Net result: Live feeds to continue

BOISE – Live video from the Idaho state House and Senate will become a permanent fixture on the Internet.

Idaho Public Television began the video feeds from the House and Senate chambers last year as a pilot program. The project was successful enough to justify making it permanent, said Peter Morrill, general manager of Idaho Public Television.

To record the sessions, a fixed camera was installed last year in the House and Senate chambers. Audio feeds from the chambers’ public address systems have been available on the Internet since 1999.

Idaho is among states big and small that have followed Washington, the first state to provide Internet broadcasts in 1996, in using the technology to shine a brighter light on government.

“Our goal is to make the government process accessible to citizens across Idaho and across the nation,” Morrill said.

Costs for the two cameras and their installation were between $15,000 and $20,000, Morrill said.

The feeds had about 31,000 hits during last year’s legislative session. Morrill said about 85 percent were listeners within the state. Forty percent were listening on state computers.

The feeds are best accessed over a high-speed Internet connection, Morrill said, but a dial-up connection can also be used.

And because the Legislature is known to go into session at short notice, the Internet feeds will also be on 24 hours a day. So as long as there is sufficient light and the PA system is on, Web surfers will be able to see and hear whatever is happening in the House and Senate chambers at any time of day.

Audio broadcasts are also available for proceedings held in the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee hearing room.