Madison, May 15 – WisconsinEye today announced it will begin live broadcast coverage of the State Legislature on the Internet tomorrow and has finalized agreements to launch digital channels on the Charter and Time Warner cable systems serving Wisconsin.
WisconsinEye President Chris Long said the new statewide public affairs network will premiere its redesigned website at HYPERLINK "http://www.wiseye.org" www.wiseye.org tomorrow with live coverage of the state Senate and Assembly floor sessions. Both are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and will be broadcast live at the website. The session coverage also will be available after adjournment in the on-demand Archive section of www.wiseye.org.
“This day of full broadcast coverage of our state government has been a long time coming. We’re very excited to be at the beginning of a new chapter in Wisconsin’s progressive history and to be available on the Web and soon on cable,” Long said.
The agreements reached with Time Warner and Charter provide for WisconsinEye to be carried 24/7 on the companies’ digital channel tiers. WisconsinEye will be available to digital subscribers of each system as soon as the necessary transmission technology is in place. Equipment installation is expected to be completed within several weeks, Long said.
“We’re pleased Time Warner Cable and Charter are on board and that WisconsinEye will be available to their digital subscribers in the very near future. I appreciate the strong effort both companies are making to get the needed technology in place as soon as possible,” Long said, adding that channel numbers will be announced once a cable launch date is determined. Together, Charter and Time Warner systems serve nearly 60 percent of Wisconsin residents. Approximately half of each company’s customers are digital subscribers.
“Charter Communications has supported the WisconsinEye vision since its inception. After several years in the making, we are delighted about the imminent launch of WisconsinEye for our digital customers. Charter Communications is proud to be the catalyst for the distribution of this valuable programming to Wisconsin residents,” said Tim Vowell, Director of Government Relations, Charter Communications.
Bev Greenberg, Vice President, Time Warner Cable stated, “Time Warner Cable is committed to providing our customers with added choice and value. WisconsinEye will be a positive addition to Time Warner Cable’s diverse channel line-up.”
WisconsinEye is a private, not-for-profit statewide public affairs network whose mission is to provide independent, nonpartisan coverage of civic and community life in Wisconsin, beginning with gavel-to-gavel coverage of the actions of state government in Madison. The network’s state-of-the-art digital broadcast production facilities include 70 camera positions in the State Capitol building and a network operations center at 122 West Washington Ave.
Under its licensing agreements with the state, WisconsinEye is committed to achieving statewide public access to the network’s programming and is pursuing additional means of distribution to all state residents. A bipartisan and nonpartisan donor community of individuals, foundations, organizations, and corporations is funding the network’s launch.