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By the People JOINING THE CONVERSATION BROADCASTS PARTNERS EVENTS WHAT IS BY THE PEOPLE?
BROADCASTS2003 Local Programs
Speaker presenting with a large screen

The inaugural event of By the People brought together more than 300 Americans in Philadelphia, birthplace of the U.S. Constitution, to discuss America's role in the world in a National Issues Convention broadcast on PBS on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.

2003 saw the first full year of By the People activities. Find out how By the People has shaped its mission and partnerships since then.

In 2003, By the People established its role as a supporter of civic engagement. Learn more about why civic engagement is an important factor in the nation's well-being.

2003 Local PBS Broadcasts and Activities
In 2003, By the People provided support for local PBS stations to engage in a community dialogue on foreign policy issues. As a result, 35 hours of local programming aired, including about 25 hours of television and six hours of radio. Additionally, more than 100 discussion forums were spearheaded by stations and some 85 local and statewide partners.

Participating PBS stations and highlights of their efforts in 2003 include:

Alaska Public Television- KTOO (Juneau) engaged the community through a locally-produced theater piece developed in partnership with Perseverance Theater.

Arkansas Educational Television held statewide forums on American foreign policy using videophones and compressed video units.

Idaho Public Television facilitated three discussions, produced a short documentary piece and a one-hour statewide call-in, all looking at the nexus between religious groups and international affairs. Issues discussed included: "Just War" theory, humanitarian aid, and the environment.

KCTS/Seattle Public Television examined By the People issues on its weekly, award-winning, current affairs series KCTS Connects, producing four in depth segments on these America in the World issues: Preemptive Strike, Freedom and Democracy, What the World Thinks of America and Foreign Aid.

KERA/Dallas Public Television's activities included a multi-ethnic retreat of local leaders and media representatives, a By the People speaker event in cooperation with The World Affairs Council of Greater Dallas and a radio roundtable on KERA 90.1.

KLRU/Austin Public Television and five community partners wove community engagement, local public affairs programming, MacNeil/Lehrer-produced and other related national programs, and Web content in its By the People campaign.

KPBS/San Diego Public Television engaged in a discussion of global issues affecting their everyday lives. Topics ranged from new restrictions on immigration, military readiness and national security to international economic development. Content was highlighted on the station's Full Focus television series. Additionally, public radio KPBS-FM, produced a four-part series to further the conversation, via expert interviews, as well as with an opportunity for listeners to call in with their questions or comments.

KQED/San Diego engaged Bay Area citizens in a discussion on America's dependence on oil using multiple media -- the Web, community outreach and television.

KVIE/Sacramento, CA focused on "America's Role in Feeding the World", a topic of direct relevance to one of the country's richest agricultural regions. KVIE's community-wide conversation, Hearts, Minds and Hunger, kicked off in the spring with a series of public forums attended by hundreds of citizens from every conceivable walk of life. In mid-summer, KVIE assembled a studio audience, a panel of experts, and, with the help of moderator David Iverson, taped a deliberation about why and how the United States should respond to the needs of the 800 million people who suffer from hunger and malnutrition. The one-hour program aired on August 21st at 9:00 pm.

NET Television aired a documentary "Nebraska Connects with Cuba," which shared the fascinating stories of Nebraskans who find their lives unexpectedly changed by people and events in Cuba. The project built on the experiences of University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism students and their recent trip to Cuba. The class and trip were part of an effort to introduce Nebraska students to international affairs and Nebraskans to a topic that has the potential to affect them.

Twin Cities Public Television, Minnesota, engaged citizens in "By the People: Minnesota," a project done in partnership with the Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota International Center and others to explore the reasons why health-related issues around the world today may have real impact on area residents' lives tomorrow. The local program aired in conjunction with the national companion program "By the People: America in the World" on May 29.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting documented for broadcast Raise Your Voice week, a project put on by a coalition of local civic and media groups including: the WV chapter of National Campus Compact (NCC), the WV Center for Civic Life and The Charleston (WV) Gazette. The project featured a town hall meeting about the Iraq War using the America's Role in the World discussion guide followed by a panel discussion among academics and international visiting scholars.

WHRO/Hampton Roads - Norfolk, VA, hosted a town hall meeting: "In the Name of Security…A Virginia Conversation." The 90-minute live event was simulcast statewide on TV and aired on WHRV-FM. The topics ranged from concerns about international diplomacy versus the use of preemptive strikes, to determining the effectiveness of the USA Patriot Act.

WHYY/Philadelphia Public Television aired an original one hour program, Delaware Valley Voices which examined issues surrounding immigration, including: how the world views America. The show was broadcast Friday, May 23 at 5 p.m. on TV12.