Even though the state’s top two lawmakers will have direct oversight of the soon-to-launch legislative cable television channel, the station’s general manager says there will be no editing of content for political reasons.
“This is the legislative channel, not the Republican channel or the speaker’s channel or the president’s channel,” Ron Bellus, general manager of Arizona Capitol Television, told the House Democrat caucus Feb. 12.
A presentation by Bellus about the basics of the television station turned into a 15-minute examination, as Democrat lawmakers expressed concerns over the channel being used to advance a Republican agenda.
Bellus said the majority of the station’s programming will be legislative committee hearings and floor action, as well as Capitol press conferences. Three original programs are also in the works, but he said there will always be a balance between Republican and Democrat viewpoints.
“We’ll do everything possible to ensure both parties are involved in everything,” he said.
The goal of the channel, Bellus said, is to give viewers statewide an opportunity to see what happens in the Legislature. Currently, all committee hearings and floor proceedings are broadcast on closed-circuit television in the House and Senate and the Internet.
When asked why the decision was made to put the station under the purview of the House speaker and Senate president, Bellus said there are more than 30 states that broadcast legislative proceedings and almost as many ways to oversee the channel’s operation.
“At this point in time, the speaker and Senate president feel this is the best way to go about it,” he said.
Rep. David Lujan, D-15, said he would have liked to see the station under the authority of an independent commission.
Despite assurances the programming would include Democrats and would not be biased toward the majority party, at least one Democrat felt Bellus’ words rang hollow.
“Having been a Realtor, if it isn’t in writing, it usually doesn’t hold water,” Rep. Lynne Pancrazi, D-24, said.
House Minority Leader Phil Lopes told Bellus he was disappointed the Democrats hadn’t been included in the planning process for the station. After the meeting, he told Arizona Capitol Times Democrats intend to make sure the channel is not used for political purposes.
“We’re going to watch them like a hawk,” he said.