Deliberation Week 2005 Engages Citizens
By the People supported a host of Citizen Deliberations around the country during Deliberation Week, October 22-29, 2005. These events focused on healthcare or education, two issues prominent on the national agenda. The Citizen Deliberations ranged from day-long discussions centered on Deliberative Opinion Polls® and using a random sample of participants to smaller scale conversations with participants drawn from local community groups. Community colleges also held Deliberation Week events. Participants at each event had the opportunity to explore national as well as their own local concerns related to healthcare or education.

Highlights from Deliberation Week were the centerpiece of a national PBS broadcast that aired November 10, 2005, produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions with station contributions.

The Deliberation Week participants were a diverse group, representative of their communities' racial, socioeconomic and political makeup. These By the People forums gave citizens an opportunity to talk to others in their community, breaking down barriers and reducing polarization. The conversations built on broad citizen desire to have access to a civic dialogue where differences are respected.

Results from a number of the Citizen Deliberations were coordinated with national online Deliberative Polling® providing a detailed look at the views of informed citizens. The collective views of these citizens provide local and national media with an extraordinary "poll with a human face."

Deliberation Week was built on public broadcasting's unique local-national base, its commitment to public affairs programming and its mission as a convener of civic dialogue. Deliberation Week presented an unusual outreach opportunity for stations to join forces with other community organizations - foundations, civic groups, educational institutions and media. Numerous universities and civic groups joined together for the effort, many donating space, money, and time in a very busy period of civic life.

BTP's national partners for Deliberation Week were the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University and the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale University. The Deliberative Democracy Consortium also partnered with BTP to assist with Deliberation Week projects.

Albuquerque, NM: KNME and Youth Development, Inc., hosted a Citizen Dialogue on October 29, 2005, at the Wool Warehouse, a historic downtown theater. The event focused on education, particularly Hispanic students' achievement gap. Executive Director for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans Adam Chavarria and New Mexico Secretary of Education Veronica Garcia participated. KNME had local coverage of Deliberation Week on November 10th, after the national broadcast. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Baton Rouge and Hammond, LA: Louisiana Public Broadcasting took on the issues of HIV/AIDS, long-term healthcare, and health insurance in Louisiana when they gathered citizens in Baton Rouge and Hammond to deliberate on October 29. The forums aired as a "Louisiana Public Square" By the People special on November 16. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Bowling Green, OH: WBGU and the Center for Regional Development hosted healthcare-focused forums from October 22-27 at five local hospitals: Fremont Memorial Hospital (Fremont); Lima Memorial Hospital (Lima); Wood County Hospital (Bowling Green); Blanchard Valley Hospital (Findlay); and Defiance Regional Medical Center (Defiance). The station hosted culminating summit at the WBGU-PBS studio on the campus of Bowling Green State University. A special edition of "The Journal" aired October 27, including highlights from the summits and a viewer call-in opportunity. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Charlottesville, VA: WHTJ gathered citizens at Piedmont Virginia Community College on October 29, 2005, to discuss healthcare challenges in rural central Virginia. On January 12, 2006, WHTJ/WCVE Virginia Currents, anchored by May Lily Lee, aired a special edition, featuring the conversation. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Cleveland, OH: WVIZ/PBS Ideastream brought together approximately 50 citizens on October 22, 2005, to discuss education in Northeast Ohio. Ideas, the station's weekly community affairs program, featured the By the People deliberations the following Thursday, October 27.

Detroit, MI: WTVS-Detroit Public TV and Henry Ford Community College hosted a forum on October 29 on the healthcare challenges facing Detroit. U.S. Congressman John D. Dingell (D - MI) delivered a keynote address. Around 600 students were directly engaged in the project, defining issues of importance, doing research and developing informational pieces. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Kansas City, MO: KCPT Public Television and Consensus convened a day-long healthcare forum on October 22. Sixty-six citizens and three legislators participated in discussions on two issues related to healthcare: cost and access and medical research, including stem cell research. The event was covered by the Kansas City Star and Kansas Public Radio. KCPT aired a 30-minute documentary "By the People Deliberation Day in Kansas City" on November 18, 2005. You may read the local discussion guides on cost/access and medical research here in .pdf form.

Kearney, NE: Nebraska ETV Network and the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center brought together 130 citizens in Kearney, Nebraska, to discuss rural education on October 24, 2005. The conversation included funding discrepancies between rural and urban schools, assessment standards as they relate to No Child Left Behind, and the struggle to find the best ways to finance and deliver education. The public affairs program Statewide aired highlights November 4, 11, and 25. The station's hour-long, local BTP special aired on December 1. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

*Miami, FL: WPBT held a citizen deliberation on healthcare on January 21, 2006, at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. Originally scheduled to take place in October 2005, the event was delayed because of Hurricane Wilma. The conversation focused on preventative healthcare, alternative medicines, and healthcare costs. WPBT's January 27th Issues public affairs program featured the deliberation. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Muncie, IN: WIPB hosted a dialogue on October 29 at the Minnetrista Cultural Center on issues of individual wellness and healthcare. The conversations were moderated by Glenn Augustine of Ball State University and included discussion of what schools, businesses and government are doing to promote healthy lifestyles. The station aired a half-hour local program on November 10 at 8:30pm, as a lead-in to the national broadcast. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

New Haven, CT: Connecticut PTV and Gateway Community College focused on education in an October 22 Deliberation Week event that drew approximately 150 participants. The conversations, which were held on Gateway's campus, addressed the education achievement gap, the No Child Left Behind Act, and strategies for improving public education in Connecticut. Front and Center with Ray Hardman featured the discussions on Friday, November 4, at 9 p.m. on CPTV, and at 7:30 PM on WNPR. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Pittsburgh, PA: WQED Multimedia and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Program for Deliberative Democracy considered healthcare-- particularly care for the elderly and uninsured-- at their Deliberation Week dialogue on October 29, held at Carnegie Mellon University. On October 26, the station's On Q Magazine aired a preview of the day. On November 8th, On Q Magazine aired an election day report. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Rochester, NY: On October 22, WXXI held deliberations among more than 50 citizens at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) on education, focusing on equal educational opportunities in the local community and assessment and accountability. WXXI showcased highlights from these discussions in a half-hour program airing October 28 at 9:00pm ET. And on November 11 at 9:00pm ET, WXXI aired spin-off discussions held by the League of Women Voters and Rochester Cares. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

St. Louis, MO: KETC Channel 9 and Consensus gathered approximately 90 citizens on October 22 at the Millennium Student Center at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, to discuss education. The conversation focused on educational equity and the achievement gap. On November 10 at 7:30pm local time, KETC aired a special half-hour program capturing the spirit of the dialogue with videotape of the deliberations as well as a studio discussion with three local experts. You may read the local discussion guides on accountability, funding, achievement gap, and PK-16 education here in .pdf form.

San Diego, CA: For By the People 2005, KPBS hosted numerous community conversations on the issue of healthcare. These discussions culminated in a Deliberation Week dialogue on Saturday, October 29. These conversations were highlighted on a local special which aired on November 7. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.

Seattle, WA: KCTS Television and Seattle Works convened more than 50 participants at a Deliberation Week citizen dialogue on October 22 at the Seattle Center. The focus was healthcare cost and coverage, noting local business Starbuck's coverage policy. On October 27, the station aired a preview segment on KCTS Connects, the local weekly public affairs program. On November 10, KCTS Connects broadcast coverage of the Deliberation Week conversations and featured a studio discussion with citizen participants and policy-makers who attended the event. You may read the local discussion guide here in .pdf form.