Some of the best political reporting in Pacific Northwest broadcasting is by C. R. Douglas on the Seattle Channel. That is remarkable because the station is part of city government, with offices in the basement of the new City Hall. But the host, who founded the operation about ten years ago, has mastered the art of provoking his guests without sandbagging them. In preparing for last week's debate about the future of the Seattle waterfront (new elevated Viaduct, all-surface option or a combined deep bore tunnel and waterfront boulevard), one of the participants challenged Douglas, "You sound like a television reporter!"
"He IS a television reporter!" I pointed out. In this case, that is a compliment. Here is the piece if you'd like to watch it.
The Washington state analog of the Seattle Channel It has been around since the 80s and now has its own building in Olympia. I don't know but I suspect that TVW probably does a better job of covering state issues--always broadly understood, too--than their counterparts elsewhere in other states.
Then there is C-Span. In some ways it is the grand-daddy of such outfits of course, attracting serious national listeners in serious numbers (about 250,000 at a time). Sometimes I think C-Span is the real public television in America since it credits the viewer with enough intelligence to figure out for himself whether speakers or debaters are telling the truth or fudging. As a result C-Span is popular with both parties, even though there is no public money in it. The cable companies pay for it.
Right now C-Span is airing its own documentary on the White House, its history and current operations as seen from the inside. Having worked there once (under Ronald Reagan) I found myself surprised and fascinated last night as the cameras not only explained how the public areas were developed, but also how the President's private areas work now. It is engaging and beautiful, and frankly makes you proud to be an American. You can order copies of the 105 minute program for only $9.95, though they won't guarantee arrival before Christmas.
I don't mind promoting C-Span or this production. Like Seattle Channel and TVW--and their counterparts around the land--they think it a service to show you what is going on and to resist the call to self-dramatizing sarcasm and irony. For all that they deserve praise and gratitude.
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