Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 18, 2006
WE THE PEOPLE TO AIR TWO LIVE
GUBERNATORIAL DEBATES
Sept. 15 and Oct. 20 forums will focus on the
economy and quality of life issues
MADISON -- We the People/Wisconsin will air two, live, statewide forums this fall. On Friday, September 15, the 14-year-old media coalition will host a one-hour televised forum in Waukesha with confirmed participation by Gov. Jim Doyle and U.S. Rep. Mark Green and will focus on taxes and the economy. A second confirmed pairing of the candidates will take place on Friday, Oct. 20 in La Crosse and will look at quality of life issues, such as health care and education.
The Sept. 15th debate will broadcast from 7 to 8 p.m. on WISC-TV (CBS, Madison), WTMJ-TV (NBC, Milwaukee), WGBA-TV (NBC, Green Bay), Wisconsin Public Television (Milwaukee and statewide) and Wisconsin Public Radio. The forum will be co-moderated by Frederica Freyberg of Wisconsin Public Television and Mike Jacobs of Today's TMJ4 (NBC, Milwaukee).
We the People/Wisconsin is a multi-media partnership that aims to reconnect citizens with public life through town meetings, candidate and issue forums and citizen-based reporting. The coalition includes the Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin Public Television, Wisconsin Public Radio, WISC-TV (CBS, Madison), WisPolitics and Wood Communications Group.
The project is sponsored by American Family Insurance, American Transmission Company, Madison Gas & Electric and Wisconsin Education Association Council. The Waukesha debate is being produced with additional support from the Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce.
The goal of the election project is to identify issues that are most important to citizens in this election; provide those citizens with a range of information on those issues; track them throughout the months leading up to the election; and have citizens ask questions of the candidates during two gubernatorial debates prior to the election.
The topics of the debates stem from the results of a statewide citizen poll and a July 19th citizen workshop conducted earlier this year. A group of 30 citizens was recruited with help from major newspapers across the state to participate in the July 19th workshop and then ask questions of the candidates during the two fall debates.
This citizen group will also have an opportunity to follow up with the candidates on what they said, or didn't say, during the hour, and hold those candidates accountable to the issues and topics most important to the citizens of Wisconsin.
Coordinated media coverage of those important topics will begin this Sunday on WISC-TVs "For the Record" at 10 a.m. and in the Wisconsin State Journal. Additional media from across the state will join in promotional efforts throughout the next several months to attract the attention of readers, viewers and listeners.
We the People/Wisconsin produces timely forums so that citizens can question political candidates, public officials -- and themselves. It does not advocate for any candidate, political party or movement. It advocates for readers, viewers and listeners by serving as a channel for conversations between citizens and public officials throughout Wisconsin.
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Forum Policy
2006 Gubernatorial Election
The Citizen Voice
Beginning spring ‘06, We the People/Wisconsin (WTP) will poll
citizens across the state to determine a citizen-based agenda for
election coverage. WTP will then recruit a demographically and
geographically diverse group of citizens to work with through the
remainder of this project. The goal is to identify issues that are
most important to citizens in this election; educate them on both
sides of the issues; track them throughout the months leading up to
the election; and have them ask questions of the candidates during
two gubernatorial debates prior to the election.
Learning About the Issues
In June, WTP will convene our citizen group in Stevens Point for an
intense one-day informative session. During that meeting we will use
experts to educate citizens on both sides of key topics facing the
election. These break-out sessions will be followed by group
discussions with each candidate to learn their views on the issues
in an informal setting.
The Media
The “We the People” partnership includes the Wisconsin State
Journal, Wisconsin Public Television, WISC-TV (CBS, Madison),
Wisconsin Public Radio, Wood Communications Group and
WisPolitics.com. Additional media from across the state will join in
promotional efforts to attract the attention of readers, viewers and
listeners. Media partners will report on the findings of the poll
and information session and coordinate comprehensive coverage of key
topics throughout the summer. An “online election tool kit” will
educate citizens on the election process, key issues and candidate
background.
The Debates
“We the People” will focus the project around two debates – one
centered on Wisconsin’s Economy, the second on Quality of Life
issues – that will air live, statewide in September and October
prior to the election. The topics will be a result of the
information learned from citizen polls and sessions held earlier in
the summer, with many of the citizens present to ask questions of
the candidates during the debates. This citizen group will also have
an opportunity to follow up with the candidates on what they said,
or didn't say, during the hour, and hold those candidates
accountable to the issues and topics most important to the citizens
of Wisconsin.
We believe this is the most in-depth project we have created and are
excited to bring you the opportunity to help us accomplish it.
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