up shot. A member sitting immediately adjacent to the But unlike the existing televised recognized member on the floor may appear coverage, which is produced and edited by a in the periphery of the shot. Following the reporter, the Illinois Channel proposes to example of Connecticut’s CTN, each televise events in their entirety, without chamber may choose to establish camera reporters or commentators, in the gavel-to- protocols of what may or may not be shown gavel format pioneered by C-SPAN’s during legislative debate. coverage of Congress. The Illinois Channel would produce a minimum of four hours of original programming on a daily basis, but eight to ten hours of daily coverage may be more the norm once the channel is well established.

xiii Who would pay for the Illinois government access channels when the local Channel? government is not using its channel. This is how Washington and Connecticut began We propose the legislature fund the broadcasting their state government channel as a service to Illinois citizens. We channels. We would also propose to video can use television and the Internet to extend stream the Illinois Channel on the Internet. the visitors’ galleries statewide. And, just as (See the section of the report on distribution the legislature currently funds and maintains for more details on how this works.) the visitors’ galleries within the Capitol, public funds could be appropriated to bring the visitors’ galleries to classrooms, busi- What happens when a local nesses and living rooms across the state. government wants to broadcast its own programs on its cable channel?

What would such a channel cost? Local governments would retain control of their channel. Whenever the local city Research shows these channels are an council meetings or other local events are to extremely cost-effective means of be televised, the local government program distributing information about state would override the Illinois Channel’s government. For the Illinois Channel, we programming. propose three different budget alternatives reflecting three different levels of coverage, from full coverage to limited coverage. In How many hours a day will the the full-coverage budget, which would Illinois Channel be on the air? include operating a bureau in Chicago, the annual operating budget is projected to run The number of original hours of about $3,200,000 a year. To put that cost in programming produced by the Illinois some perspective, that is an annual cost per Channel would vary from day to day, with a Illinois citizen of about 25 cents. That cost minimum of four hours of new program- of 25 cents per person per year compares to ming produced daily, Monday through the state’s annual spending of $4,200 per Friday. This block of programming then 1 person. So, for less than the price of a would be repeated throughout the day with postage stamp, Illinois citizens could the understanding that each channel carrying witness state government and other public Illinois Channel programming would air the affairs events occurring around the state for entire block of programming at least once an entire year. during the broadcast day. Additional hours of original programming would air on week- ends along with re-airs of some program- How would the Illinois Channel be ming from that week. One of the daily broadcast? variables would be the length of the Illinois House and Senate sessions. The Illinois The primary means of distribution would Channel would be committed to gavel-to- be through cable television systems. At this gavel coverage of the Illinois General time, it is proposed that the channel’s Assembly. programming be broadcast on existing local

xiv What would this programming cost Regulatory hearings also would be a local governments? prime source of programming. A statewide survey conducted for this project found 84 Nothing. The programming and the percent of respondents were interested in satellite dish and receiver required to capture viewing regulatory agency hearings. the satellite signal would be provided to Viewers also could see unedited, televised local government channels at no charge. coverage of the state’s political conventions and political speeches at the State Fair.

Would the Illinois Channel be available on the Internet? How would teachers and students benefit by such a channel? Yes. The Internet continues to develop the technology required to send quality From C-SPAN and other states we see television signals. Those in classrooms or that public affairs programming offers a offices that do not have access to cable tremendous educational resource to teachers television therefore could access the Illinois and students. For instance, following Channel’s televised coverage during the C-SPAN’s example of Booknotes, the workday. Illinois Channel could televise interviews with authors of books on Illinois history, Illinois state government is currently political leaders and public issues. spending millions of dollars to provide Pennsylvania’s PCN-TV has developed schools, universities and libraries with high- historical programs on their state’s speed connections to the Internet. This presidents, taken viewers on factory tours project, called the Illinois Century Network, and conducted hour-long interviews in a will allow teachers in classrooms not only to program called Pennsylvania Profiles. PCN show the Illinois Channel’s live program- also produces a popular educational program ming, but also to view programs that shown live each Sunday night called previously aired. Therefore, the Illinois Homework Help where a teacher answers Channel’s programming would be a rich questions phoned in by students. source of educational material available to educators at no cost to them. The Illinois Century Network already is providing the needed delivery network into the classroom. Programs televised by the What else besides the three branches Illinois Channel could be archived on video servers, which are similar to a hard drive on of government would be shown? a computer. One of the primary benefits of archiving programs for viewing on the Because Illinois citizens and businesses Internet is that educators can select programs play a major role in all sectors of the they wish to show when it fits their class nation’s economy, on any given day Illinois schedule. Videotaped copies of programs is host to national and world leaders and also could be made available to schools conferences that hold significant public upon request. The Illinois Channel’s policy implications. The Illinois Channel proposed budget includes having a teacher would plan to televise many of these public on staff to develop curriculum to accompany conferences and speeches. some of the Illinois Channel’s programming.

xv Who supports development of the A list of these also is included on the Illinois Illinois Channel? Channel website.

Support for the type of nonpartisan, In addition, organizations from the gavel-to-gavel coverage the Illinois Channel state’s AFL-CIO to the Chicagoland would offer comes from all sectors and Chamber of Commerce and other local regions of Illinois. In a statewide survey, 86 chambers of commerce have lent their percent of those polled support the Illinois support. The Illinois League of Women Channel idea and 78 percent said they would Voters and the Illinois Campaign for watch it at least once a week. Political Reform have endorsed the Illinois Channel. Additionally, many individuals from around the state attended town hall meetings The names of these organizations, in the fall of 2000 on the development of the publications and individuals are but a Illinois Channel and went on record as sample of those supporting the creation of a supporting it. Many of those individuals are state public affairs television network that listed on our website, illinoischannel.org, would expand the boundaries of the visitors’ under the endorsement section. galleries and bring state government home to Illinois citizens. Major newspapers around the state also have editorially endorsed the Illinois Channel, including the Chicago Tribune, the Endnotes Bloomington Pantagraph, the Quincy 1 Herald-Whig, the Springfield State Journal- This per capita spending is derived by dividing Governor Ryan’s proposed FY2002 budget of Register, the Peoria Journal Star, the approximately $50 billion by the state’s population of Champaign News-Gazette, the Edwardsville roughly 12 million citizens. Intelligencer, the Decatur Herald & Review, the Moline Dispatch, and many other newspapers in communities across the state.

xvi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Illinois Channel is closer to The information and findings contained becoming a reality thanks first and foremost in this report are based on information to Larry Hansen of the Joyce Foundation. gathered, sifted and analyzed over the first Mr. Hansen was the catalyst for our grant year of the planning study. Many of the proposal and was instrumental in our conclusions are drawn from the experiences receiving sufficient funding from the Joyce of other states’ public affairs channels. We Foundation to carry out a thorough planning are indebted to the generosity of many of study. In addition, Mr. Hansen invited the those state channel operators who patiently John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur answered our questions, offered their advice Foundation to become partners with the and referred us to others who greatly Joyce Foundation in funding the planning facilitated our research. for a state public affairs television network for Illinois. We gratefully acknowledge Mr. We are especially grateful to Denny Hansen’s encouragement, good ideas and Heck of TVW, who has been a magnificent wise counsel. resource. He has shared not only the details of his own operation, but, as the coordinator The idea of exploring the feasibility of a of the state public affairs television (SPAT) “C-SPAN for Illinois” was first brought to conferences, has shared the information he the Institute for Public Affairs by Professor has collected on the start-up and operations Barbara Hayler of the Criminal Justice of other state channels. His insights and program at UIS. Shortly after, we invited advice have sped us along. Mr. Heck took Denny Heck, president of Washington considerable time out of his busy schedule to State’s TVW, to make a presentation on travel to Chicago and address our June 2000 starting such a channel at the “Links advisory board meeting, declining any between Public Universities and State personal compensation. Capitals Conference” held in Springfield in 1997 and coordinated by the Institute. Ever That is also true of Brian Lockman, CEO since, Mr. Heck has served as our mentor. of Pennsylvania’s PCN-TV, the speaker at our first board meeting in March 2000. As Jack Van Der Slik, then director of the one of the first four employees hired at Illinois Legislative Studies Center at UIS, C-SPAN, he is a true pioneer in the field of was one of the key people who kept the idea gavel-to-gavel, televised coverage of alive within the university and who government and a true friend to this project. facilitated our contacts with the offices of Similarly, we have gained great insights the governor, the president of the Senate and from Paul Giguere, who successfully the speaker of the House of Representatives launched Connecticut’s CTN-TV in March as we were exploring support for a 1999 and shared his experiences with our feasibility study. In this regard, we board in October 2000. gratefully acknowledge the interest and suggestions of Speaker Madigan’s Press There are many others who continue to Secretary, Steve Brown, who, before us, had make themselves and their organizations proposed televising the legislature. available to answer our questions: The

xvii California Channel’s John Hancock, in their community. These town hall Michigan MGTV’s Bill Trevarthan, Florida meetings provided an opportunity for the Channel’s Patrick Keating, Louisiana’s Pat project staff to explain the goals of the Pickens, Oregon’s Robin Olsen and Illinois Channel and for the public to offer Wisconsin’s Jeff Roberts, whose their views. We are especially grateful to “Wisconsineye” is just now on the verge of Quincy University, Millikin University in going on the air. Decatur, the Institute of Government and Public Affairs of the University of Illinois, We also gratefully acknowledge the Northern Illinois University’s Rockford guidance and encouragement of those at Center, the Union League Club of Chicago, C-SPAN who allowed us to visit and sit in the Illinois Farm Bureau, Caterpillar, Inc., on their operations and editorial meetings the Peoria Chamber of Commerce, the and then continued to reply to our Public Policy Institute of Southern Illinois innumerable requests for more information. University at Carbondale, Southern Illinois Our special thanks go to C-SPAN’s Rob University at Edwardsville, and the Illinois Kennedy, vice president of Business Affairs; Chamber of Commerce and Hanson Susan Bundock, director of Programming Engineers, Inc., in Springfield. Operations, and Bruce Collins, legal counsel, for his guidance on changes in legal We also gratefully acknowledge the requirements in the broadcast realm. assistance of Roscor Corporation in Chicago, who guided our understanding of There are far too many within Illinois the channel’s broadcast engineering require- who have helped this effort to mention each ments. Roscor generously has donated its individually. But special recognition is consultation time to the project and provided deserved by each member of the Advisory budget estimates for the proposed capital Board of the Illinois Channel Planning Study budget presented in this report. who are listed at the front of this report. Each of the legislative leaders and The project has benefitted from the constitutional officers assigned a support of many at the University of Illinois representative to participate on the board, at Springfield. We especially thank consider the issues, and help generate Chancellor Emeritus Naomi Lynn for her proposals. Adding to their advice were skilled leadership in chairing the project’s representatives of executive branch agencies advisory board, for her help in building and of Illinois agriculture, industry, labor, support for the university’s role in education, media and public interest groups. facilitating the creation of the Illinois Special thanks are due former Governor Jim Channel, and for her many good ideas and Edgar and former U.S. Senator Paul Simon, warm encouragement. Nancy Ford, who agreed to serve as the board’s co-vice executive director of the Institute for Public chairs. Their participation sends a powerful Affairs, also has provided strong leadership message of the nonpartisan nature of this to the project since its inception. She has effort and adds greatly to its credibility. been an active member of the board and served as the discussion facilitator at board Around the state many organizations meetings. As an attorney, she has provided supported our effort to gauge public support valuable assistance in drafting the proposed and collect ideas by hosting a public forum governance documents for the channel.

xviii We have been very fortunate to have At a critical juncture last summer, when Charlie Wheeler, director of the Public we were operating on a number of fronts at Affairs Reporting program at UIS and a once, we had the good fortune to meet Tess veteran Statehouse reporter, as our principal Fyalka, president of Angle Communications project adviser. He has generously shared in Springfield and an instructor in the his time, insights and good English usage Communications program at UIS. Ms. with us in every phase of the project. Ed Fyalka joined the project team on a part-time Wojcicki, publisher of Illinois Issues, was basis and has provided superb assistance instrumental in helping recruit our with design, planning and logistics for our distinguished advisory board and has been public meetings and public information another key adviser to the project. We are activities. grateful to both Professor Wheeler and Mr. Wojcicki for editing the draft of this report. In conclusion, through their time and support of the Illinois Channel Planning Also, Richard Schuldt, director of the Study, our grantors and all those mentioned Survey Research Office, and Sean Hogan, above are investing in the fundamental assistant director, lent their considerable American principle that, in our democracy, expertise in conducting a statewide survey of the people have a right to see their govern- the general public for the project. ment at work.

The UIS Television Office has provided Terrence J. Martin important technical support to the planning Project Director study, including videotaping and editing services. We especially thank Jo Warfield, Barbara E. Ferrara former director of the office, Jan Morrow, Co-Director Kevin Norris, and Steve Dykema for their support. Institute for Public Affairs University of Illinois at Springfield Within the Institute for Public Affairs central office, Brenda Suhling has done her April 18, 2001 usual incomparable job as project secretary, handling everything from arrangements for the advisory board and town hall meetings, to maintaining the project’s databases, and producing all the project’s publications. The success of the project to date is, in many ways, due to her concern for timeliness, quality and professionalism. Rob Raleigh has played two significant roles: He has served as the project accountant and also developed and maintained the project website. The project has benefitted from his versatile skills. We also are grateful for Graduate Assistant Laura Johnson’s fine work in helping plan and staff both the advisory board and town hall meetings.

xix INTRODUCTION

The Institute for Public Affairs of the This interim report sets forth the findings University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) is and recommendations to date of the UIS pleased to present this interim report of the project staff that were approved by the Illinois Channel Planning Study. The report Illinois Channel Planning Study Advisory contains the initial findings and recommen- Board at its meeting on January 26, 2001, in dations of the project’s first year of studying Springfield. The first year of the two-year the requirements to establish a state public planning study was spent largely in affairs television network for Illinois modeled researching the experiences of other states after C-SPAN. We began with the belief that that have a state version of C-SPAN and in providing citizens with direct access to their collecting public opinion across Illinois on government in action is an important and the development of such a channel and what desirable thing. The fact that 19 other states it should cover. do this not only supports this belief but shows it is feasible to do so. We believe this interim report lays out the steps that need to be taken to make the “Illinois Channel” a reality. We Similar public affairs television initiatives are at various stages of hope the governor, the legislature and the development in at least 19 states. citizens of Illinois will find this report Each, like C-SPAN at the federal thorough and persuasive that the Illinois level, seeks to find appropriate ways Channel not only is feasible but would be an to focus on its own state government important asset in connecting citizens to their and that state’s politics and public policy issues–in an unedited, nonpar- state government. tisan manner. And now, thank goodness, the This is an opportune time to begin idea finally is being floated in Illinois planning for the implementation of the that it could be time for us to have Illinois Channel. More and more respon- our own statewide public affairs television network. sibilities are being shifted from the federal Bloomington, The Pantagraph government to the states. As the states take Feb. 1, 2000 on a larger role in policymaking, state government has an even greater impact on the lives of its citizens. At the same time there is a call for more “transparent” government, in Illinois would be joining 19 other states which decisionmaking is open for all to that already provide televised coverage of observe, and citizens are encouraged to their state governments. The discussion and participate actively. The Illinois Channel will recommendations that follow are based on provide members of all three branches of what we have learned so far from other state government with a conduit to states’ experiences and our assessment of communicate directly with citizens. For what would work best in Illinois. citizens, the Illinois Channel will enable them to watch their state government in action and The project sponsored eleven town hall to become better informed about issues meetings around the state in the fall of 2000. affecting their lives. We distributed a brief survey at the meetings

1 Creating the Illinois Channel and since have conducted a statewide The report summarizes the results of the telephone survey of a random sample of the research and planning to date and serves as a general public. draft of a proposed business plan for the Illinois Channel. The project staff welcome We held four meetings with our project advisory board to review research findings and discuss issues related to establishing the Illinois Channel. Board members heard presentations by the CEOs of the public affairs channels in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Washington, and viewed a videotape of an editorial staff meeting at C-SPAN. We consulted with a number of people at C-SPAN, at other state channels and with other states planning to begin a public affairs channel. In addition, we sought the advice of key individuals in Illinois’ business, government and nonprofit sectors. All of this research produced the body of evidence for this report.

In a self-governing society, citizens need to know their public officials, the current public policy issues, and how the democratic process works. The best way to do that is through our technological advances, especially radio and televison. That is why we need The Illinois Channel. reader feedback, which may be sent by email Newton Minow to [email protected] or via our Former Chairman website at www.illinoischannel.org. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) The Illinois Channel Planning Study was made possible by funding from The Joyce Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The report consists of five sections, each with a corresponding appendix of supplemental information at the end of the report. The sections include Need and Interest, Programming, Distribution, Operating Plan and Budget, and Governance.

