The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
WXXI-TV (PBS)
WXXI-FM
WOKR-TV (ABC)
The partners sought to shake up “business as usual” election coverage by engaging citizens in producing a set of grassroots legislative proposals for candidates that would rival the agenda set by special interest lobbyists. “The Citizens’ Agenda” was crafted through a statewide poll, eight forums and two months of weekly meetings by a panel of citizens who finalized the work in a live broadcast two weeks before the election.
The partners launched the process with a poll of 707 New York residents to identify their top issues. Candidates were then asked to take the same poll. Stories on Sept. 13 and 14, 1998 compared the two sets of answers. A series of eight town and neighborhood meetings, attracting a total of more than 100 people, gave the partners additional insight into local concerns and what voters wanted to see happen in the state Senate and Assembly after the election.
The partners ran a series of stories on the top issues: Taxes and the state budget, health care, crime, education and jobs. At the same time, they convened a panel of 16 voters, balanced to reflect accurately their viewing, listening and readership area. Using poll data and personal experience, the panel met weekly for two months to work on their agenda. Then, on Oct. 21, 1998, WXXI-TV aired a live 90-minute special in which the final document was debated and produced. The paper published the resulting agenda and mailed it to every state legislator in Albany.
In December – after the election but before the legislature began meeting – the partners sponsored two meetings between the citizen panel and the local delegation to discuss the citizens’ proposals.
Contact:
Gary Walker
VP of Television
WXXI-TV
280 State St – PO Box 30021
Rochester, NY 14603-3021
Phone: (585) 258-0241
Email: gwalker@wxxi.org