Statehouse lawmakers already ham it up in front of each other and the gaggle of Capitol journalists. Imagine if they think the public is watching them on television.
Debate under the dome could get longer – but perhaps more eloquent and thoughtful – when the House of Representatives hits television sets.
Comcast is offering two digital cable channels to broadcast action in the House and Senate. And House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, wants his chamber camera-ready by the next legislative session.
“The idea is to bring the House of Representatives to living rooms,” Romanoff said today. “A lot of folks have no idea what we do here and we would make better decisions if they did.”
B Romanoff, a stickler for order, predicted the live television feed “might improve the decorum of the chamber.”
Legislative leaders also want to put live video on the web, archive it and allow people to watch the day’s debate after work.
Tuning in on TV or the Internet could be a good thing for anyone who’s ever wondered how many lawmakers are paying attention – or even in the chamber – when a colleague rails at the podium. And voters could see for themselves which lawmakers engage in debate the most often and which ones wear the flashiest outfits.
It’s still undecided how many cameras the House would set up or whether a camera would pan the room.
Lawmakers also might consider a new law that would prevent people from re-using the videotape for campaign ads and other political purposes. But Romanoff said free-speech rights likely override those concerns.
About 820,000 households in Colorado get Comcast, which also provides a channel for Denver City Council meetings, said spokeswoman Cindy Parsons.
The city of Denver is offering to link the Capitol to its cable for free. Romanoff said he is searching for a donor to pick up the tab for a camera crew, which he predicted at about $30,000 per year.
Thirty-four other states broadcast state Capitol business on television.
Staff writer Jennifer Brown can be reached at 303-954-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com.
