What is CT-N?
The
Connecticut Network provides complete and balanced television and webcast
coverage of all branches of Connecticut state government. Since the network’s
launch in 1999, that definition has expanded to include coverage of politics and
the electoral process, news briefings by a variety of government leaders, and
non-government events that touch upon public policy issues or are otherwise in
the public interest. Our goal is to be the one information source that all of
Connecticut turns to in matters of public policy. CT-N is managed and operated
by
Connecticut Public
Affairs Network, Inc., a not-for-profit company founded to educate citizens
about state government.
What can
I see on CT-N?
We offer a variety of programming dealing with public policy in Connecticut,
which includes:
-
Gavel-to-gavel coverage of the State Senate and House of Representatives
-
Meetings
and public hearings of legislative committees
-
Meetings
and public hearings of executive branch departments and agencies
-
Oral
arguments before the State Supreme Court
-
Live
Office of Emergency Management briefings from the State Armory, in the event
of a statewide emergency
-
Conventions, debates, and various other campaign events for statewide
electoral races
-
Capitol News Briefings,
featuring the Governor and other constitutional officers, legislative
leadership, and other key state government leaders
-
Miscellaneous events that are public policy related or otherwise in the public
interest
Much of
what you see on CT-N is broadcast live; the rest has recently been recorded for
rebroadcast. Our format is modeled after that of C-SPAN, which means that
everything you see is shown uncut and unedited, with no on-air commentary,
analysis, or editorial “spin.” You can watch government proceedings exactly as
they happened, and draw your own conclusions about issues and events.
How does
CT-N’s broadcast schedule work?
Covering
state government proceedings makes for an unconventional broadcast day. Some
events only last a few minutes; others can run all day long. Because we don’t
edit our coverage, what you see on CT-N doesn’t usually fit into 30 or 60-minute
program blocks like a conventional TV network. And since we don’t have the
benefit of knowing how long a government proceeding will be until after it’s
over, we cannot assemble our program schedule too far in advance. In order to
provide our viewers with the widest variety of up-to-date programming, we set
our programming schedule 24 hours in advance. You can view our daily schedule
here on the website at any time, and can also subscribe to receive it in your
email daily.
How soon after taping does a program air on CT-N (or appear in Video on Demand on CT-N.com)?
A lot of that depends on where the event occurred and how we covered it. Events that take place in the Legislative Office Building or within the House or Senate Chambers of the State Capitol may air live or within 24 hours of taping; that’s because those locations are hard-wired to our control room. That allows us to add graphics, record an event to our video server, and even broadcast it as it’s happening. Events in other locations must be recorded on video tape and returned to our control room for post-production before they can air. While we do our best to get this material on the air quickly, a busy legislative calendar can sometimes prevent us from doing post production right away. Most programs still air very soon after they’ve been recorded.
Many aired events will also be made available as on demand files on our website. Most on demand events become available at CT-N.com within 24 hours after their first airing. Due to limited server space, not all of our broadcast events get offered on-demand.
Check the network’s daily schedule online or call us at (860) 246-1553 for more information on when a specific program will air (or be added to the Video on Demand section on the website.)
How is CT-N distributed?
CT-N is now available full time on cable television in nearly statewide, through
a combination of basic and digital cable channels. In some areas where it is
only available on digital, the network can also be seen on a part-time basis on
government and community access channels.
Why is CT-N on a digital channel in my town/When will I see CT-N on basic cable in my town?
In the spring of 2005, the Connecticut General Assembly reached a landmark
agreement with the state’s cable industry to offer the Connecticut Network on
expanded basic cable statewide by January 1, 2007. Many areas have already
started to see CT-N brought down to expanded basic from the digital tier; check
our town-by-town channel listings to determine if the network has been added to
your expanded basic lineup recently. If CT-N is still on digital in your area,
this map will show you when CT-N will (at the latest) appear on expanded basic
near you.
I am a satellite TV subscriber – where can I watch CT-N?
Currently, CT-N is not yet available on satellite TV. You can help by calling
your satellite provider and letting them know you want them to carry the
Connecticut Network.
Where can I find CT-N in my town?
Go to the CT-N on TV
link and click on the "Carriage by Town" area to find out the channel location
and time availability. If the list shows that CT-N is not available in your
town, please take a moment to complete our online
petition which will be
forwarded to your cable operator.
Do other states have something like CT-N?
Yes, at least eighteen other states have some form of unedited coverage of
government deliberations. (Alaska,
California,
Florida,
Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio,
Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Texas,
Washington, and
Wisconsin.)
Several other states are in the development stages.
Click
here for a complete list.
How is CT-N programming selected?
Our first priority is to offer gavel-to-gavel coverage of all sessions of the
House of Representatives and State Senate: live whenever possible. Our next
programming priority includes coverage of all official meetings and hearings of
the executive and legislative branches, as well as oral arguments before the
state Supreme Court, Capitol News Briefings, and electoral process
coverage. Miscellaneous public policy or public interest events will then be
covered, crew and equipment availability permitting. All events are researched
and evaluated by our programming staff to determine their appropriateness for
coverage by CT-N.
How is CT-N
funded?
The Connecticut Network is funded entirely by the Connecticut General Assembly
through the Office of Legislative Management.
<< b a c k
|
