WisconsinEye set to air by May 2007

Madison, November 16 - the Wisconsin Department of Administration today cleared WisconsinEye to begin installing broadcast infrastructure in the state Capitol for the network's planned C-SPAN style coverage of state government, now set to begin by mid May.

The $650,000 construction project involves installation of behind-the-wall cabling and upgraded wall fixtures to enable camera coverage from the Senate and Assembly chambers, legislative committee hearing rooms, the Capitol Rotunda, the Governor's conference Room, the Attorney General's conference room, and the State Supreme Court Hearing Room.

The DOA action followed final appproval this week by the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board (SCERB) and also the State of Wisconsin Building Commission as required by Wisconsin Eye's licensing agreements reached with the Legislature in July, 2005. the agreements call for WisconsinEye to begin broadcasting legislative proceedings within six months and the Executive or Judicial branch within 18 months after final approval.

"We understand the need to protect the integrity of the Capitol building and have been fully committed to the process of review and approval for our construction project. Today is a major milestone for WisconsinEye and we now look forward to beginning broadcast operations in May," said WisconsinEye President Christopher Long.

WisconsinEye Network is a private, not-for-profit statewide public affairs network whose core missioin is to provide complete, gavel-to-gavel coverage of the actions of state government on television and the internet. A bipartisan donor community of individuals, foundations, organizations and corporations is funding the network's launch.

WisconsinEye's Capitol infrastructure project is fully funded by Wisconsin Eye and involves no cost to the state. WisconsinEye's construction team includes J.P. cullen & Sons, H&H Electric, and Isthmus Architecture, all of which worked on the Capitol Renovation and Restoration Project.