MADISON, WIS.7
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies MADISON, WIS. “We the People, Wisconsin” Spreading the Word In 1994, after several years of building their own program, the partners added yet another dimension to “We the People:” outreach in a variety of forms. Instead of relying on the televised events to sustain momentum, they asked people […]
MADISON, WIS.6
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies MADISON, WIS. “We the People, Wisconsin” Attendance can vary widely from event to event. Two dozen people might be a healthy number for a town hall meeting in a small town like Edgar but the same number seems woefully small when the event is in Milwaukee. Four hundred people […]
MADISON, WIS.5
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies MADISON, WIS. “We the People, Wisconsin” The upside? “We discovered we could work well together under pressure,” Iverson said. That first production won a regional Emmy; “We the People” has since won another regional Emmy. The 1992 presidential event was followed by a series of four fall town hall […]
MADISON, WIS.4
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies MADISON, WIS. “We the People, Wisconsin” The use of underwriters or sponsors was nothing new to the public broadcast partners, but it represented a change for the State Journal. “Potential conflict of interest is something we always need to watch for,” said Still. He said some “We the People” topics […]
MADISON, WIS.3
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies MADISON, WIS. “We the People, Wisconsin” The First Event “We the People” began in late 1991 after Still and Iverson each received calls from colleagues in St. Paul, Minn., proposing a multistate electronic town hall meeting with the Democratic candidates for president. The suggestion fit discussions Still, Iverson […]
MADISON, WIS.2
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies MADISON, WIS. “We the People, Wisconsin” Their experiences have included: Two-step town hall meetings: First, participants meet for several hours to sort out, with a facilitator, issues and ideas. Then, they question politicians or public officials directly. In the weeks before a candidate debate, for instance, town hall […]
MADISON, WIS.
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies MADISON, WIS. “We the People, Wisconsin” It was a Kodak moment. Clad in a vivid red, white and blue shirt decorated with stars and stripes, Dave Johnston, an ordinary citizen, turned to the television camera and quietly, but firmly, demanded some specifics from the two candidates in the 1994 […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C.8
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies CHARLOTTE, N.C. “Taking Back our Neighborhoods” The often-instant response to media coverage gratifies Arrington. It frustrates her, too. “It angers me to a degree. Why won’t [the officials] just listen to [the community]?” “It’s unfortunate but it’s reality that sometimes it takes a wrong being exposed by the media […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C.7
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies CHARLOTTE, N.C. “Taking Back our Neighborhoods” Another resident pleaded, “If you’re going to tell [young people] not to do something, give them something to do.” Responses quickly rolled in. Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot pledged a recreation center for Seversville. Dozens of callers offered their help; some of the volunteers […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C.6
Publications Civic Journalism: Six Case Studies CHARLOTTE, N.C. “Taking Back our Neighborhoods” A few weeks after the town meeting, the news organizations unleashed an all-out blitz. Again, Seversville offered a good example of how the other neighborhoods were covered. On July 17, the Observer turned over nearly seven full pages to an examination of life in Seversville. […]