A collection of the nation's existing state public affairs networks incorporated to form the National Association of Public Affairs Networks (NAPAN). The organization was formed to educate the public and advance the public understanding of and participation in political processes and the development of public policy.
About 30 states are represented in the new organization, about half of which have some form of channel dedicated to providing coverage of state legislatures, courts and other important state government meetings and events.
Paul Giguere, president of NAPAN and the Connecticut network, said the mission of the organization is to raise public awareness of the availability of state public affairs networks -- which themselves provide citizens unbiased information about state government deliberations -- and to assist states in developing networks.
"State public affairs networks provide citizens access to political processes that they just can't get anywhere else," Giguere said. "With the well-documented lower amount of broadcast news coverage of government, we believe our networks open a window on government to the public."
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) applauded the formation of the network.
"We see this as a positive development in providing citizens more access to how state government operates, especially the workings of the state legislatures," said Bill Pound, NCSL's executive director. "This is the continuation of a trend of providing citizens access. Over the last eight years, state legislatures increasingly have provided audio and television signals over the Internet so citizens can listen to floor debate and committee hearings." According to NCSL, 39 states offer broadcasts of their proceedings over the Internet.
Giguere said NAPAN will be developing a structure and agenda for the organization in the months ahead, and encouraged the satellite industry, cable industry, government officials and the public to provide comments. The organization is developing a Web site, which will provide resources for states interested in establishing networks and a way for existing networks to communicate and share ideas with each other.
States represented in the organization are Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