2 NEED AND INTEREST IN THE ILLINOIS CHANNEL

Although most citizens give it little the current budget stands at $47.9 billion, an thought on a daily basis, what happens in increase of 69 percent higher than the rate of state government directly affects their lives. inflation over the two-decade span. State government determines whether customers can smoke in restaurants, whether One of the fastest-growing responsi- children can be tried as adults, where nuclear bilities of the state, both in cost and wastes can be stored, whether gasoline population, has been its correctional system. taxes, income taxes and hunting fees will Twenty years ago, operating the state’s increase, whether the bridges our children's prisons cost about $195 million, and some school buses cross will be maintained and 12,400 adults were crowded into 10 how much pollution a hospital, dry cleaner facilities. Currently, the corrections budget or print shop can release into the environ- is close to $1.35 billion, with almost 47,000 ment. adults even more crowded in the state’s 29 prisons. Moreover, state government over the last few decades has come to play a more significant role in the lives of Illinoisans, both in terms of the taxes it collects and the In a representative govern- 1 services it provides. And public ment, particularly in these complex policymakers today grapple with many times, it is critical that the public complex issues that were unknown to their gets as much information as predecessors. possible from governments. Newspapers can’t provide it all. Neither can advertising-driven Consider one very tangible example: In television stations. C-SPAN can, 1981, all the laws of the state–the Illinois however. And so can the Illinois Revised Statutes–filled five thick tomes Channel. occupying back-to-back a tad more than 14 Moline, The Dispatch inches on a bookshelf. The current Illinois Nov. 29, 2000 Compiled Statutes fill nine slightly thinner books, spanning 21½ inches on the shelf. That’s more than a 50 percent increase in the verbiage under which Illinoisans live. But the state has taken on other responsibilities, too, that were not issues two To help write those laws, the 1981 decades ago. Some reflect the ongoing House of Representatives had 24 standing devolution of federal programs and committees; the current House has 41 responsibilities. Illinois has a lot more standing committees and seven special leeway now in deciding how to achieve committees, fully twice as many venues for welfare-to-work goals under Temporary interested citizens to keep up with. Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) than it did 20 years ago under the rigid federal All that law costs more, too. In 1981, rules of the Aid to Families with Dependent the state budget was $14.7 billion. Today, Children (AFDC) program.

3 Creating the Illinois Channel

Other duties reflect changes outside Unfiltered, Unfettered government control. In 1981, for example, Communication the state Public Health Department was getting its first glimpse of a strange and As C-SPAN has demonstrated for the terrifying new malady ultimately called last 22 years, debates and decisions on AIDS. Now, the department’s efforts to public policy issues can be brought to prevent and control the disease are a citizens in an open, unedited, nonpartisan $47-million-a-year operation. format. Legislative debates, speeches, committee hearings and conferences are just some of the events that would be seen and heard in their entirety on the Illinois Channel.

“Over my eight years in the (Illinois) House, I have found it alarming, the lack of knowledge Newspaper Endorsements of the public has of state govern- the Illinois Channel* ment,” said state Rep. Bill Brady, (as of March 2001) R-Bloomington. Aurora, The Beacon News Bloomington, The Pantagraph Bloomington, The Pantagraph Aug. 31, 2000 Champaign, The News-Gazette Chicago Tribune Decatur, Herald & Review Edwardsville Intelligencer Elgin, The Courier News Freeport, The Journal-Standard In 1981, there were neither riverboat Joliet, The Herald News casinos nor off-track betting parlors to Moline, The Dispatch regulate; gambling was a $163 million Peoria, Journal Star The Quincy Herald-Whig revenue source for the state, rather than the Springfield, The State Journal-Register nearly $1-billion producer of today. Factory Waukegan, The News Sun hog farms and their suburban counterpart, peaker power plants, were unheard of. * See appendix for editorials.

And no lawmakers worried about what youngsters might be seeing on an unfiltered The Illinois Channel will be a major Internet. Indeed, 20 years ago IBM had just addition to the state’s civic infrastructure, as introduced its first PC, running on software 14 newspapers around the state have agreed largely written by an unknown 26-year-old (see box above). The visitors’ galleries in college-dropout and computer geek named the state Capitol are a physical expression of Bill Gates. the inherent right that Illinois citizens have to watch their government at work. But Now, such issues are part of everyday having to travel to Springfield to sit in the life for Illinois policymakers, and so the visitors’ galleries is a 19th century option in a need is even greater for citizens to be state that is spending hundreds of millions of informed so they can play a meaningful role dollars to distinguish itself as a leader in in the decision-making process. information technology in the 21st

4 Need and Interest in the Illinois Channel century. As former Governor Jim Edgar of news coverage about state government and former U. S. Senator Paul Simon issues. But the reality is press coverage of noted in a letter to the Chicago Tribune state government continues to decline at the expressing their support for the Illinois very time state government’s influence is Channel: increasing.

We have the technology to expand the Depleted Capitol Bureaus visitors’ gallery–to a classroom in Chicago, a business in Joliet, a living room in While we say we live in the information Carbondale.”2 age, information about state government continues to decline. According to a 1998 report in the American Journalism Review, “Nationwide, only 513 newspaper reporters–plus 113 wire service reporters, most of them with the Associated Press–now cover state government full time. By comparison, more than 3,000 media credentials were issued for this year’s Super Bowl. A survey of capital pressrooms shows that most have fewer reporters today than in the recent past.”4

Commercial channels follow The Illinois Channel will have no events in Springfield but seldom do reporters acting as news filters or selecting more than provide a kind of sound bites. Its gavel-to-gavel format will headline service. Outside of newspapers, in-depth coverage is free elected officials from the need to master sparse and historical perspective is the art of explaining complex public policy accidental. in seven seconds or less. As State Peoria, The Journal Star Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka said Nov. 30, 2000 recently of the Illinois Channel:

It would be an informational conduit between state government and the people of In a study published in Comparative Illinois. Legislative sessions, committee State Politics in 1998, Illinois was one of hearings, and other forums would be two states that scored lowest overall in a presented as they occur–no editing, no measure of news coverage of state govern- sanitizing. You would see government at ment (the other was Kentucky). The author work and draw your own conclusions about argued that since the state capital in these what’s going on.3 states is neither large nor at the center of a major media market, coverage of state The Illinois Channel would be a good government affairs tends to get “sub- idea even if there already were a great deal merged.”5

5 Creating the Illinois Channel

While studies show that most people get television reporters, state government is just their news from television, in Illinois, one assignment on a busy beat that stretches Chicago TV coverage of the Statehouse and the resources of their small staffs, comprised government is particularly sparse, primarily of one reporter and one video photographer. limited to major speeches or news conferences. None of the Chicago TV What most Illinoisans do know about stations maintains a bureau in the state Illinois state government comes largely from Capitol despite the fact that 64 percent of the a small band of dedicated radio and state’s legislative districts lie in Chicago and television, but mainly, print journalists. its suburbs. Only two Illinois television Despite their best efforts, the thinly staffed stations outside of Springfield, WAND-TV Capitol bureaus face an impossible task of (Decatur) and WCIA-TV (Champaign), reporting on a myriad of state agencies, maintain a Capitol bureau.6 And for these regulatory bodies, local lawmakers and lobbyists, all while trying to follow the Full-time Statehouse Press Corps status of significant legislation and file their Print Journalists Full-time stories. As the accompanying table shows, Associated Press 4 only one or perhaps two persons staff most Champaign-Urbana News Gazette 1 Illinois newspaper, radio or television Chicago Tribune 1 Capitol bureaus. Last year, UPI closed its Chicago Sun-Times 1 bureau. With fewer reporters, there are Copley Illinois Newspapers 4 fewer stories. Citizens are increasingly Daily Herald (Arlington Heights) 1 isolated from legislators, other state officials Illinois Issues 1 and state government issues. Lee Enterprises 3 Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 1 A Benefit to Journalists Operating Pantagraph (Bloomington) 1 a One-person Bureau Rockford Register Star 1 Small Newspaper Group 2 In the state of Washington, “TVW,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch 1 state’s independent, nonprofit public affairs television network, has televised state Statehouse News Service 1 government since 1995. Tom Roeder, who Total Print Journalists 23 runs a one-person capital bureau for the Yakima Herald, says TVW’s coverage has Television Journalists Full-time significantly helped him cover state WAND-TV (Decatur) 1 government: “As a journalist, it really helps WCIA-TV (Champaign) 1 me because ... it allows me as a one-person bureau to cover a number of events going WICS-TV (Springfield) 1 on and to see them in real time and what Total Television Journalists 3 took place.” Roeder says TVW’s coverage has also Radio Journalists Full-time made a difference among his readers: “I Illinois Radio Network 2 know because I get phone calls from people Metro Networks 1 about hearings I don’t attend, and from readers who know more about a particular WUIS/Illinois Public Radio 2 aspect of a bill or the budget than I do, Total Radio Journalists 5 because they essentially attended the Source: Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association, April hearing by watching it on television.” 2001.

6 Need and Interest in the Illinois Channel

It is not surprising that a statewide Every year, various state agencies and survey conducted by the UIS Survey departments host policy, research or training Research Office in the fall of 1999 found conferences attended by individuals from that 54 percent of respondents could not around the state. For example, the state “name one action, bill or event that took treasurer hosts a conference for local place in state government in the last year.”7 treasurers, the Illinois Department of Public Yet in the previous spring, the Illinois Health hosts county health officials and law legislature approved the governor’s enforcement officers gather to share proposed $12 billion “Illinois FIRST” information on new patterns of criminal program that will fund scores of building activity and ways to combat it. Why not projects around the state. televise these conferences for the benefit of the public and for those unable to travel to The likelihood is that capitol bureaus Springfield? will continue to be understaffed. But interviews with capitol reporters from states Interest in the Illinois Channel where state government is televised suggest it is an important tool for print and broadcast Results of a statewide telephone survey reporters assigned to the capitol. (See box on and questionnaires completed by participants previous page.)8 in town hall meetings indicate a high level of support for the Illinois Channel. Citizens Extending Knowledge of State also express a desire to get more information Government about state government and how it operates.

Illinois already is committed to spending millions of dollars over the next five years to build the Illinois Century Network (ICN) that will wire schools, colleges, universities and libraries with broadband transmission lines capable of transmitting video programming directly into classrooms. Why not include state government proceedings in programming that is piped into Illinois classrooms?

The state and the city of Springfield are committed to spending $120 million to build the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library A number of General Assembly members attended the Illinois Channel’s public meetings. Here Rep. David and Museum. That library, like the other Winters (R-49) Dist.) asks a question at the presen- presidential libraries in the country, will host tation made in Springfield in November 2000. lectures and conferences on both current issues and historical events. Why not televise these events to enable Illinoisans around the state to view them?

7 Creating the Illinois Channel

Statewide Survey Results Statewide Survey Results* Interest in Potential Illinois Channel The Survey Research Office of the Programming University of Illinois at Springfield Very/ conducted a statewide public opinion poll Programming Options somewhat from January through March 2001. A interested random sample of the Illinois public was House and Senate floor debates 62.7 surveyed by telephone to measure interest in House and Senate committee hearings 61.3 a state public affairs television network. A Executive branch public hearings 77.7 total of 719 adults were interviewed. Regulatory committee hearings 84.1 Supreme court oral arguments 67.0 Television was cited most frequently as Press conferences 62.3 the most important source of news about Programs on how state government works 79.4 state government, cited by 43 percent Interviews with government officials 69.4 overall. Over half (54%) said they got only Interviews with policy experts 72.9 some of the news they want about Illinois Forums on college campuses 53.0 state government from their regular news Program Topics sources. Only one in ten (10%) reported that Health care and public health issues 92.4 they got all the news they want about state Education 90.5 government from their regular news sources. Natural resources and environment 87.9 When asked if they were interested in Business and the economy 87.7 the proposed Illinois Channel, a majority of Crime and law enforcement 86.7 the general public (86%) were either very Science and technology 81.3 supportive (33%) or somewhat supportive Parks, recreation, sporting events 77.1 (53%) of starting an “Illinois version of History 73.1 C-SPAN.” Fewer than on in eight (11%) Arts, music, literature, culture 71.4 were not supportive. A majority (78%) said Tourism 63.3 they would watch the Illinois Channel at Farming and agriculture 58.6 least weekly. * Results of a statewide telephone survey of a random sample of the Illinois general public conducted January-March 2001 by the University of Illinois at Springfield Survey Research Respondents were asked, if private funds Office. Total sample size was 719 with a margin of error of were not available, would they support the less than +/-4%. use of tax dollars to pay for the Illinois Chan- nel. Of those who had a position, slightly more (45%) favored it than opposed it (41%). Town Hall Meetings

The statewide survey results summarized In the fall of 2000 the Illinois Channel below indicate interest on the part of the study conducted a series of eleven town hall Illinois public in viewing the activities of all meetings around the state1. The purpose of three branches of state government, as well the meetings was to present the concept of as interest in a range of public affairs topics. the Illinois Channel and how it could be implemented in Illinois, and to assess public

8 Need and Interest in the Illinois Channel

the three branches of government, as well as Town Hall Survey Results interest in various public policy subjects. In addition to members of the general public, Approximately 200 participants in town hall meetings held around the state participants included local government completed a short questionnaire to officials and members of the General assess interest in the Illinois Channel. Assembly. While admittedly not scientific, Fewer than one-third (32%) reported the town hall survey results showed strong that they got all or most of the news they support for the channel (see adjacent box). want about Illinois state government from their regular news sources. A In addition, many attending the meetings large majority (88%) indicated they expressed interest in helping make the were either very supportive (58%) or Illinois Channel become a reality and gave supportive (30%) of the proposal to start permission to have their names published as a public affairs television network that endorsing the channel. would televise information on Illinois state government. Florida Presidential Contest Respondents expressed interest in coverage of House and Senate floor While the recent presidential contest in debates (72%), House and Senate committee hearings (73%), oral Florida was quite unusual, much of the arguments before the Illinois Supreme world’s attention was briefly focused on the Court (69%), executive branch agency actions of the Florida legislature and the hearings (68%), regulatory hearings Florida Supreme Court. As one of the states (67%) and press conferences (67%). currently televising its legislature and oral Interest also was expressed in seeing arguments before the supreme court, Florida interviews with experts on public policy issues (75%) and in educational was well-prepared to bring the world programs on how Illinois state televised coverage of these proceedings. government works (63%).

If the Illinois Channel were to cover public policy-related events elsewhere in The nationally televised two- the state, roughly half or more of hour hearing at the Florida respondents were very interested in Supreme Court this week on programs on education (61%), business Florida’s presidential voting and the economy (49%), and health care reminded us how far behind and public health issues (49%). Illinois is when it comes to the use of modern communications technologies in informing people of the work of the legislative and judicial branches of government. The Quincy Herald-Whig interest and invite public comment. Those Nov. 21, 2000 attending were encouraged to ask questions, make suggestions, offer their opinions and complete a short survey questionnaire. This coverage seemed to answer the The questionnaire9 paralleled the question of whether the public is interested statewide survey in assessing level of in watching state government proceedings. interest in televised coverage of activities of It demonstrated that when citizens are given

9 Creating the Illinois Channel the opportunity to follow and understand the 9 The meetings were held in the fall of 2000 in impact of government actions on their lives, Bloomington, Decatur, Urbana, Peoria, Quincy, they are keenly interested. Carbondale, Edwardsville, Chicago, Rockford, Glen Ellyn and Springfield. See appendix for town hall meeting schedule. Rarely do decisions at the state level carry such implications for the entire nation. 10 See the appendix for a copy of the town hall survey But state government decisions do have a questionnaire. direct impact on the daily lives of citizens. And just as citizens around the nation wished to view the Florida state proceedings, so too do the citizens of Illinois want and deserve the right to view Illinois state government in action.

Endnotes

1 The following description of the expansion of state government was provided by Charles Wheeler, director of the Public Affairs Reporting Program at UIS.

2 Chicago Tribune editorial page, September 19, 2000.

3 Remarks delivered at a town hall meeting held at the Union League Club, Chicago, October 23, 2000.

4 C. Layton and M. Walton, “Missing the Story at the Statehouse: The State of the American Newspaper,” American Journalism Review, July/August 1998.

5 T. Beyle, “State News Media Structures,” Comparative State Politics, June 1998.

6 Because WICS-TV is located in Springfield, its reporters cover the statehouse without a capitol bureau.

7 Illinois Statewide Survey conducted in the fall of 1999 by UIS Survey Research Office, N=633.

8 Interviewed at the first Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors conference (ACRE), Bloomingdale, Illinois, November 11, 2000.

10 Need and Interest in the Illinois Channel

1.The following description of the expansion of state government was provided by Charles Wheeler, Director of the Public Affairs Reporting Program at UIS.

2. Chicago Tribune editorial page, September 19, 2000.

3. Remarks delivered at a town hall meeting held at the Union League Club, Chicago, October 23, 2000.

4. C. Layton and M. Walton, “Missing the Story at the Statehouse: The State of the American Newspaper,” American Journalism Review, July/August 1998.

