This fall public radio stations nationwide
will explore the health of democracy in America - what’s
working, what’s broken, and how we can strengthen it.
The aim of this
cross-country collaboration is to make democracy the subject of
dinner conversations, schoolyard arguments, presidential
campaign speeches, Web chats, newspaper columns, and talk
shows. In short, to make democracy a living, critical issue in
our lives... at a time when events are challenging some bedrock
practices and beliefs.
Whose Democracy Is It?
will be the biggest media event of the fall, featuring
documentaries, live events, interviews, call-ins, and essays.
It features some of public radio’s most-talented
producers and best-known shows, from Morning
Edition and This American Life to All
Things Considered and To The Best of Our Knowledge.
Wisconsin Public
Radio’s special coverage will explore how we feel,
demonstrate, and talk about democracy. Four basic themes will
be investigated...
• Democracy, Wisconsin Style — A look into the history, practices, and
culture that has put Wisconsin on the political map. Ripon
claims itself the home of the Republican Party; The John Birch
Society is based in Appleton; Wisconsin is the home of Senator
Eugene McCarthy; and Wisconsin’s Progressive Party and
founder Bob LaFollette have influenced democracy throughout the
nation. Wisconsin Public Radio will explore what people on the
right, left, and center think about democracy.
• Democracy By The People — The Opinion Page has been the People’s
Page since its beginning. A place where you can let others know
just what you think about any given issue. Now, however, it
seems it has been taken over by organizational form letters,
and activist regulars crowding out the voices of average
citizens. Just how do editors choose what gets printed?
• The Aging Of Our Democracy — How are institutions of democracy fairing
with age? How has technology influenced politicians, elections,
and democratic discourse? We’ll travel through the
political bits and bytes of the Internet and compare these new
forms of communication with the old-fashioned delivered letter.
• The Future Of Democracy — What would you kill for? What would you be
willing to die for? Wisconsin Public Radio’s To The
Best Of Our Knowledge asks average Americans these questions.
We’ll also find out what noted writers Alice Walker,
Sherman Alexie, Isabel Allende, and Margaret Atwood think about
these.
Stay tuned to Wisconsin
Public Radio for the latest information about Whose Democracy Is It?
