We the People/Wisconsin, Madison, WI 1997
Partners:
Wisconsin StateJournal
Wisconsin Public TV
WISC-TV
Wisconsin Public Radio
Wood Communications
The oldest, continuously operating civic journalism partnership tackled issues of race and culture in 1997 both with programming and outreach activities. With its “We the People500” effort, the partners diversified and broadened the base of citizens who attended their town hall meetings, coffee shop conversations and other listening sessions. Those sessions had generally reflected Wisconsin’s overwhelmingly white population so the partnership reached out to news organizations in seven cities with larger minority populations to join in sponsoring some events. The new partners included print and broadcast media in Milwaukee, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, Hayward, Superior and Beloit. The partners also held focus groups to learn how minority citizens get their news and how “We the People” could be more involved in reaching those citizens and reconnecting them with public life.
The outreach helped engage participants for a forum on race and culture on April 3, 1998, as part of “We the People’s” project “150 Years and Counting.” Some 75 participants took part in a frank and emotional conversation in which many white members of the audience pledged to fight racism, while many non-white participants said whites couldn’t possibly understand the difficulties they face. The statewide broadcast reached approximately 50,000 people and generated several responses to the “Your Forum” section of the Wisconsin State Journal, as well as editorials and stories in other media partners.
The forum was one of five in a year-long series tied to the 150th anniversary of Wisconsin’s statehood. Other subjects included the family, land use and working. A “Citizens’ Charter” was developed from suggestions and values discussed by participants in the first four forums and then presented to candidates for governor and for U.S. Senate at a final forum broadcast live on Oct. 16, 1998.
Contacts:
Thomas W. Still
President
Wisconsin Technology Council
PO Box 71, 615 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53701-0071
TEL: (608) 442-7557
FAX: (608) 256-0333
EMAIL: tstill@wisctec.com
Tom Bier
General Manager
WISC-TV
7025 Raymond Rd.
Madison, WI 53719
TEL: (608) 271-5171
FAX: (608) 271-0800
EMAIL: tbier@wisctv.com
David Iverson
Executive Director
Best Practices in Journalism
2601 Mariposa St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
TEL: (415) 553-2489
EMAIL: iverson@wpt.org