5. T. Beyle, “State News Media Structures,” Comparative State Politics, June 1998.

6. Because it is located in Springfield, WICS-TV reporters cover the statehouse without the need of a bureau.

7. * Illinois Statewide Survey conducted Fall 1999 by UIS Survey Research Office, N=633.

8. Interviewed at the first Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors conference (ACRE), Bloomingdale, Illinois, November 11, 2000.

11 PROGRAMMING ON THE ILLINOIS CHANNEL

Following the example of programming pioneered by C-SPAN and other state 1 Providing gavel-to-gavel channels, the Illinois Channel Planning coverage of the Illinois General Study Advisory Board recommends that the Assembly, proceedings of the programming mission of the Illinois Channel Illinois Supreme Court and be to provide nonpartisan, unedited coverage activities of the executive branch of all three branches of Illinois state will provide Illinoisans with a medium to view and understand government, as well as public policy events, the important work of state forums, speeches and conferences taking government and how it affects their place across the state. Thus, programming everyday lives. on the Illinois Channel would focus on Jim Ryan Illinois state government and public affairs. Illinois Attorney General Because the Illinois Channel would not compete for ratings, audience share or advertising, it would be free to focus on The gavel-to-gavel style of coverage realistic coverage of state pioneered by C-SPAN is a significant government–unedited and unbiased. improvement over current coverage of state government. Illinois citizens would be able Significance of Gavel-to-Gavel to see and hear the full context of issues as Coverage state officials discuss, debate and decide public policy. The Illinois Channel would As noted earlier, a decline in media adopt the programming principle in coverage of state government is occurring at C-SPAN’s mission statement, “To provide the same time that state budgets and state elected and appointed officials and others governments’ responsibilities are increasing. who would influence public policy a direct conduit to the audience without filtering or Commercial radio reports on state 2 government issues are often less than one otherwise distorting their points of view.” minute in length. The length of television The success of other state public affairs news stories are about one minute and channels, such as the California Channel, twenty seconds. In order to fit in these Connecticut’s CTN-TV, Pennsylvania’s formats, political officeholders often must PCN-TV and Washington’s TVW, demon- explain complex public policy issues in strate that this gavel-to-gavel format can be seven seconds or less. successfully employed at the state level.

Imagine if sporting events were covered Editorial Decision Making in the same way, where viewers were offered only brief highlights of games, short The study’s project director interviewed comments by the players and the final score. one of the assignment editors at C-SPAN to While the viewer still would know who won learn more about the process they use in and who lost, they would know little or editorial decision making. He also observed nothing about how the game was played. and videotaped a C-SPAN editorial board meeting. The tape was subsequently shown at the June 2000 meeting of the study’s

11 Creating the Illinois Channel advisory board at which programming policy editorial board meets daily and includes a guidelines were discussed. range of staff. In the case of the Illinois Channel, the executive director, the program What the board learned was the U.S. director, producers, education coordinator House and Senate always receive highest and other staff, as appropriate, would priority in C-SPAN’s coverage. If the participate in editorial decisionmaking. president is holding a Rose Garden ceremony, C-SPAN will stay with its live In addition to criteria similar to those House coverage as long as the House is in followed by C-SPAN, decisions about session (and tape the Rose Garden ceremony coverage necessarily will involve logistical for later broadcast). The C-SPAN considerations. Are crews available to cover assignment editor explained that they use the event? What is the expense to cover it? five main criteria in deciding what to cover How long is the program? Pennsylvania’s (beyond the House and Senate). We have PCN employs a full-time program manager summarized them in the box below. to oversee such decisions. In the context of what comes in on a daily basis–House and Senate floor debate, committee hearings and C-SPAN’s Programming Criteria press conferences–PCN staff indicate that (non-legislative) most programming decisions tend to be clear 1. The event must be of national interest. cut. It is not just a local event or an event that affects just one part of the country. Staff of other state channels indicate that editorial decisionmaking is not completely 2. It must be public policy and not just mechanical. They characterize it as more of news. The subject should be timely. an art than a science. They operate from in- 3. There must be federal money involved house guidelines rather than formal written or federal officials. criteria. In the state of Washington, for example, TVW approaches decisions from 4. Coverage must help achieve fairness. the standpoint of attempting to cover all The goal is to cover all sides of an issue. Each event does not have to be balanced, legislative committees in the course of a but bring to the audience as many views as year. possible over a course of hours or a course of days. Program Policy Guidelines 5. Speaker quality must be high. Is this person an expert on the subject? Does At the study’s June 2000 board meeting, this person have jurisdiction? members viewed the videotape of the C-SPAN editorial meeting and discussed and approved a series of proposed program policy guidelines for the Illinois Channel. The C-SPAN assignment editor pointed The purpose of these guidelines is to help out that not all editorial decisions can wait ensure the neutrality and nonpartisan nature for the editorial board’s review. C-SPAN of the Illinois Channel’s coverage and to producers have to get cameras in place and establish that the Illinois Channel will sometimes have only ten minutes’ notice televise events with as little intrusion as that an event is going to happen. The possible.

12 Programming on the Illinois Channel

To meet these goals, the advisory board Program Policy Guidelines for adopted ten programming policy guidelines the Illinois Channel shown in the adjacent box. 1. The Illinois Channel should commit to carry live, gavel-to-gavel coverage of floor debate in the Legislative Coverage Illinois General Assembly whenever it is in session.

Providing gavel-to-gavel coverage of the 2. It should not be predetermined which legislative body will be covered live and which one Illinois House and Senate is at the core of will be taped. That decision should be left to the the Illinois Channel’s programming mission. channel’s producers who will be following At the June 2000 advisory board meeting, legislation and should be trusted to make the editorial decision as to which body should be members also recommended that live covered live on a given legislative day. coverage of the General Assembly be the channel’s top programming priority. 3. The Illinois Channel should commit to Members also agreed that when the House covering all three branches of government. and Senate are in session concurrently, the 4. When covering an event, employees of the channel’s programming managers should be Illinois Channel should not ask questions or engage in any action that would reflect a bias. The free to determine which chamber to carry channel’s policy should be only to televise the live and which on tape, based on the nature event and to do so with as little intrusion as of the legislation under consideration.3 possible. 5. When covering legislative bodies, the cameras should be directed primarily at the member Giving the governed more recognized by the chair or at the chair him/herself. access to the actions of those who 6. The channel’s producers should be allowed govern should be a key element of the flexibility to rebroadcast a portion of an event democracy. Illinois government or legislative debate. shouldn’t be shy about turning the cameras on itself for everyone to 7. Illinois Channel programming should be see. committed to reflecting the range of views across Chicago Tribune the political spectrum. Illinois Channel producers Dec. 27, 2000 should allow viewers to witness a range of views and form their own opinions. The Illinois Channel should not be a statewide public access channel where anyone can demand coverage and get it.

To help citizens follow the legislative 8. The Illinois Channel must be viewed as process and track specific legislation, the objective and nonpartisan in its coverage. While Illinois Channel also would cover legislative that is a fundamental programming approach, following C-SPAN’s example, political balance committee hearings. As with C-SPAN and should be achieved in the overall format, not the other state channels, on-air graphics necessarily in every program that airs. would be used on a continuous basis to 9. The Illinois Channel should be careful in identify the legislative topic under taking in outside programming but consider consideration, what the legislation proposes, accepting programs from outside sources. Such and the name and party affiliation of the programs should first be reviewed for content, quality and suitability before being aired. individual speaking. The use of graphics is discussed in more detail later in this section. 10. Because the mission of the Illinois Channel is to create a statewide public affairs channel, programming should reflect events beyond the state capital and beyond official government branches.

13 Creating the Illinois Channel

Two departures from the gavel-to-gavel live and taped, of the General Assembly format have proven beneficial in other states whenever it is in session. The goal would be and could be considered as additional to achieve the highest broadcast quality features of the Illinois Channel. While through the use of state-of-the-art gavel-to-gavel coverage allows people to technology. watch a proceeding in its entirety, the reality is few people can do so. Other states, including Washington and Kentucky, have begun to produce summaries of legislative Debates and key votes on action that air weekly. The summaries have topics such as abortion, concealed carry, prayer in school and other been well-received by viewers. In addition, hot-button issues would likely to assist viewers in following and under- swell the ranks of interested standing the legislative process, C-SPAN viewers. Currently, radio and TV occasionally has had a former Congressional coverage of such debates can only parliamentarian describe the process. scratch the surface, and even newspaper reports must greatly Excerpts from the gavel-to-gavel coverage condense the material. are used to illustrate how a bill moves Joliet, The Herald News through Congress. Minnesota Senate Media Jan. 30, 2000 Services currently provides viewers and schools with similar explanations using videotape of the legislative process in their state. Those states now televising their legislatures generally use fixed, robotic cameras installed in the legislative chambers. These camera systems are It is true that far more people automated to focus on whichever member is are likely to tune into ?Match recognized by the presiding officer. By Game 2000” on the Game Show Network than would ever tune into using an automated system, only the a school-funding debate on the recognized member, or presiding officer, House floor. That is no excuse, appears on camera. The system is activated however, not to offer an unbiased, when the member’s microphone is turned unfiltered view into our state on. Thus, members who are on the floor but government. Springfield, are not engaged in legislative activity will The State Journal-Register not be televised, unless they are sitting Jan. 27, 2000 immediately adjacent to the member currently on camera.

Such a system is now in place in the Illinois House of Representatives Illinois House chamber. In November 2000, Coverage three video cameras were installed along with the House’s two new voting boards. The program policy guidelines adopted Currently, these three cameras allow video by the study’s advisory board contained the images of House members to be displayed provision that the Illinois Channel should within the House chamber on a video screen commit to carry gavel-to-gavel coverage, located at the top of the voting boards. This

14 Programming on the Illinois Channel video is also carried on the Internet. By show the vote tally displayed on the new tapping into this video feed, the Illinois voting boards. Channel could televise House proceedings to homes, classrooms and businesses across the Adopting camera protocols for legislative state on the Illinois Channel’s cable outlets. coverage Following the installation of the cameras Adding a fourth House camera in the Illinois House chamber in the fall of As mentioned, there are currently three 2000, there were published reports that some cameras installed in the Illinois House House members were concerned the cameras chamber. One camera is fixed on the might televise images of members when not Speaker’s podium, with the other two engaged in legislative debate.4 It should be cameras preset to focus on members on emphasized that the purpose of the Illinois either the Republican or Democratic side of Channel in televising legislative coverage is the aisle. The switching back and forth from to allow viewers to watch and follow the camera to camera also is automated using a legislative process, not to embarrass 4 x 4 matrix switcher. This means the members of the General Assembly. Under switcher is capable of handling four sources no circumstances would video coverage be of video. used purposely to portray a legislator in an unflattering manner. Such use would However, there is a small problem using undermine the very intent of the channel–to the current system for broadcast purposes, show the legislative process as unobtrusively but it is a problem that is easily solved. The as possible. problem stems from the fact that the existing cameras may take three seconds to swivel As noted above, the robotic nature of the from one House member to the next member cameras now installed would minimize the recognized by the chair. While it is moving potential to show members who are not and focusing on the recognized House engaged in debate on the floor. Other state member, the camera does not transmit an channels have adopted and published image. Instead, the screen goes black. protocols that establish precisely what the Thus, under the current system, up to three cameras will and will not show. In seconds of black may appear between Connecticut, operators of CTN, the state’s recognized members. Additionally, during independent public affairs channel, adopted lulls in floor action when neither a member’s the following rules in its operating nor the Speaker’s microphone is activated, agreement with the Connecticut General the cameras would go black. Assembly: 5

To avoid this, we recommend adding a P Cameras should focus only on fourth camera in a back corner of the recognized speakers. chamber and that this camera be designated the default video source. A wide shot of the P Close-ups will be limited to recognized House chamber then would appear during speakers. legislative lulls and during the time it takes for a camera at the front of the chamber to P Sensational or dramatic shots and focus on the recognized member. During extreme close-ups are prohibited. votes, this fourth camera also may be used to

15 Creating the Illinois Channel

Copyright law to protect misuse of Channel. This would prohibit such video legislative video from being used in television ad campaigns. Although C-SPAN takes a video feed of The copyright protection would apply to all floor debate from Congress, it can copyright material broadcast by the Illinois Channel. the video broadcast to households because C-SPAN enhances the video with on-air Illinois Senate Coverage graphics. Other state channels, such as Washington’s TVW, also copyright their For coverage of the Senate, our product. TVW’s copyright is published on recommendation is the Senate chamber also its website6: should have four cameras installed. Like the system currently in the House, this All content, including text, graphics, automated system would be wired through audio, video and applications on this site the Senate’s audio board. Again, each are protected by U.S. copyright and camera would automatically turn to and international treaties and may not be copied focus on the senator recognized by the without the express permission of TVW, presiding officer. which reserves all rights. Re-use of any of TVW's content and graphics online for any purpose may be granted on a case-by-case ...if we could get coverage of basis provided the content and/or graphics Illinois government in a way are not modified in any way, all copyright similar to what C-SPAN is doing and other notices on any copy are retained, nationally...it would and permission is granted by TVW. Re-use unquestionably enrich our democracy in the state of Illinois. of any of TVW's content and graphics online Sen. Paul Simon for any commercial or political purpose is Feb. 1, 2001 strictly prohibited.

The Illinois Channel also would propose to copyright our broadcast product. While Committee Coverage the legislative video would originate from cameras operating in the legislative Much of the substantive debate and work chambers, the Illinois Channel would add on a legislative proposal occurs when a textual graphics to the video to increase legislative committee considers it. As a part viewers’ understanding of the legislative of its proposed legislative coverage, the process. These graphics would identify Illinois Channel would seek to broadcast members speaking, the legislation under House and Senate committee hearings. The consideration and an explanation of its proposed operating and capital budgets provisions. included in this report reflect the intent to televise these hearings using a camera crew. Adding these graphics alters the video This is the method used by a number of product and thereby would allow the Illinois public affairs channels, including C-SPAN Channel to copyright the material.7 In this and Pennsylvania’s PCN-TV. Other state manner, legislative video broadcasts to public affairs channels, like Connecticut’s households may not be used or duplicated by CTN, televise committees using fixed anyone without permission of the Illinois robotic cameras.

16 Programming on the Illinois Channel

Sample of Program Coverage in Pennsylvania

The following grid illustrates programming events that Pennsylvania’s PCN-TV planned to cover on February 5, 2001. This one day’s programming included legislative coverage (committee hearings, House and Senate floor debate), plus speeches and a viewer call-in show.

PCN-TV Coverage Schedule Monday, February 5

Time Event Sponsor Location 10:00 a.m. Hospital Diversion Senate Public Health and Welfare Room 8E-A, Committee, Sen. Hal Mowery, chair Capitol Bldg. 10:00 a.m. Tax Policies for Energy Penn Future Room 39, East Security, Job Creation & Wing, Capitol Environmental Quality Bldg. 11:00 a.m. A Tribute to African PA Legislative Black Caucus Capitol Rotunda American Women in the Legislature 1:00 p.m. PA House Floor Proceedings Harrisburg 2:00 p.m. PA Senate Floor Proceedings Harrisburg 7:00 p.m. PCN Call In Program PCN Complex, (LIVE): Tobacco Settlement Camp Hill, PA

Use of On-Air Graphics P Legislation brought up for floor action will be identified on screen by its bill As with C-SPAN and many of the other number and a short title. If the short title state channels, the Illinois Channel proposes is too brief or vague to convey to to use graphics to help viewers follow the viewers easily the subject of the legislative, executive and judicial legislation under consideration, Operator 8 proceedings being televised. The use of (CTN) will provide language to do so. graphics by the Connecticut channel, CTN, is a good example. In its operating Impact of TV Cameras on agreement, CTN suggests the following Legislative Debate format for the use of graphics: A few members of the Illinois General P When speaking, legislators will be Assembly have expressed concern that identified by their name, party and televising House and Senate floor debate hometown. would encourage some members to grandstand before the cameras. While that may be P The Speaker, President Pro Tem, the concern of some, other state lawmakers, majority and minority leaders, deputies statewide officials, and former members of Congress believe the advantages of enabling and assistants, committee chairs and citizens to see their government in action far vicechairs will be identified as such. outweigh the perceived disadvantages.

