A lot of people think civic journalism is crossing the line by collaborating. We just use it as a way to ask people what's on their minds. With three years of project programming under their belts, the project partners have discussed how to expand the Front Porch Forum. Robert Smith of KUOW says the station would like to remain connected with the media partners as a resource base, but divide projects up a bit in order to exploit the diverse potential of each form of media. During the fall 1997 programming, the site was used to post stories, poll results, and the schedule of Forum events.
Callers talk directly with the governor.
The show, produced by Susan Hahn, began in 1993 and has enjoyed the participation of the two governors in office since then. The program seeks to provide unedited access to the governor, and raise awareness about state issues not usually covered in the state's mainstream press. While most topics raised by callers are not necessarily high on the news agenda for journalists, a recent program focused on a heavily covered issue. Earlier that week, teachers marched on the steps of the state capitol to pressure lawmakers for a fair salary. The governor responded to pro-teacher callers by explaining the realities of the limited state budget.