17 Creating the Illinois Channel

Senator Duane Noland Congressman Bob Michel For example, State Senator Duane This point is underscored by former Noland (R-51), in a statement read by an members of Illinois’ Congressional aide during our town hall meeting in delegation. Retired Congressman Bob Decatur, expressed his support for the Michel (R-18) recalled his experience when concept of the Illinois Channel: C-SPAN began coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979: [I am] supportive of a channel for the General Assembly and efforts to provide I was rather reluctant when we were more sunlight on Illinois government. A first talking about it for fear of having C-SPAN style project for the Illinois grandstanding and showboating. I had General Assembly would help educate reservations, and there was the question of citizens on pending issues, encourage more how the cameras would be focused, how public participation and ultimately hold our much theater would you get. But I must legislature more accountable to the public. confess after it got started I mellowed on the Having better educated citizens helps to subject. I could see that it was much more foster a better working government and a educational and the overall benefits to be better representative body.9 gained from a better informed general public or electorate outweighed the State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka concerns.11 State Treasurer and former state Senator Judy Baar Topinka expressed her support for Congressman John Porter the Illinois Channel during remarks at our The view that the benefits of opening Chicago town hall meeting. She noted that: government to the people outweigh any concerns is shared by recently retired [The Illinois Channel] would be an Congressman John Porter (R-10): informational conduit between state government and the people of Illinois. It is fair to say that undoubtedly Legislative sessions, committee hearings members probably at times want to get their and other forums would be presented as they message out forcefully to show constituents occur–no editing, no sanitizing. You would that they are on the job. The presence of see government at work and draw your own cameras does have some encouraging effect conclusions about what’s going on.10 to speak on the House floor. . .

The concern about grandstanding is best We have come to live with cameras and addressed by looking at the experiences of have fashioned procedures that still other states that already are televising their preserve the decorum of debate. Still, legislatures and the 22-year history of cameras are a fact of our modern life and C-SPAN. In their experience, grandstanding the principle of our society is that the people is not an issue of such concern that it should make the laws. If the people can’t be keep cameras out of the chambers. informed, what opportunity do they have to influence their government? It is the right of the American people to have access to the deliberations of their legislators, so from that standpoint it is beneficial.12

18 Programming on the Illinois Channel

Congressman Glenn Poshard Televised Coverage and Legislative Much of the discussion of grandstanding Grandstanding: The Experience of on C-SPAN relates to House members Washington State giving speeches only for the cameras and after the legislative day has ended. In the Although the process has worked well U.S. House, these are referred to as “Special on Capitol Hill for more than two decades, Orders” speeches. Former Congressman each state, in considering televising its Glenn Poshard (D-19) notes that there are legislative proceedings, has wrestled with institutional differences in the operation of the grandstanding issue. Interviews with two the U.S. Congress and the Illinois General Washington senators suggest that these fears Assembly that would tend to lessen are not groundless, but should be viewed in grandstanding in Illinois. One example is perspective. that Special Orders speeches are not allowed in the Illinois House or Senate. As Congressman Poshard sees it: Illinois would not be blazing a new trail I would think that the C-SPAN concept if the public affairs channel becomes a in the General Assembly would work even reality. C-SPAN has been broadcasting congressional and other federal government better in Springfield than it does in programming for the past two decades, and Washington. You are going to have some 19 other states offer some form of public legislators grandstand. That will be true no affairs programming. matter what you do. But if you put some limits on the amount of time, you can control Springfield, The State Journal-Register that to a certain extent. Jan. 27, 2000

When I was in the General Assembly, I would guess that 20 percent of the people Televised coverage of the Washington did 90 percent of the talking. That won’t Senate began in 1995, when the legislature change. Certain individuals will get more decided to fund TVW, a nonprofit attention. But I think it will spur more organization formed to produce televised people to get involved. For those that don’t coverage of state government. When the bill engage in the debate, this might act as a authorizing coverage came to the Senate, stimulus. Whatever the motive, if they are Republican Senator Robert McCaslin, then a participating that is good.13 15-year veteran of the Senate, voted against funding to put cameras in the Senate Congressman Poshard also noted there were chamber, believing it was not an appropriate clear benefits when constituents–including use of state funds. Now that the cameras those who disagreed with his positions–were have broadcast Senate debate to Washington able to view legislative debate on television: state citizens for over five years, Senator McCaslin fully supports televising the I found in my town meetings there would Senate and does not believe it has altered the always be people in the audience who would legislative process. His colleague, Stephen stand up and say, "I disagreed with your Johnson, Republican deputy leader in the vote, but I understand why you voted the way Senate, agrees (see next page). you did because I listened to the debate.”

19 Creating the Illinois Channel

Is Grandstanding a Problem?

Project Director Terry Martin conducted telephone interviews on June 20, 2000, with Washington State Senators Robert McCaslin, a 20-year veteran of the Senate, and Stephen Johnson, the Republican deputy leader in the Senate. Complete transcripts of the interviews may be found in the appendix.

Martin: Some of the thoughts here [in Illinois] are that it [cameras] could lead to grandstanding.

Sen. McCaslin: Well, in my opinion you have grandstanding whether you have cameras or not, and it’s just a few. We have 49 senators. Now there are some people who like to speak on every issue. It doesn’t matter what it is, whether agriculture or inner city problems; there are Democrats and Republicans who speak just because they love to speak.

Martin: I used to work at C-SPAN and I know that one of the concerns there was that the cameras would slow the legislative process. What’s your experience?

Sen. McCaslin: No, I don’t think that’s true whatsoever. I wish it did, but it doesn’t. I’ve been in 20 years. My first session was 1981. And my thought is people don’t change institutions very much. I don’t think the state senate changes whether the Democrats or the Republicans are in charge. In my opinion it (cameras) has not slowed it down.

Martin: Do you think this has allowed the people of the state to follow the legislative process more than they did before?

Sen. McCaslin: Oh, absolutely! For those who are interested, and I’d underline that if I were writing a speech, for those who are interested in learning about the processes of government–the judiciary, the governor’s office and the legislative branch–he [Denny Heck/CEO of the public affairs channel TVW] covers them all. It’s full coverage as far as I’m concerned. Denny, or TVW, whoever runs the show up there, has been unbiased in who they’ve had on.

Again, if any citizen in the state of Washington is interested in the governmental process, I would say, “Turn on TVW and follow their schedule.” You’re going to see a lot of people who are involved in decisions in your daily life on TVW. And I would tell that to any state that’s thinking about it. I would consider it very, very carefully before not approving it.

Sen. Johnson: I went into the legislature in January 1995. [the same year TVW began its televised coverage of the Senate]

Martin: So you didn’t have to consider whether it should be added to the chamber?

Sen. Johnson: That’s correct. It was a done deal. But there were still some members, long-time members, that thought it was not a very good idea. I don’t agree with them, by the way.

Martin: Well, there are some concerns that have been raised in our state. One is that it might cause members to grandstand. I didn’t know if you had any thoughts on that?

Sen. Johnson: I think that’s true. We have TV cameras from TV stations in the chamber from time to time, when something is particularly newsworthy, I guess. And that’s more obvious, because TVW cameras are on all the time. I think there’s grandstanding to some extent, although I think it’s limited to a few members.

Martin: So, you don’t think it has any significant effect on the legislative procedure?

Sen. Johnson: That’s my feeling.

20 Programming on the Illinois Channel

Benefits to the Legislature of an Illinois that need to be struck. When voters cannot C-SPAN see the process at work, it feeds their cynicism and distrust of government. By Televised coverage of House and Senate observing the legislature at work, they will floor debate and committee hearings would have a better understanding of the process of benefit General Assembly members by negotiating solutions to public policy allowing their district office staff to keep problems. current on legislative developments as they happen. District staff also may wish to Illinois Supreme Court Coverage inform constituents who are interested in a particular issue of the date that legislation As the highest Court in the state, the would be debated. Legislators also would be Illinois Supreme Court hears appeals from able to view legislative committee hearings lower reviewing courts and direct appeals on held when the legislature is out of session. death penalty cases and in issues where a Circuit Court has declared a statute unconstitutional. In effect, it has ultimate We applaud any effort to bring authority in the application of the state’s the legislature and citizens closer civil and criminal laws as well as authority together. given it by the Illinois Constitution to Joliet, The Herald News administer the vast state court system. This Jan. 30, 2000 administrative authority includes the decision on whether to allow cameras inside courtrooms. The Illinois Channel not only would cover the legislature, it would televise public It is an overlooked fact, but the Illinois policy-related events held around the state. Supreme Court addressed the issue in 1983, This “window on the state” would offer allowing cameras to videotape or film oral legislators a greater opportunity to track arguments in the Supreme Court and in the issues of concern outside their districts. Appellate courts on an experimental basis. This would be an important benefit because It made its order permanent in 1985. For the reality of the legislative process forces nearly 18 years, TV cameras have been city legislators to vote on agricultural issues, allowed in the Supreme Court during oral like mega-hog farms, and rural legislators to arguments so long as the media requested vote on whether to build a new airport in coverage within five business days before Chicago. The Illinois Channel’s coverage of the argument was scheduled (Supreme Court such policy events would offer legislators Rule 63). and their staff a timely and efficient way to follow issues of special concern in the Unfortunately, TV news stations in state’s various regions. Illinois have demonstrated little interest in televising cases that come before the Legislators also would benefit from Supreme Court. Even on the rare occasions voters having a better understanding of the when media have requested coverage, the legislative process. Voters will see the news coverage is structured to provide weighing of competing interests involved in viewers only brief video clips of the court making public policy and the compromises

21 Creating the Illinois Channel proceedings. The Illinois Channel would Court, or from the attorneys’ room, separate propose to cover all the oral arguments but adjacent to the courtroom. before the Illinois Supreme Court and to televise those cases in their entirety–from We, of course, realize that any proposals gavel to gavel. for camera coverage of oral arguments would have to be approved by the Supreme Court. We are not sure why the media have not taken advantage of the Supreme Court rule Illinois Executive Branch Coverage allowing camera coverage. We can speculate that one reason might be that the In addition to its coverage of the General rule, which also sets out some technical Assembly and Supreme Court, the Illinois requirements, allows only one camera in a Channel would allow citizens to view rear corner of the courtroom, giving a frontal actions of the executive branch in far greater view of the seven sitting justices but only a detail as well. The governor and other rear view of attorneys making their statewide officeholders, as well as state arguments. agency directors, routinely hold press conferences and seminars, and deliver policy We would prefer, as is the case in proposals at various public meetings. A few Florida where the nation was riveted on oral recent examples include Governor George arguments in the aftermath of the 2000 Ryan’s moratorium on the death penalty, presidential election, to install three small, robotic cameras that could focus on the entire judicial proceeding: The justice asking questions, the attorney addressing the Court, We are all better off when the legislative, executive and judicial and a wide shot of the room. We believe branches all operate in a fish bowl. these fixed cameras would allow ample Gene Callahan coverage of the proceedings while Retired Chief of Staff to maintaining the decorum of the Court as Former U.S. Senator Alan Dixon required under Supreme Court Rule 67A(7). In fact, we believe there would be less distraction than occurs under the current Attorney General Jim Ryan’s proposals on rule. Currently, the TV camera is situated restricting the marketing of violent video on a tripod in the rear corner of the games to children, and Comptroller Dan courtroom. The camera and tripod are far Hynes discussing his legislative proposals to more bulky than the proposed permanently- strengthen the state’s fiscal future. In each installed cameras and require breaking down case, there was abbreviated press coverage. while the court is still in session if only one The Illinois Channel’s coverage of the argument is being covered. The current entirety of an event would allow citizens to situation also requires a camera operator in have a greater understanding of the issues the courtroom to operate the equipment involved because they could see and hear the during oral argument. full context of the discussion. Such televised coverage would be a major service Our proposal would allow the cameras to to Illinois citizens and would allow them to be operated remotely from a Master Control follow the actions and proposals of their Operating center, blocks removed from the state government.

22 Programming on the Illinois Channel

There are many specific examples where Public Affairs Coverage beyond televised coverage of executive branch State Government actions would help to increase communication not only between state government The Illinois Channel will follow the and its citizens, but also between state and programming example of C-SPAN and other local governments. One such example is the state channels that televise public affairs state treasurer’s annual conference for events taking place outside the capital city. municipal treasurers, at which participants In the course of this study, we conducted an hear about various options for the secure informal survey of colleges, associations and investment of local tax dollars. A number of communities to determine if there are state agencies, such as the Illinois sufficient numbers of these events to warrant Department of Human Services and the such coverage. We uncovered a wealth of Illinois Department of Commerce and programming opportunities. In fact there are Community Affairs, hold regional hearings so many interesting public affairs events to learn the experiences of clients or collect occurring regularly throughout the state that information for state and regional planning. there is little question there are enough Hearings by the Department of Corrections programming opportunities to produce the on the location of a new prison or by the minimum four hours of daily programming. Department of Nuclear Safety on the site for a nuclear waste disposal facility would be of To illustrate the range of public affairs interest to many. programming opportunities, the box on the next page highlights a few of the many Televised coverage of historical sites and public affairs events held around the state in state parks maintained by the Department of recent months, or to be held in the near Natural Resources would allow citizens future, that could be broadcast on the Illinois across the state to gain a better under- Channel. An expanded list is in the standing of what families may see and do in appendix. their state. Farmers would benefit by being able to view agricultural policy discussions by the Department of Agriculture, see coverage of the State Fair, or watch university conferences on new farming techniques and the marketing of crops to overseas clients. Statewide televised coverage of Illinois Department of Public Health conferences and initiatives, such as those dealing with immunizations, smoking cessation, HIV treatments or nursing home standards would benefit local health departments, their clients and citizens at large.

23 Creating the Illinois Channel

these events not only will help to bridge Programming Opportunities Outside the State Capital regional differences in the state, but it also will educate and, on occasion perhaps, even Chicago, July 16, 2000 entertain Illinois citizens. National Conference of State Legislatures annual conference Bringing Government to the Classroom Highland Park, September 26, 2000 U.S. Congressional Candidates Debate, 10th District Through the Illinois Century Network Chicago, October 2, 2000 (ICN), Illinois is already spending millions U.S. Surgeon General addresses Illinois of dollars to wire the state’s schools, Public Health Association colleges, universities and libraries with high- Springfield, October 13, 2000 Illinois Historic Preservation Agency speed Internet connections. These high- symposium speed connections will allow television Elsah, October 29, 2000 programming to be delivered into Colin Powell address at Principia College classrooms for educational purposes. State Rosemont, November 1, 2000 government programming should be part of Women’s Health Conference, Illinois that offering and would be a tremendous Department of Public Health Chicago, November 17, 2000 educational resource for teachers. Illinois Association of School Boards annual conference Using the Illinois Century Network, Peoria, December 5, 2000 teachers from elementary schools through Attorney General Ryan, press conference on college levels would be able to tap into a violent video games Springfield, February 12, 2001 library of archived programming and bring it Groundbreaking ceremony for Abraham into the classroom on demand. The potential Lincoln Presidential Library is obvious. History teachers could tap into a Abraham Lincoln Association symposium in tour of Illinois historic sites. Business Old State Capitol students may view a state regulatory hearing. Effingham, March 21, 2001 Illinois Rural Health Association annual Law students could watch as attorneys conference present oral arguments before the Illinois Springfield, April 17-18, 2001 Supreme Court. Political science students Public Investors’ Financial Education could view actual debate in the General Symposium, State Treasurer Assembly or watch the governor’s budget Elsah, May 18, 2001 Jane Goodall, presentation of research on address. Where the technology is not Africa, Principia College available to pipe Illinois Channel program- Springfield, June 5-6, 2001 ming directly into the classroom, videotape Immunization Conference, Illinois copies of programs could be made available Department of Public Health for just the cost of duplicating the tapes.

That is a small sample of events held in We believe the state’s public affairs communities across Illinois. Certainly every programming offers such a potential college and university in Illinois holds educational resource that the operating various public affairs events that would be budget we propose would fund a staff of interest to others in the state. Illinois is an teacher who would develop curricula to be untapped gold mine of public affairs used in conjunction with Illinois Channel programming opportunities. Televising programming.

24 Programming on the Illinois Channel

Just how Illinois Channel programming with the exact hour and day those shows will can be incorporated into the classroom is an be broadcast. But programming on many of area for further study. But the experience of the state public affairs channels is limited to TVW in the state of Washington suggests event coverage that varies from day to day. there would be wide interest by teachers in Therefore many of the state channels find having the Illinois Channel’s public affairs that keeping programming guides updated programming available with lesson plans. on their web page is the best method of An example of one lesson plan developed by keeping viewers informed as to what will air TVW for use with its program, Lewis and and when. The Illinois Channel would also Clark: The Washington Experience, is found plan to keep a programming guide on its in the appendix. web page that reflects the day’s programming and other events as they are scheduled. Other state channels, including Penn- sylvania’s PCN, produce some programming Video and Audio Archives specifically designed for students. On Sun- days, PCN airs a live program, “Homework A number of questions concerning the Help,” which allows students from across long-term archiving of the material produced the state to call in to PCN’s studio and ask a by the Illinois Channel need to be explored. teacher for help on homework assignments. Should everything be kept? If not, what Most of the calls concern questions in should or should not be held for posterity science and math. As CEO Brian Lockman and what guidelines should be established to commented at our March 2000 board make the determination? Additional ques- meeting: “It’s one of the simplest shows to tions concern where the materials would be produce, and our phone lines are busy for 15 kept, in what format, who would have access minutes before the show to 15 minutes after to the records, and who would bear the cost it’s off the air.” of maintaining and logging the material.

Published Program Schedules A primary issue associated with archiving materials is the cost. The proposed Unlike entertainment television, few budget for the Illinois Channel included in programs on public affairs channels are this report does not include costs for regularly scheduled. Nor do the programs fit archiving all materials produced. Modern the predetermined half-hour or hour lengths technology is lowering the cost of storing that are the norm throughout the rest of video, but the primary method for long-term broadcasting. Because the coverage is storage at this time remains videotape. The unedited gavel-to-gavel, programs may be principal cost associated with this means of six minutes or six hours in length. storage is the considerable space required to Therefore, informing viewers as to what will house the tapes for an indefinite time. air and when is a major challenge. Other state channels vary in their A few states, like Pennsylvania’s PCN- approach to archiving. Connecticut’s CTN TV, send out printed program guides with archives all its programming. Pennsyl- generic listings of “public affairs program- vania’s PCN selectively archives the ming.”14 PCN’s programming grid also materials it produces. Because the Pennsyl- includes listings of programs it produces vania House and Senate produce the video

25 Creating the Illinois Channel feed of the legislative floor debate, tapes of 4 Springfield State Journal-Register, January 31, those debates are maintained in the state 2001, “GOP worried about possible misuse of archives. Washington’s TVW archives 100 webcams at Capitol.” percent of its programming on SVHS tape. 5 Connecticut Network Operating Agreement, section TVW then donates this material to the 13, “Shot Selection.” Archives Division of the Secretary of State’s Office, along with a complete index of the 6 TVW website at www.TVW.org material. The Archives Division is required 7 Both C-SPAN and TVW copyright their product on to keep a SVHS player on hand and enable this basis. members of the public to watch the material. In addition, TVW retains an audio record at 8 Connecticut Network Operating Agreement, section its web site on the Internet of everything 14, “Graphics Information.” TVW televises and all legislative 9 Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois, September deliberations during session (House and 11, 2000. Senate, floor action, and all committees), whether or not TVW televises them. 10 Union League Club, Chicago, Illinois, October 23, 2000. In covering state government and public 11 Interviewed January 31, 2001, by Illinois Channel affairs around the state, the material Planning Study staff. broadcast by the Illinois Channel would involve many different entities: agencies of 12 Ibid. all three branches of government, colleges 13 Ibid. and universities, associations, even the Lincoln Presidential Library. Therefore, 14 See appendix for a sample of PCN’s program questions concerning archiving should schedule. involve broad consideration of and consultation with these various entities and how the archival material could be made “Illinois Channel worth available to the public and researchers. the effort”

Part of the cause of voter apathy is that people don’t understand what their elected Endnotes representatives and senators do. The initiative, plus a plan to 1 See “Television Coverage of State Government,” a provide daily online updates of grid and description of the range of programming General Assembly action, are good provided by other state channels, courtesy of TVW ideas that could help get the public on page 27. more involved with–or at least better informed about–the political 2 C-SPAN mission statement, paragraph 3, as process. published in C-SPAN’s Articles of Incorporation. Edwardsville Intelligencer 3 While not a written rule, most states tend to air the Oct. 21, 2000 House live and the Senate on tape.

26 UIS Illinois Channel Planning Study Television Coverage of State Government

Programming Distribution Transmission Operations

State House FloorHouse CommitteesSenate FloorSenate CommitteesProducedNon-legislativeLive Tape DelayedClosed CircuitLimited ExternalSignificantCable ExternalBroadcastSatellite Fiber OpticMicrowaveOther Inside Outside CombinationEngineering/RoboticsStart Date AK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jan-96 CA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jan-91 CT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1999 FL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mar-96 HI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1993 KY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jan-78 LA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jan-98 MA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1984 MI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May-97 MN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1988 NE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1984 NJ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jan-96 NV !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jan-97 OH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1997 OR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1997 PA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1994 RI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1984 TX !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1996 WA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Apr-95 Creating the Illinois Channel

Television Coverage of State Government Chart Legend

1. Programming - This category covers areas of approach to programming. 2. Produced - Indicates whether or not the operation regularly "creates" or carries produced programming in addition to unedited or strictly gavel-to-gavel programming. 3. Non-legislative - Indicates whether or not programming regularly includes governmental deliberations outside the legislative branch. 4. Live - Indicates whether or not programming is regularly live. 5. Tape Delayed - Indicates the channel regularly carries tape-delayed programming, whether or not it also provides live programming. 6. Distribution - These areas reveal how the programming ultimately is carried or finds a dial location. 7. Closed Circuit - Indicates whether there is a closed-circuit feed of the programming. This most frequently occurs on the capitol campus. 8. Limited External - Indicates whether the programming is carried in households outside the capitol campus but on a limited basis, such as just in the capitol city. 9. Significant External - Indicates there is substantial carriage of the programming on a statewide basis, but not necessarily in all homes. 10. Cable - Indicates the programming is carried on cable television systems. 11. Broadcast - Indicates the programming is broadcast and available "over the air," which is not necessarily mutually exclusive with cable. 12. Transmission - This category reveals how the programming is transported to locations off the capitol campus and around the state, if appropriate. 13. Satellite - Indicates whether or not the signal is satellite uplinked. 14. Fiber Optic - Indicates long distance transmission of signal via fiber optic cable. 15. Microwave - Indicates the use of microwave transmission (licensed and line-of-sight) to locations outside the immediate area. 16. Other- Indicates alternative means of "transmission." May include "high-end" examples such as use of the Internet or "low-end" examples such as the mailing of dubbed tapes to local access sites. 17. Operations - Indicates where the staff which creates and distributes the programming is located and employed. 18. Inside - Indicates the staff and equipment are contained within the legislative environment. 19. Outside - Indicates the staff and equipment are outside the legislative environment. Examples include subcontracting arrangements with a local PBS station, or a separate nonprofit entity altogether. 20. Combination - This indicates a combined inside/outside operational regime. Examples include California, where the Legislature largely creates the programming with its staff and equipment and then sends the programming to a nonprofit, the California Channel, which uplinks and distributes it to cable systems. 21. Engineering/Robotics - Indicates whether robotically controlled cameras are at least partially utilized.

28 UIS Illinois Channel Planning Study Television Coverage of State Government

Programming Distribution Transmission Operations

The Illinois Channel would be distributed question whether the FCC eventually will through a variety of methods that potentially order cable companies to carry all four would enable all Illinois citizens to have channels local broadcasters will be able to access to state government. Who would be send out once those stations convert to able to watch? Students and teachers in digital broadcasting. Cable firms argue such classrooms, members of business and an order would consume many of the new industry, local government and civic leaders, channels they just spent billions of dollars to members of the media, representatives of create. As a result, some cable firms are associations and nonprofit organizations, reluctant to commit to carrying and funding family farmers and individuals in their homes. another free channel in addition to C-SPAN and C-SPAN2. In fact, C-SPAN itself There are four potential means of continues to face challenges in getting its distribution discussed in detail in this section: channels carried on cable systems. 1) local government cable channels; 2) C-SPAN’s telecasts of the U.S. House of Internet video streaming; 3) PBS multi- Representatives can be seen in over 65 channels; and 4) direct broadcast satellite. million homes while U.S. Senate coverage on The first option, broadcasting on existing C-SPAN2 is only seen in approximately 45 government cable channels, is the one we million homes. In certain communities, like believe would be the primary means of Springfield, C-SPAN2 appears only part of distribution for at least the first few years of the day on a local access channel. operation and perhaps indefinitely. Already, several local government entities around the state have expressed an interest in carrying the Illinois Channel. Based on these “handshake” agreements alone, the channel already has the potential to reach more then half a million cable households in Illinois were it launched today.

Option One: Cable Distribution

Ideally, the Illinois Channel would have its own designated cable channel in Illinois. However, the marketplace has changed significantly since C-SPAN was launched in 1979. Cable companies now face greater competition from the direct broadcast satellite firms at the very time they are spending billions of dollars to upgrade their systems from analog to digital. In addition to those economic realities is the open We propose to distribute the Illinois Channel in the same way, by asking local government access channels to carry Illinois

29 Creating the Illinois Channel

Channel programming when the city Illinois Channel. This is a one-time cost in government is not using its channel. These the neighborhood of $2,500 per location. local government channels frequently televise city council meetings but little else. An Option Two: Internet Broadband agreement could be negotiated with local Video Streaming governments for them to carry Illinois Channel programming during those hours Another viable means of distribution is when local government is not televised. This video streaming, which sends television has proven to be a very viable means of cable images to a personal computer from a distribution that was used to launch both website. The effect is much the same as Connecticut’s and Washington’s public watching television on a computer. affairs channels. However, the quality of the image is not nearly as good as television’s. Video Additionally, a number of colleges, streamed images are usually smaller than 3” universities and community colleges around x 5,” and the images tend to freeze while the the state also have a cable channel assigned audio content continues to flow. to them. The Illinois Channel’s program- Nonetheless, the result is the viewer can ming also could be carried on those channels “watch” and listen to television program- during set hours of the day when there is ming on a computer. As many offices today open programming time available. are equipped with computers and Internet connections, in a few short years this may Illinois Channel programming would be prove to be a primary method of viewing the distributed to the various local cable Illinois Channel during business hours. channels via satellite transmission. Pro- gramming would be sent from the Illinois Channel’s Master Control Operation (MCO) to a satellite uplink ground station. From Broadcast and now Internet there, the signal would be sent to a satellite technologies can open public and then picked up by a ground antenna and processes to all citizens who receiver located at the point where the host possess a television set if not a channel sends its signal to the local cable computer online. Illinois, as a operator. For example, Springfield Public major mid-continental industrial School District 186 is assigned channel 22 state, needs to get with the times. The Quincy Herald-Whig on the local cable system. When the district Nov. 21, 2000 is not sending out its own programming, the channel frequently pulls in programming of the ARTS channel or NASA-TV. Illinois Channel programming would be a valuable Those who have faster Internet addition. connections than 28,800 (28.8k) or 56,600 (56.6k) bits per second, the connection To enable a local cable outlet to receive speeds typically used by homeowners, will Illinois Channel programming, a satellite see a marked improvement in video quality. receiver and antenna would need to be placed Many colleges, universities and businesses at its site. We propose that the cost of the now have high-speed Internet connections receiver and satellite antenna be borne by the allowing video streaming to pass through at

30 Distribution of the Illinois Channel

speeds of 100k bits per second or more. In events as well as obtain information about addition, cable operators and phone topics being discussed by on-screen companies are currently marketing high- speakers. We will continue to investigate speed connections to homeowners, allowing how best to integrate this new technology them to duplicate these high speed into the efforts to televise state government. connections. A Major Advantage to Streaming Video Video streaming is employed already by many television broadcasters around the Despite the often “herky-jerky” quality of world, including C-SPAN, which uses its the video, viewing television programming website to stream both C-SPAN and over the Internet offers a major advantage. C-SPAN2. A number of the state public Viewers are not limited to what is currently affairs channels, including Washington’s being broadcast on television. Anyone with TVW, Pennsylvania’s PCN-TV, and an Internet connection could log on to the Connecticut’s CTN, stream their program- Illinois Channel’s website, select the program ming on their websites. they wish to view from a menu, and then play or pause the program as they wish. Technology continues to expand the capabilities of telecasting on the Internet. Recently, YAHOO!®, the Internet media giant, began live televised coverage of the In Peoria alone, sessions of the stock market during trading hours on its new School Board and County Board site FinanceVision.yahoo.com. Although the are televised. Judging by the Wednesday-morning quarter- service is headquartered in Santa Clara, backing, the City Council draws a California, reporters deliver live reports from sizeable audience. But when it the New York Stock Exchange. The video comes to state government, there is is then fed via the Internet 3,000 miles to a void, which is becoming more of Santa Clara. The quality of the video is a handicap as news coverage of remarkably good, although the video is state government declines. displayed in a small screen about 3 inches Peoria, Journal Star square. Equally impressive as the video Nov. 30, 2000 quality is the textual information displayed alongside the video. The problem is that video of that quality is only available if you have Internet connection speeds that are far The video programs can be saved on faster than the connection speeds currently “video servers” which are similar to the hard used by most households. But high drive on a personal computer. Because bandwidth is available to many Internet video programs take up a great deal of the users, if they choose to pay for it, and the server’s storage space, most programs would number of users continues to grow. be saved on the Illinois Channel server for approximately one week and then archived These examples demonstrate that into a video library. This would allow television and the Internet are combining to programs such as committee hearings, floor create a new means of accessing informa- debates or press conferences to be viewed at tion, one that allows viewers to both witness

31 Creating the Illinois Channel any time during that week via the Internet. these speeds, video images appear with a Selected programs of ongoing general fluidity that approaches or replicates interest, such as a tour of the State Capitol broadcast quality, again depending on the or the State Museum, could be kept on the connection speed. server for much longer periods if that were desired. Because the state is already investing a significant sum to create this high-speed Building on the Illinois Century Network information artery and connect educational centers to it, the comparatively small The State of Illinois committed $25 additional cost for the Illinois Channel would million in the FY2000 budget to continue create a significant educational benefit for building its own version of the Internet that the state’s technological investment. will greatly enhance the streaming of video to classrooms and libraries. This project is Option Three: PBS Multi-Channel called the “Illinois Century Network” Distribution (ICN).1 The state is now in the process of connecting more than 4,000 elementary and Another potential distribution option lies secondary schools, colleges and universities, with the state’s PBS stations. As required by libraries, museums, hospitals, state agencies, the Federal Communications Commis-sion municipal governments and some businesses (FCC), the state’s public broadcasting to ICN’s high-speed telecommunications stations are expected to broadcast digitally backbone. As of December 2000, over 3,900 on or before May 2003. This digitization of entities were connected to the ICN television signals is necessary to begin “information power grid.” broadcasting of High Definition Television, or HDTV.

An HDTV digital signal requires a lot of Who would [the Illinois space on the broadcast spectrum. To Channel] benefit? Everyone who is illustrate the difference between the affected by state government, and bandwidth required for HDTV and that of a that’s all of us. Further, it would standard broadcast image, consider this: If be a great educational tool in the classroom. the width of one finger represents the Moline, The Dispatch amount of space needed to send out a Nov. 29, 2000 standard broadcast signal that is used today, an HDTV digital signal would require a space equal to the width of four fingers.

To put the term “high speed” in some Many PBS broadcasters are expected to perspective, most homes connect to the offer a digital signal only during evening Internet at 28,800 or 56,600 bits per second. prime time hours, when network programs By contrast, most of ICN’s clients will have air. This means during non-prime time, connection speeds in the range of 300,000 Illinois’ PBS stations could use their wide bits per second or more. At various spectrum digital signal to broadcast colleges, the ICN will connect in the millions simultaneously four programs of standard of bits per second, or megabits. At

32 Distribution of the Illinois Channel quality. One of these four channels could be Regarding the issue of whether a local the Illinois Channel. TV station may assert a right to carriage for both its analog and digital signals (“dual However, some significant uncertainties carriage”), the Report and Order tentatively exist. Because of the high cost (in the concludes that, based on the existing record, millions of dollars per station) and com- such a requirement appears to burden cable plexity of the issues involved in making the operators’ First Amendment interests more transition to digital broadcasting, there is a than is necessary to further a substantial question as to whether the FCC will hold governmental interest.2 stations to the May 2003 deadline. Further, at this time, there is no agreement on how But the FCC ruling was not conclusive: viewers actually would receive these new “[The FCC’s] Report and Order finds that PBS channels. Currently, PBS stations’ for a digital-TV station, the ‘primary video’ programming is carried on local cable that is entitled to mandatory carriage systems under the FCC’s ruling of “must includes a single programming stream and carry.” That policy states that if a broad- other program-related content. The caster’s signal is available over the air in a television station chooses which one of its cable operator’s service territory, the cable unrelated multiplexed signals gets carried operator must carry that broadcaster’s under the Act.”3 Yet the next sentence of programming on its system. the ruling notes, “The Further Notice seeks comment on how to define ‘program-related’ Cable operators vigorously opposed in the context of primary video.”4 Thus, the adding these new channels under the must FCC must still clarify what is meant by carry ruling. If must carry provisions do not “program-related” material. cover the new PBS channel signals, then a television viewer who subscribes to cable What is relevant to this report is that it (currently about two-thirds of viewers) remains uncertain whether PBS stations’ would have to purchase a digital converter multiplexed digital channels ever will be box separately to watch new over-the-air carried on local cable systems and therefore channels. It is questionable how many whether PBS stations will be a viable means viewers actually would do this. of distributing the Illinois Channel.

A recent FCC ruling raises the question Option Four: Direct Broadcast as to whether the new PBS channels ever Satellite would be included under the must carry provisions and be carried on local cable Direct broadcast satellite, or DBS, allows systems. The FCC ruling issued on January businesses and households to view television 18, 2001, stated that during the transitional programming comparable to that carried on period from analog to digital, when TV cable but without the need to be wired. This broadcasters would be sending out the same is very helpful for families living in rural programs on both digital and analog, parts of the state, where cable companies broadcasters have the right to have one of have yet to develop significant distribution. their programming streams carried, but not DBS systems also are found in many urban both. The ruling stated: areas throughout the state and

33 Creating the Illinois Channel

their numbers continue to grow. Still, the Conclusions number of DBS users nationally, and in Illinois, is but a fraction of that currently As TVW in Washington state and CTN served by cable.5 There are currently two in Connecticut have recently demonstrated, primary DBS system operators, DIRECTV distributing a public affairs channel around and ECHOSTAR. the state on existing government access channels is very doable, albeit an imperfect While FCC requirements commit DBS means of distribution. And despite the cost operators to set aside four percent of their of installing a satellite uplink and purchasing available channels to nonprofit public satellite transponder time, this is a very information channels,6 there are three efficient means of distributing programming obstacles to overcome before the Illinois across such a large state as Illinois. Channel could be distributed on a DBS system. First, there is the cost. The charge for a nonprofit channel can be about half what DBS operators charge commercial channels for distribution. But even at half If approved, the broadcasts price, the cost to distribute the Illinois would provide an opportunity for constituents to watch the work of Channel on a DBS system would be about their elected officials, as well as 7 $10,000 a month. other movers and shakers. With commercial television news outlets Another potential challenge is the fact spending little time or tape in that the Illinois Channel’s programming, by Springfield, eyeballing the action design, would reflect public policy interests (or inaction) has been difficult at best. of Illinois. Because programming on a DBS Chicago Tribune system is viewed by subscribers across the Dec. 27, 2000 nation, DBS operators, at this time, prefer all their programming to be of national interest. But new technology may soon be introduced allowing DBS operators to “spot beam” their A number of communities with existing signal and offer different programming to cable channels already have expressed an different areas of the nation. This would interest in carrying Illinois Channel allow DBS systems to then carry program- programming. These channels collectively ming like the Illinois Channel that may have reach approximately 500,000 homes and an only regional interest. estimated 1,250,000 citizens. That is nearly 20 percent of the state’s existing 2,600,000 DBS only opens up four percent of its cable households. However, the channels to nonprofit, public interest experiences of CTN in Connecticut, TVW in programmers, like the Illinois Channel. So Washington, PCN in Pennsylvania and the competition for these few channels is great. Florida Channel suggest it will take a number Therefore, even if the cost of distributing on of years before the Illinois Channel would be a DBS system was acceptable, there is no carried on 75 percent or more of the state’s guarantee the Illinois Channel would be existing municipal government channels. selected as one of the nonprofit, public interest channels.

34 Distribution of the Illinois Channel

If the Illinois Century Network can be utilized, citizens at home, at school and at work would be able to access Illinois We aren’t sure which is Channel programming through the Internet. messier, sausage making or lawmaking, but we do believe all citizens should have access to view The state’s PBS stations may carry the latter. Illinois Channel programming as one of four multiplexed channels available to them once Springfield they complete the transition to digital The State Journal Register Jan. 27, 2000 broadcasting. The number of residents able to view these new digital broadcasts would depend on the resolution of the FCC’s rules on “must carry” and the marketing success of digital broadcast converter boxes.

As of the issuance of this report in April 2001, distribution on DBS systems remains a possibility, especially if the “spot beam” technology is developed.

Endnotes

1 For more information, see the Illinois Century Network website at www.illinois.net.

2 See FCC Rules adopted January 18, 2001 regarding Cable Carriage of Digital TV Signals.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 According to the February 4, 2001 edition of Multichannel News, EchoStar has about 4.5 million subscribers nationally and DirectTV about 9.5 million. Nationally, these 14 million DBS subscribers compare to about 70 million cable subscribers. According to the March 2000 issue of Cablevision magazine, Illinois had about 2.6 million cable subscribers. DBS operators do not publish a state-by-state list of their subscribers.

6 Section 25 of the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992.

7 According to EchoStar’s Communication Department, interviewed December 2000.

35 Creating the Illinois Channel

36 ILLINOIS CHANNEL OPERATING PLAN AND BUDGET

Funding a State Channel possible, for the lowest cost per citizen.

The Illinois Channel’s programming Illinois’ 12 million citizens are funding a would focus on all parts of state government state government that is now spending and the range of public affairs issues in nearly $50 billion annually. That means Illinois. The channel will not attempt to Illinois state government is spending about “spin” information, that is, add $4200 for every man, woman and child in interpretation, but will use modern the state. By comparison, televising state technology to provide unfiltered televised government would cost each citizen about coverage of public events. 25 cents a year (assuming the Illinois Channel’s operating budget is $3 million per Through the unblinking eye of the year). camera, Illinois citizens will have a “seat” in the legislature, “attend” hearings of In other words, for less than the price of government regulatory bodies, and “witness” one postage stamp, or for half the price of discussions of new trends in agriculture, one daily newspaper, Illinois citizens could business and commerce. At its core, the see, for an entire year, the deliberations and Illinois Channel is a means of distributing discussions occurring in the government televised information about Illinois state they pay for. government to as wide an audience as

37 Creating the Illinois Channel

This study’s recommendation that the Development of the Operating Plan General Assembly fund the Illinois Channel is based in part on the experience of other We believe a state public affairs states and market realities in Illinois. Of the television network is feasible in Illinois and states currently televising at least their that we should commit to making the Illinois legislature, only three are funded privately. Channel the benchmark by which other state Each of the three, Pennsylvania, Michigan channels are measured. That can be and California, is funded by its state’s cable accomplished if the channel’s full funding is industry. During the summer of 2001, approved. Among other things, this would “Wisconsineye” is expected to become the allow a bureau to be operated out of fourth state public affairs channel to be Chicago, covering not only the city but also funded by cable companies. However, the suburbs and communities like Rockford Illinois cable operators have yet to express in the northern portion of the state. an interest in funding a similar channel here. To their credit, Illinois cable operators are The proposed operating plan for the already funding C-SPAN and C-SPAN2. Illinois Channel is based on information Additionally, cable operators in Chicago are developed through extensive conversations funding Chicago’s Access Network with the CEOs of other state channels, (CAN-TV). principally California’s John Hancock, Connecticut’s Paul Giguere, Florida’s Pat Keating, Michigan’s Bill Trevarthan, Pennsylvania’s Brian Lockman, Oregon’s Martin puts the annual cost at Robin Olsen and Washington’s Denny Heck. $3 million..., and says the state Each of the channel managers was generous would have to pay most of the in providing information on his operations bills. In a $50 billion budget, and the challenges of launching such that’s a small price to pay to keep Illinoisans informed. channels. With their cooperation, we have Peoria, Journal Star learned a great deal about what works and Nov. 30, 2000 what could improve their efforts.

Those channel managers and others responded to our survey1 and inquiries Thus, in view of the fact that there does designed to gather operating and technical not appear to be a reliable funding source information. A site visit to Pennsylvania’s within the private sector at this time, we call PCN-TV and C-SPAN in Washington, D.C. on government to fund the Illinois Channel. allowed us to incorporate not only some of their operating concepts, but to better In the following operating plan, we understand the physical layout of equipment discuss the general architecture of the and staff. Illinois Channel under three different budget scenarios. Following the operating plan are The operating plan for the Illinois three corresponding operating budgets and Channel reflects these findings and advice. capital budgets, reflecting the spectrum of It also reflects the overriding goal of forming televised coverage from “full coverage” to the channel to provide gavel-to-gavel, “limited coverage.” televised coverage of state government and

38 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget other public affairs events taking place We propose the Springfield operations around the state. center have equipment to send four video photographers into the field separately to The proposed budgets also are based on tape public affairs events within a two-hour consultation with Roscor, a Chicago-based drive radius from Springfield. This would firm with many years’ experience in allow Illinois Channel crews to cover the designing and installing television studios state from Quincy in the west to Urbana in and production equipment. Roscor the east, Peoria to the north and Belleville to generously volunteered its expertise to the the south. project for planning purposes.2 The cost estimates are based on what the TV equipment industry would call a “rough Full Coverage Operating Plan order of magnitude.” That is to say, they are approximately correct, but as the equipment 23 Employees $3,214,450 Annual Operating Budget is not being installed at this time, the cost of $3,048,000 Capital Budget equipment may, and probably will, vary prior to installation. 1. Springfield Master Control

To contrast the benefits of the “full P Studio with 3 fixed cameras coverage” operating plan, we are including P Four field camera crews to cover committees, speeches and events in a “intermediate coverage” and “limited two-hour drive radius of the capital coverage” plans. The cost differences in the P Minivan live production vehicle for operating plans are reflected in the capital producing live events within 40 miles and operating budgets included in this report. of Springfield P Three fixed cameras in the Supreme Court Full Coverage Operating Plan P Four fixed cameras each in the House and Senate (3 are already installed in Springfield Master Control the House chamber) To accomplish the mission of televising P Fixed camera in the Capitol “Blue Room” for coverage of news the three branches of state government, we conferences propose that a Master Control Operations center (MCO) be located in Springfield. The 2. Chicago Bureau specific site is yet to be determined. The MCO would be designed to bring in video P Studio with 3 fixed cameras P Fixed camera in the Thompson Center from fixed cameras installed in a variety of briefing room locations in the State Capitol complex, the P On-air producer for live/taped Illinois Supreme Court, a Chicago bureau interviews and, if possible, the Thompson Center brief- P Three field camera crews to cover the ing room. Video and control of these cam- city, suburbs and northern Illinois communities eras would be managed through fiber optic connections between the cameras and MCO. 3. Using video from existing resources, such as Illinois Information Service (IIS) The Springfield operations center would include offices for management and editorial 4. Contracting video crews when staff, a studio for interviews and the MCO. appropriate

39 Creating the Illinois Channel

We also propose the channel be the people, political leaders, public affairs equipped with a microwave van that would events or actions of Illinois state government allow it to provide live coverage of events without a presence in Chicago. within approximately a 40-mile radius. This would allow live event coverage around the The Chicago bureau would be equipped Springfield area such as at the Lincoln to send three video photographers into the Presidential Library and Museum, the State field to cover hearings, conferences and Fair grounds, executive branch agencies, speeches. Additional coverage would be area universities and hotel conference available by inviting guests into the bureau centers. This unit also would allow the where they can be interviewed on tape or for channel to provide live coverage from a live broadcast. In addition to state surrounding communities such as Jackson- officials, many business and academic ville, Lincoln, Decatur and Taylorville. leaders are located in the Chicago region. Add to that a regular stream of visiting Chicago Bureau authors and dignitaries and a Chicago bureau Other state channels often don’t cover would provide Illinois citizens a rich and public affairs events in their major cities informative array of public affairs because they have no bureaus operating programming. These in-house interviews outside their state capital. To ensure this would be videotaped robotically in the does not happen in Illinois, we are proposing Chicago bureau using three fixed cameras. to operate a Chicago bureau capable of Using this technology would allow the covering public affairs events in Chicago, its bureau to produce efficiently a great deal of suburbs and the state’s northern region. programming with a limited number of employees. The programming from the While Springfield is the state capital, a Chicago bureau would be sent to the MCO great deal of the business of Illinois state center in Springfield via a land line with government takes place in Chicago. sufficient bandwidth required for broadcast Reflecting the distribution of the state’s quality video feeds. population, 64 percent of the state’s legislative districts are located in Chicago Covering the Rest of the State and the collar counties. All four of the State government affects Illinois citizens legislative leaders represent districts in in every corner of the state. Generally the Chicago or its suburbs. A recent check of the channel would send its own crews to cover six statewide officeholders found that the an event. But Illinois Channel camera crews chief media spokesperson for five is based in may not be available to cover all the Chicago, not Springfield. The Thompson important events assigned by the channel’s Center and the adjacent State of Illinois assignment desk. Sending crews from Building each houses various state agencies Springfield to far corners of the state may and offices conducting state business. also incur greater costs than hiring a local television production unit. On these With so much of state government occasions, a television crew in the vicinity activity occurring in Chicago and so much of the event would be hired. Outside of the state’s population located in the vendors may be part of a private firm or region, we believe an Illinois public affairs associated with a college or university. television channel cannot cover adequately

40 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget

Whatever their affiliation, they would be Illinois Channel. As with existing broadcast hired with the expectation that their work outlets within the state, IIS could be another would meet the highest quality standards of source from which the Illinois Channel television production. Naturally, the could obtain video of public affairs events expense of using outside crews must be around the state. balanced against the specific need to acquire such programming. Representatives of the Illinois Channel planning study have met with IIS and CMS Illinois Information Service personnel and are exploring opportunities by Illinois Information Service (IIS) is part which the Illinois Channel and IIS could of the Illinois Department of Central augment each other’s mission. Management Services (CMS). IIS provides video and audio recording services of state Satellite Truck government to state media outlets. IIS crews The microwave van discussed previously record activities such as the legislature, news would limit live shots to within about 40 conferences in the Capitol, bill-signing miles of Springfield. By contrast, a satellite ceremonies, and speeches at the State Fair. uplink truck would allow live shots from These recordings then are made available to anywhere within the state. Leasing a live broadcast outlets and cable companies satellite truck can run several thousand within the state. The events covered by IIS dollars a day, but such coverage is available fall within the programming mission of the when events warrant the expense.

Illinois Channel Annual Operating Budget (Full Coverage) Salaries: Springfield: Exec Director $ 85,000 Program Director $ 70,000 Business Mgr/Marketing Dir $ 65,000 Engineer $ 60,000 Info Technology & Web Mgr $ 55,000 Educational Coordinator $ 45,000 Production Supervisor $ 45,000 Production Technicians (6 @ 30K) $ 180,000 Web Content Editor $ 45,000 Secretary/Clerical help (2 @ 25K) $ 50,000 16 Springfield Employees $ 700,000 Chicago Bureau: Chicago Bureau Chief/Producer $ 65,000 Chicago Production Technicians (2 @ 50K) $ 100,000 Technical Assistants (2@ 35k) $ 70,000 Secretary/Clerical help (1 @ 30) $ 30,000 7 Chicago Bureau Employees $ 265,000 23 Employees (total) $ 965,000 Overtime (10% of hourly) $ 52,000 $1,017,000

Fringe Benefits (25% of salaries & wages) $ 254,250

41 Creating the Illinois Channel

Annual Operating Budget (Full Coverage), cont.

Transmission: Compressed digital satellite ($40K/month) $ 480,000 Additional satellite time for occasional remote lives and feeds from bureaus ($250/5 x wk) $ 65,000 Web bandwidth for video streaming $ 60,000 Transmission for incoming videofeeds $ 100,000 705,000

Contract Production $ 120,000 Supplies: Office supplies $ 15,000 Video tape $ 20,000 35,000 Springfield Rent/Utilities/Telephone: Rent (4k sq. ft. @ $16/ft) $5300/month Utilities $1050/month Telephone $1000/month Cell Phone $400/month Other $250/month Monthly Total $8000 $ 96,000 Chicago Rent/Utilities/Telephone: Rent (~1200 sq ft with utilities) $3000/month Telephone $300/month Cell phone $200/month Parking $450/month Monthly Total $3950 $ 47,400 Travel/Auto: Lease eight minivan vehicles (3 Chicago, 5 Springfield) (Based on est $400ea/month/car) $ 38,400 (avg 2000 miles ea/month/car @ .325 cents mile) $ 62,400 100,800

Travel Expense $ 50,000 Marketing Services/Educational Materials (radio/newspaper/TV & classroom materials) $ 150,000 Printing & Postage $ 50,000 Professional Services: Legal and other $ 36,000 Yearly audit $ 4,000 40,000

Equipment Depreciation Cost (yearly) $ 300,000 Equipment Repair (avg $3000/month) $ 36,000 Closed Captioning (5 hrs/wk/$200 hr) $ 52,000 Management & Service Agreement with UIS/IPA $ 12,000 Contingency Reserve $ 150,000 University Indirect Cost Recovery-Donated $ (300,000)

TOTAL $ 3,214,450

42 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget

Intermediate Coverage Operating be assigned to provide video that would Plan otherwise originate from a fixed camera system. In lieu of a standard three-camera studio setup, the Chicago bureau would have only The reduction in crews in the Chicago one fixed camera. This would limit the bureau would result in a reduction in bureau’s ability to have multiple guests coverage of public affairs events outside the interviewed in the bureau, but it would allow Chicago metropolitan area. for Master Control in Springfield to conduct interviews with one public official at a time from the Chicago bureau.

Intermediate Coverage Operating Plan

14 Employees $2,591,696 Annual Operating Budget $2,688,000 Capital Budget

1. Master Control in Springfield P 3 camera studio P 3 field camera crews P Minivan live production unit P Fixed cameras in the House & Senate P Fixed camera in the Capitol Blue Room P No fixed cameras in the Supreme Court

2. Chicago Bureau

P No on-air producer/interviewer P 1 studio camera P 1 field camera crew P 2 Chicago employees

3. Reduced spending on outside video production crews

This plan would further reduce the number of Chicago camera crews from three to one and would eliminate the three fixed cameras in the Supreme Court chamber in Spring- field.

Such reductions would reduce the capital startup costs, but, in practice, well might lead to increased employee overtime costs in the operating budget, as camera crews would

43 Creating the Illinois Channel

Illinois Channel Annual Operating Budget (Intermediate Coverage) Salaries: Springfield: Exec Director/Program Dir $ 85,000 Business Mgr/Marketing Dir $ 65,000 Engineer $ 60,000 Info Technology & Web Mgr $ 55,000 Educational Coordinator $ 45,000 Production Supervisor $ 45,000 Production Technicians (4 @ 30K) $ 120,000 Web Content Editor $ 45,000 Secretary/Office help (1 @ 25K) $ 25,000 12 Springfield Employees $ 545,000 Chicago Bureau: Chicago Production Technicians (1 @ 50K) $ 50,000 Technical Assistants (1@ 35k) $ 35,000 2 Chicago Bureau Employees $ 85,000 14 Employees (total) $ 630,000 Overtime (10% of hourly) $ 32,000 $ 662,000

Fringe Benefits (25% of salaries & wages) $ 165,500 Transmission: Compressed Digital Satellite ($40K/month) $ 480,000 Additional Satellite Time for Occasional Remote Lives and feeds from bureaus ($250/3xwk) $ 40,000 Web bandwidth for Video Streaming $ 60,000 Transmission for incoming video feeds $ 100,000 $ 680,000

Contract Production $ 100,000 Supplies: Office Supplies $ 15,000 Video tape $ 20,000 $ 35,000 Springfield Rent/Utilities/Telephone: Rent $5333 month (4k sq. ft. @ $16/ft) $5333/month Utilities $1050/month Telephone $1000/month Cell Phone $400/month Other $250/month Monthly Total $8,033 $ 96,396 Chicago Rent/Utilities/Telephone: Rent $3000/month (~1200 sq ft with utilities) $3000/month Telephone $300/month Cell phone $200/month Parking $450/month Monthly Total $3950 $ 47,400

44 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget

Annual Operating Budget (Intermediate Coverage), cont. Travel/Auto: Lease five mini van vehicles (1 Chicago, 4 Springfield) (Based on est $400/month) $ 24,000 (avg 2000miles/month @ .32 cents mile) $ 38,400 $62,400

Travel Expense $ 40,000 Marketing/Educational Materials (radio/newspaper/TV & classroom materials) $ 75,000 Printing & Postage $ 50,000 Professional Services: Legal and other $ 36,000 Yearly Audit $ 4,000 $ 40,000

Equipment Depreciation Cost (yearly) $ 300,000 Equipment Repair (avg $3000/month) $ 36,000 Closed Captioning (5 hrs/wk/$200 hr) $ 52,000 Contingency Reserve $ 150,000 University Indirect Cost Recovery - Donated $ (300,000)

TOTAL $ 2,591,696

45 Creating the Illinois Channel

Limited Coverage Operating Three camera crews would limit, but Plan still allow the channel to cover some events outside the Springfield area. The This operating plan would allow the channel’s ability to produce live Illinois Channel to begin operations, but coverage of events outside the state it would not be able to adequately cover capital, such as at the State Fair, would events around the state. When the be virtually eliminated with the legislature is not in session, the elimination of the live minivan channel’s three camera crews would production unit. As with the other produce the minimum of four hours a budget scenarios, coverage of state day of original programming. During government events could be augmented legislative periods, the channel’s camera with video provided from the Illinois crews would videotape some events for Information Service and the channel’s later airing. Having some shows “on the hiring of outside crews, although that shelf” is a necessity for the practical portion of the operating budget also is operation of a television channel reduced in this scenario. dedicated to broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week. State government in Illinois is observed mostly by lobbyists and Limited Coverage Operating Plan legislators. Besides educating citizens about state issues, Illinois 12 Employees Channel would provide a new level $2,148,941 Annual Operating Budget of openness and accountability at a $2,178,000 Capital Budget modest cost. Champaign, The News Gazette 1. Springfield Master Control Oct. 4, 2000

P 3 field crews to cover the capital and central Illinois P Elimination of the minivan with live coverage capability of events P House and Senate floor debate is In short, the Illinois Channel could carried live/taped begin operations, but it would not be P Fixed camera for live/taped providing adequate coverage of events coverage from Capitol Blue across the state, nor establishing itself as Room the state public affairs channel that sets P Supreme Court sessions covered by field crews the benchmark for coverage.

2. No Chicago bureau

3. Restricted hiring of video production crews to tape events around the state.

46 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget

Illinois Channel Annual Operating Budget (Limited Coverage) Salaries: Springfield: Exec Director/Program Dir $ 85,000 Business Mgr/Marketing Dir $ 65,000 Engineer $ 60,000 Info Technology & Web Mgr $ 55,000 Educational Coordinator $ 45,000 Production Supervisor $ 45,000 Production Technicians (4 @ 30K) $ 120,000 Web Content Editor $ 45,000 Secretary/Office help (1 @ 25K) $ 25,000 12 Springfield Employees $ 545,000 Overtime (10% of hourly) $ 23,500 $568,500 Fringe Benefits (25% of salaries & wages) $ 142,125 Transmission: Compressed Digital Satellite ($40K/month) $ 480,000 Additional Satellite Time for Occasional Remote Lives and feeds from bureaus ($250/3xwk) $ 40,000 Web bandwidth for Video Streaming $ 60,000 Transmission for incoming video feeds $ 15,000 $595,000 Contract Production $ 75,000 Supplies: Office Supplies $ 15,000 Video tape $ 20,000 $35,000 Springfield Rent/Utilities/Telephone: Rent $5333 month (4k sq.ft. @ $16/ft) $5333/month Utilities $1050/month Telephone $1000/month Cell Phone $400/month Other $250/month Monthly Total $8,033 $ 96,396 Chicago Rent/Utilities/Telephone: ($0) Travel/Auto: Lease four mini van vehicles (Based on est $400/month ea) $ 19,200 (avg 2000miles ea/month @ .32 cents mile) $ 30,720 $ 49,920 Travel Expense $ 40,000 Marketing/Educational Materials (radio/newspaper/TV & classroom materials) $ 75,000 Printing & Postage $ 50,000 Professional Services: Legal and other $ 36,000 Yearly Audit $ 4,000 $ 40,000 Equipment Depreciation Cost (yearly) $ 200,000 Equipment Repair (avg $2500/month) $ 30,000 Closed Captioning (5 hrs/wk/$200 hr) $ 52,000 Contingency Reserve $ 100,000 University Indirect Cost Recovery - Donated $ (300,000) TOTAL $ 2,148,941

47 Creating the Illinois Channel

Illinois Channel Capital Budget Narrative

While OPERATING budgets itemize annual costs, CAPITAL budgets reflect the one- time costs of equipment needed to establish operations.

The following capital budgets list the equipment required to establish the Illinois Channel’s full, intermediate or limited coverage operating plans. The differences between the three options are summarized below. A more thorough explanation of the equipment required to establish each plan then follows in the order of declining levels of coverage.

We would add the caveat that the specific equipment components described here are illustrative under a “rough order of magnitude.” That is to say that while the equipment needs outlined are accurate and would allow channel personnel to produce the coverage described in the operating budget section, the Illinois Channel is not committed in practice to the specific equipment plans outlined in this interim report.

Full Coverage Option Full Coverage Capital Budget

P Headquartered in Springfield The Illinois Channel proposes to P Bureau, with studio, in Chicago construct and equip a master control P 16 fixed cameras between both operations center (MCO) at a Springfield locations location to be determined. This facility P 7 camera crews would centralize news gathering operations from the State Capitol and a Intermediate Coverage Option Chicago bureau office and accommodate satellite coverage from areas throughout P Headquartered in Springfield the state as required. The facilities would P Limited bureau in Chicago include field electronic news gathering P 10 fixed cameras between both (ENG) production equipment, an locations optional digital satellite news gathering P 4 camera crews truck (DSNG), a microwave equipped ENG van with appropriate microwave Limited Coverage Option receiver facility and connectivity between the MCO and the Chicago P Operations in Springfield only bureau office. A permanent up-link P 9 fixed cameras facility would be provided at the MCO P 3 camera crews for satellite distribution of program material. This up-link facility would operate in the Ku band, provide redundancy and include both digital and analog transmission capability.

48 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget

The microwave equipped ENG would include a traffic/scheduling work- system could provide coverage for up to station to facilitate program scheduling. 40 miles depending upon final receiver site selection and availability of an Videotape format would be on DVC existing tower, or suitable building in the Pro, as this format is well suited for in- Springfield area where the receiver could house production, ENG field production, be placed on a rental basis. archival requirements, and is highly cost effective. Connectivity between Chicago and Springfield would be digital, utilizing The Illinois Channel proposes to use compressed video of 4Mbs to feed live installed cameras for the Senate, House video programming or interviews to the and Supreme Court. In addition, there MCO. Estimated costs for line charges would be three fixed cameras designated are around $5500-6500 per month. for the Chicago bureau studio. Included would be the ability to control all The MCO facilities are designed to cameras remotely. For legislative be digital video, with analog audio and chamber coverage, the House and Senate include16 x 9 as well as 4 x 3 aspect would control audio and video via the ratios for cameras, switchers, character in-house audio mixers, which also generators and other video devices as determine the camera in use. All video may be available. The Illinois Channel and audio would be fed to a digital video would provide cable and electronics for router and analog audio router. Fiber the state Capitol, but Capitol personnel optic interfaces would be provided may be required to install the actual between the Capitol and the MCO to cabling. The Illinois Channel would enable video and audio sources to be fed assume responsibility for the end to the MCO. connectors. The MCO facility would include The MCO would be constructed to intercom and a quality control point for house the centralized operations, control local monitoring and troubleshooting as and monitoring for the execution of daily may be required. A remote control program schedules and a production system could be employed to control and control facility that would enable live switch the cameras from the master broadcasts and “live-to-tape” control location. Additional production productions. The facility would use equipment would include three ENG digital video and analog audio and systems for the Chicago bureau and four include a master control switcher, ENG systems based out of the MCO in production switcher, appropriate Springfield. monitors, intercom, and graphics systems. A digital video server system, Space estimation for the MCO, comprised of two inputs and two output including technical needs, is channels with a minimum of 100 hours approximately 4,000 square feet. An of on-line storage and a program estimate of space requirements for the automation system also would be Chicago bureau office with interview provided. The automation system also capability approximately 1,200 square feet.

49 Creating the Illinois Channel

Illinois Channel Capital Budget (Full Coverage)

Description Estimate Master Control/Production Control: Routing Switcher $ 50,000 Prod/Mstr Control Switchers $170,000 Camera Remote Control $ 50,000 Video Tape Recorders (VTRs) $ 50,000 Character Generator/Still Store (CG/SS) $100,000 Digital Video Editor (DVE) $ 75,000 Lights-Springfield studio $ 25,000 Racks/Mon/Additional Support $230,000 System Integration $325,000 ENG Systems (MCO 4) $100,000 ENG Systems (Chicago 3) $ 75,000 Automation/ Server $200,000 $1,450,000

Robotic Cameras (16)* House (1) Senate (4) Supreme Court (3) Capitol Blue Room (1) Springfield Studio (3) Chicago Bureau (3) Thompson Center Briefing Room (1) $283,000

MCO uplink $300,000 Fiber Interconnect $125,000 Chicago Bureau $100,000

Microwave-ENG Sys-Springfield Intercity Relay $ 50,000 Receive Ant Sys $ 40,000 ENG van/mast/transmitter/etc. $200,000 $290,000

Ground Receive Antenna/Receivers (est $2500 ea/20 sites during first year) $ 50,000 Construction/Remodeling $250,000 Office/Computers/Furnishings $100,000 Contingency Reserve $100,000

Total Estimate $3,048,000

*Assumes permission will be granted to install cameras in each of the rooms indicated.

50 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget

Intermediate Coverage Capital In Springfield, the number of camera Budget crews would decline from four to three. The fixed cameras in the Supreme Court These figures reflect a scaled down would be removed from the budget. Oral Chicago presence. There would be only arguments would be recorded by a live one fixed camera in the bureau and no crew. fixed camera located in the Thompson Center. News briefings there would be The budget for office equipment/ covered by sending a camera crew. The furnishings would be reduced by number of Chicago camera crews would $25,000 and the construction/remodeling be reduced from three to one. budget by $75,000.

Illinois Channel Capital Budget (Intermediate Coverage)

Description Estimate Master Control/Production Control Routing Switcher $ 50,000 Prod/Mstr Control Switchers $170,000 Camera Remote Control $ 50,000 VTR's $ 50,000 CG/SS $100,000 DVE $ 75,000 Lights-Springfield studio $ 25,000 Racks/Mon/Additional Support $230,000 System Integration $325,000 ENG Systems (MCO 3) $ 75,000 ENG Systems (Chicago 1) $ 25,000 Automation/Server $200,000 Fixed Cameras (10)* House (1) Senate (4) Capitol Blue Room(1) Springfield Studio (3) Chicago bureau-(1) $128,000

MCO uplink $300,000 Fiber Interconnect $125,000 Chicago Bureau $100,000 Microwave-ENG Sys-Springfield: Intercity Relay $ 50,000 Receive Ant Sys $ 40,000 ENG van/mast/transmitter/etc. $200,000 $290,000 Ground Receive Antenna/Receivers (est $2500 ea/20 sites during first year) $ 50,000 Construction/Remodeling $175,000 Office/Computers/Furnishings $ 75,000 Contingency Reserve $ 70,000 Total Estimate $2,688,000

*Assumes permission is granted to install cameras in the rooms indicated.

51 Creating the Illinois Channel

Limited Coverage Capital Budget other areas. What cannot be offset is the increased time it would take crews from This budget reflects the Illinois Channel Springfield to attempt to cover the entire beginning operations with only a Springfield state. Other state channels operate on this operation. This would limit the channel’s limited basis, and their coverage reflects it. ability to cover the entire state, our stated goal. This scaled-back budget also would The channel could begin operations lead to increased operational costs, because based upon this budget. But without camera crews sent to cover events in additional dollars appropriated in future Chicago would incur travel expenses. years, the Illinois Channel would not meet However, it is possible these additional costs its goal of being a statewide channel and might be offset by operational savings in serving citizens in all regions of the state.

Illinois Channel Capital Budget–Limited Coverage Description Estimate Master Control/Production Control: Routing Switcher $ 50,000 Prod/Mstr Control Switchers $170,000 Camera Remote Control $ 50,000 VTR's $ 50,000 CG/SS $100,000 DVE $ 75,000 Lights-Springfield studio $ 25,000 Racks/Mon/Additional Support $230,000 System Integration $325,000 ENG Systems (MCO 3) $ 75,000 ENG Systems (Chicago 0) $0 Automation/Server $200,000 $1,350,000 Fixed Cameras (9)* (House (1) Senate (4) Capitol Blue Rm(1) Springfield Studio (3) Chicago bureau (0) Subtotal $163,000 MCO uplink $300,000 Fiber Interconnect $ 20,000 Chicago Bureau $0 Microwave-ENG Sys-Springfield $0 Intercity Relay 0 Receive Ant Sys 0 ENG van/mast/transmitter/etc. 0 Ground Receive Antenna/Receivers (est $2500 ea @20 sites during first year) $ 50,000 Construction/Remodeling $ 150,000 Office/Computer/Furnishings $ 75,000 Contingency Reserve $ 70,000

Total Estimate $2,178,000

*Assumes permission is granted to install cameras in rooms indicated.

52 Illinois Channel Operating Plan and Budget

Conclusions Pennsylvania’s PCN-TV covers all three branches of government and other public It is difficult to compare directly the affairs events around the state. Interestingly, proposed “full coverage” operating budget its operating budget beginning in July 2001 for the Illinois Channel with the operating will be approximately $3,200,000, or nearly budgets of a number of other state public exactly the same amount we propose to affairs channels. Many of the other state spend under the Illinois Channel’s full operations are far more limited in scope than coverage scenario. Its employee count of what is proposed for the Illinois Channel. approximately 25 full-time workers For example, Michigan’s MGTV operates compares with the Illinois Channel’s only four hours a day, Monday through proposal to employ 23 people full time. Friday. Florida offers intermittent coverage Another interesting comparison is that of the legislature and supreme court Pennsylvania’s population is nearly identical throughout the year. Minnesota’s coverage in size to Illinois’ and that PCN is also is limited to only the legislative branch. planning to open a bureau in Philadelphia in the near future. This supports our own But there are a few states whose conclusion that a bureau located in the operations are analogous to what we propose state’s dominant population center is vital to for the Illinois Channel. The two state effective statewide coverage of public affairs public affairs channels the Illinois Channel issues. would most closely resemble, Pennsyl- vania’s PCN-TV and Washington’s TVW, do offer some relevant comparisons. State version of C-SPAN worth watching, funding. Comparison of Operating Budgets of State TV Channels Waukegan, The News-Sun Dec. 5, 2000

3.5

3.0

2.5 2.0 Washington’s TVW does provide 1.5 around-the-clock coverage of all three 1.0 branches of state government. Its annual 0.5 state appropriation toward its operating

0.0 budget of approximately $2,000,000, IL PA WA CA CT Annual Operating Budget however, does not include the cost of operating a bureau outside the state capital. IL - $3.2 million, full coverage Nor does TVW distribute its programming

PA - $3.2 million, July 2001 budget through satellite transmission, which is one WA - $2.0 million, no bureaus, no satellite costs of the single largest line items in the Illinois CA - $1.5 million, no bureaus Channel’s operating budget. TVW currently CT - $1.0 million, no satellite costs distributes its programming via fiber optic lines but that may change in the future as the number of local Washington state

53 Creating the Illinois Channel communities carrying TVW continues to increase.

Two other state channels covering state government around the clock bear mention. Connecticut’s CTN-TV’s operating budget is funded by a state appropriation of approximately $1,000,000 annually. But due to the smaller size of the state, CTN does not distribute its programming via satellite and its transmission costs are reflected in its capital budget instead of its operating budget. The cable-funded “California Channel” has an annual operating budget reported to be in the range of $1,500,000. It does cover all three branches of state government around the clock and distributes its programming via satellite. But while its operators provide a valuable public service, we find its operations too limited for such a large and significant state. The California Channel does not operate bureaus outside Sacramento and thus frequently cannot cover events in Los Angeles, San Diego, or even nearby San Francisco.

Endnotes

1 A copy of the survey sent by email to the managers of the other state public affairs channels in February 2000 may be found in the appendix.

2 State purchasing regulations will be followed in the purchase of equipment, including soliciting bids. No commitment was made to this firm.

54 GOVERNANCE OF THE ILLINOIS CHANNEL

Governing Principles the Illinois General Assembly fund the primary portion of the Illinois Channel’s Three primary governing principles are budget. The citizens of Illinois and other critical to the long-term success of the funding sources have every right to expect Illinois Channel. In reviewing various that the channel will administer those funds governing models, we considered their ability in a responsible manner according to sound to ensure these governing principles: and efficient business and fiscal practices. Those practices would include fair hiring, P Ensure both editorial independence and competitive purchasing and annual audits. editorial accountability to produce The governing structure must ensure fair and nonpartisan, balanced coverage of state responsible fiscal management. government. Ensuring Stability and Sustainability P Ensure administrative and fiscal responsibility and accountability. Just as some new business ventures fail, so too have some state public affairs P Ensure the stability and sustainability of channels failed to continue in operation. This the operation. has happened in both Kansas and New York. The Illinois Channel must not be another Ensuring Editorial Independence and state public affairs channel that opens with Accountability great promise only to close operations because it was not structured or financed In forming the governing structure, it is properly. The governing structure must important to insulate the channel’s ensure the long-term survival of the channel. administrative and program managers from potential political pressures. Yet, just as the Governing Models channel must be free of political pressure from elected officials, those in government With these objectives in mind, we also must feel secure that the channel will reviewed the governing models of the remain true to its mission of producing existing state channels and found they professional, nonpartisan coverage of state generally fall within four categories. (As one government for the citizens of Illinois. The might expect, there are no commer-cially run governing structure must ensure both channels.) The four primary governing editorial independence and professional models are: accountability. P Nonprofit cable-funded model Ensuring Administrative and Fiscal Accountability P Government-funded legislative branch model Although we will recommend and encourage the private sector to donate to the P Government-funded PBS model channel’s operations, we recommend that

55 Creating the Illinois Channel

P Government-funded independent, Government-Funded Legislative Branch nonprofit corporation model. Model

Nonprofit Cable-Funded Model In Minnesota, the legislature operates its own television channel as a part of legislative This governing model is used by the services. But while Minnesotans can watch three state channels that are funded by their the legislature on television, coverage is state’s cable operators. They are the limited to the legislative branch. Institutional California Channel, Michigan’s MGTV and competition between the House and Senate Pennsylvania’s PCN-TV. A fourth cable- has led to higher overhead with each funded channel, called “WisconsinEye,” will operating its own separate system. In soon be launched in Wisconsin. addition, coverage of public affairs events beyond the legislature is extremely limited. The cable models are nonprofit There is little coverage of candidates, organizations with independent governing speakers, policy conferences, agency boards. This structure works fairly well for a hearings, etc. The channel does not have an channel like PCN, which is recognized as independent board. House and Senate one of the best examples of other state television employees work for their channels based on its statewide distribution respective legislative leaders and report and around-the-clock coverage of all three solely to them. branches of government. While PCN does achieve editorial independence, its board is Government-Funded PBS Model limited to representatives of the cable industry. It is important that the Illinois In this model, the state contracts with a Channel’s board be made up of Public Broadcasting System (PBS) station to representatives from the public, nonprofit provide televised coverage of the state and private sectors and represent a variety of legislature. States that now have televised fields and interests, not one industry group. coverage of state government produced by a PBS station include Kentucky, Another problem with a state channel Massachusetts, Alaska and Florida. funded solely by cable subscribers is that its funding is sometimes too limited, which A primary limitation of this model is the results in limited coverage. For example, stations are a part of the PBS network. This PCN currently provides only limited can present a conflict when the coverage of coverage of public affairs events in state government runs into time reserved for Philadelphia and virtually no coverage of PBS network programming. One example of events in Pittsburgh because PCN does not this is Massachusetts’ legislative coverage maintain bureaus outside the state capital. produced by WGBH Boston. Its gavel-to- Recognizing this gap in coverage in the gavel programming is carried on WGBH’s state’s major cities, PCN is currently sister station, WGBX, and on some planning to open a bureau in Philadelphia as government access cable stations. soon as feasible.

56 Governance of the Illinois Channel

Massachusetts state government system in the capital, Frankfort. Gavel-to- coverage is produced on contract with the gavel coverage is shown only in Frankfort, state legislature and is limited to coverage of with an edited version on cable systems in the legislative branch. No coverage of the the state. governor, judicial branch, or other public affairs events is included. Normally the Alaska’s state government coverage is legislature is telecast from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. called, “Alaska Gavel to Gavel.” It is on those days when the House and Senate produced by PBS station KTOO and is are in session. Should the legislature stay in funded in large part through a grant from the session later than 6 p.m., coverage city of Juneau. During the two-month discontinues and the remainder of the legislative session, coverage runs from 8 a.m. legislative activity is videotaped and to 10 p.m. The coverage is of all three broadcast at a later time. branches of state government.

Such preempting also would occur on a While they provide a valuable service to random basis with the Illinois Channel, if it is their viewers, none of the PBS models distributed on the state’s various govern- provides the daily unedited coverage of all ment access channels. The airing of a local three branches of government throughout the city council meeting, for example, would year that is the goal of the Illinois Channel. take precedence over the Illinois Channel’s programming in that community. These Government-Funded Independent, interruptions would occur on a community- Nonprofit Corporation Model by-community basis, however, and not system-wide. In this model, an independent, nonprofit corporation provides coverage of state In Florida, state government TV government on a contractual basis. coverage is produced by WFSU, a public Washington’s TVW represents this model. television station operated by Florida State At the June 2000 Illinois Channel advisory University. Its coverage of state government board meeting, members heard from TVW’s is referred to as “The Florida Channel.” Its president and CEO, Denny Heck. TVW gavel-to-gavel coverage of state government began broadcasting Washington government is primarily limited to the time when the in 1995. Its governing structure has many legislature is in session. The legislative positive features: coverage runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the two months of the legislative session. P TVW is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit During the first week of each month, from corporation, which allows it to accept September to June, the Florida Supreme tax-deductible donations. Court’s oral arguments are televised. Over the course of the year, there are many weeks P It has its own governing board. when the Florida Channel is not on the air at all. P Its editorial decision-making is independent of state government. In Kentucky, KET, the statewide PBS network headquartered in Lexington P It broadcasts state government 24 hours produces coverage that runs on a cable a day, seven days a week.

57 Creating the Illinois Channel

P It operates efficiently with a budget of other state channels, the Illinois Channel approximately $2 million1 and staff of would be formed and operated as a nonprofit approximately 18 employees. corporation under Illinois law. The Illinois Channel would have its own governing board Because TVW is funded by the state, as with the authority to exercise the powers of we propose for the Illinois Channel, it is an the corporation, conduct its affairs and appropriate model to use as a guide. We exercise control over its property. seek to emulate most of the governing features of TVW, although we propose some P Nonpartisan variations that will enhance the Illinois Channel’s operations and long-term stability. To help ensure its nonpartisan nature, the board would have appointed members from We recognize that managers of small, both political parties in equal numbers, as nonprofit organizations like TVW enjoy well as elected members representing diverse managerial freedom in the same way their interests, including education, business, counterparts in small businesses do. media, state and local government, nonprofit Managers of smaller organizations are able and civic organizations. to make decisions quickly without the encumbering bureaucracies that often plague Articles of Incorporation large corporations and large government agencies. P Appointed and elected directors

Yet, the managerial freedoms associated The proposed articles of incorporation with running smaller organizations are a two- (see appendix) specify that the Illinois edged sword. Often these managers operate Channel’s board membership be composed with equally small support staffs, and must as follows: juggle a multitude of tasks, such as negotiating health insurance, retirement The number of directors of the benefits, accounting, payroll and legal corporation shall not exceed thirty-five (35). services. These tasks often rob managers of The Board of Directors shall be composed their ability to focus on their core duties. of nine (9) appointed directors and a minimum of ten (10) elected directors. The We believe our proposal incorporates the appointed directors are as follows: the best of other channels’ governing models and Chancellor of the University of Illinois at improves on them. Springfield; the Executive Director of the Institute for Public Affairs of the University Proposed Illinois Channel of Illinois at Springfield; one member of the Governing Structure Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois; the Governor of the State of Illinois Nonprofit Corporation with Own or his/her designee; the President of the Governing Board Illinois Senate or his/her designee; the minority leader of the Illinois Senate or Like Washington’s TVW, Pennsyl- his/her designee; the Speaker of the Illinois vania’s PCN-TV, Michigan’s MGTV, and House of Representatives or his/her designee; the minority leader of the Illinois

58 Governance of the Illinois Channel

House of Representatives or his/her University Related Organization designee; and the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court or his/her designee. To expedite the establishment of the Illinois Channel and to take advantage of the The elected members shall be drawn university’s tax exempt status, the articles of from the following groups: the Consti- incorporation designate the University of tutional Officers of the State of Illinois or Illinois as the sole member of the their designees; Illinois educational corporation, establish the Illinois Channel as agencies and/or associations; Illinois public a university-related organization, and name broadcasting entities; the Illinois Legislative the chancellor of the University of Illinois at Correspondents Association and other Springfield as the first president of the board media organizations; Illinois public/private of directors. It also names the other officers universities; cable television operating of the corporation, until the first election of companies; businesses and corporations; officers is held. state and local government units; citizen education organizations and entities; and Proposed Bylaws not-for-profit civic and public interest groups. The proposed bylaws (see appendix) of the Illinois Channel provide for the election P Editorial authority resides in CEO of the elected directors of the corporation annually by a majority of the directors then in Additionally, to ensure the editorial office at the annual meeting and give the independence of the channel, the proposed directors the power to create and fill new articles of incorporation specify that “the full director positions and director vacancies at responsibility and authority for the editorial any meeting of the board of directors. The product of the corporation shall reside in the bylaws also provide for the establishment of executive director or chief executive officer, an executive committee made up of the who is selected and approved by the board of president of the board of directors, the other directors. No director shall have officers of the corporation, and five responsibility and authority for such editorial additional members of the board of directors product.” This provision is similar to that who are elected at the annual meeting of the found in the bylaws of C-SPAN. board. The chief executive officer of the Illinois Channel is to serve as an ex officio P Self-perpetuating board with three- member of the executive committee. With year terms several specified exceptions, the executive committee will be able to exercise the The board will be self-perpetuating. authority of the board of directors in the Appointed directors will have terms of management of the corporation. perpetual duration. Elected directors shall serve for a term of three years. However, Management and Services Agreement the first elected directors shall serve with University of Illinois staggered terms, chosen by lot, of one, two or three years. Finally, to enable the Illinois Channel to utilize the various services available through the University of Illinois (U of I) to enhance

59 Creating the Illinois Channel its capacity and effectiveness, a management Channel and the University of Illinois would and services agreement2 would be negotiated be for a term of ten (10) years from the date between the Illinois Channel and the of the agreement. It would automatically University of Illinois. Under such an renew for consecutive one-year terms agreement, the Illinois Channel would thereafter. However, the agreement would indicate from time to time the nature and also provide for termination; if either party scope of management, administrative and found it necessary, for any reason, it could support services that it desires to receive terminate the agreement with one year’s from the U of I. It would agree to comply written notice to the other party. with U of I policies with regard to personnel matters when hiring, compensating, Benefits of University Affiliation managing, supervising, and evaluating The Illinois Channel would derive major Illinois Channel staff who would be benefits from an affiliation with the employed through the U of I as university University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) and employees. It would also agree to comply its Institute for Public Affairs. The Institute with U of I policies and procedures when is already located in the state capital and utilizing other U of I services. already houses Illinois Issues magazine, WUIS public radio, and other statewide The U of I would agree to provide the service activities that operate with their own requested business, accounting, book- boards. The institute has considerable keeping, management information, experience in providing administrative and telecommunications, human resource, technical support to state-funded initiatives, auditing, purchasing, library, technology and including video production and multi-media software network systems, mail, and printing services through the UIS Television Office. services to the Illinois Channel. The Such an affiliation would enable the channel university would designate the Institute for to draw upon the university’s existing Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at administrative, human, financial, purchasing, Springfield as the administrative unit with research and technology resources. oversight responsibilities in the provision of these services. The institute would provide Thus, Illinois Channel managers would benefits and privileges to Illinois Channel be free to operate with a small staff in an staff hired as U of I employees under the efficient manner, free of political inter- terms of the agreement on the same basis as ference, while having a wealth of services other U of I employees. It would agree to available that would normally be beyond the assist the Illinois Channel in the location of means of a small organization. Eventually, off-campus space to house operations. The this affiliation would enable the channel to Illinois Channel would agree to reimburse take advantage of student intern oppor- the U of I for all the direct costs of these tunities with UIS, as well as other services. The University of Illinois at universities. Springfield would agree to forego charging the Illinois Channel the indirect costs Appropriations and grants would pay for associated with providing its services. the Illinois Channel’s operating costs. Because of its public service mandate, the As proposed, the management and University of Illinois at Springfield will services agreement between the Illinois

60 Governance of the Illinois Channel forego its customary indirect cost recovery directors and a minimum of ten elected charges. The Illinois Channel would be able directors. to operate much more affordably than a stand-alone, not-for-profit corporation for The appointed members would represent this reason. all three branches of government and include the four legislative leaders or Separate Funding their designees, the governor or his designee, and the chief justice or his We propose that the Illinois Channel's designee. The appointed members would funding be established as a separate line item also include the chancellor of the in the state budget. State funding to UIS University of Illinois at Springfield and would be earmarked for the Illinois Channel, the executive director of the Institute for eliminating the possible reallocation or Public Affairs at UIS, as well as a reduction by a future university member of the U of I Board of Trustees. administration. The channel should augment its funding through private donations and The elected members would be drawn grants. Such funding would help to build a from diverse groups, including “rainy day” fund for the channel should constitutional officers, state and local future economic downturns result in reduced government agencies, business, state funding. education, media, nonprofit and civic organizations. Conclusions P To streamline the management of the P Independent channels have proven to be Illinois Channel, the business model the models that produce a broader proposes that the University of Illinois at spectrum of public affairs coverage. The Springfield’s Institute for Public Affairs difference in the level of coverage provide business, administrative, between the PBS model and the accounting, human resource, and com- government-funded, nonprofit model is puter technology services on a contrac- illustrated in the number of daily hours tual basis. The Illinois Channel would dedicated to coverage of state contract separately for legal services. government when the legislature is not in session. For example, Massachusetts’s P To further protect the independence of WGBX’s coverage stops on non- the channel, it is proposed that the legislative days, while the independent Illinois Channel’s budget be funded by channels, such as Washington’s TVW, the legislature as a line item. Connecticut’s CTN and Pennsylvania’s PCN, continue to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the Endnotes year. 1 TVW’s budget does not include satellite transmission costs which will be a primary cost item P Therefore, it is proposed that the Illinois in the Illinois Channel budget. Channel be established as a nonprofit corporation with an independent 2 See the appendix for a full draft of the articles of governing board of nine appointed incorporation.