I’ll never forget the first time I appeared on the Seattle Channel. It was the end of October of 2003, and I was running for Seattle City Council and scheduled to debate my opponent, incumbent councilmember Judy Nicastro.
I was understandably anxious when I parked my old Dodge sedan in the city parking garage off Sixth Avenue. Tom Van Bronkhorst, my campaign manager, was in the passenger seat. I stepped out of the car and, because my hands were full, I shoved the driver’s door shut with my hip. Ouch! The door slammed shut on my right index finger. I looked back and caught a sickening sight: my finger disappearing into the door jamb.
Was it broken? I froze, scared to look. But, when Tom turned the door handle, the finger, although skinned and bleeding, seemed to be operating. I trailed blood as I walked into City Hall, heading for the restroom to wash the blood away. Adjacent to the women’s room was the Citizen’s Service Bureau. I walked in and asked if they could help me. The nice man at the counter explained they weren’t trained in first aid, but he did offer a Band-Aid. I took it and wrapped it tightly as I could with my clumsy left hand, hoping it wouldn’t bleed during the debate.
Although hurting, I managed to debate and even make a few points. Moderator C. R. Douglas quizzed the two of us on a list of city problems — steep City Light bills, traffic snarls, allegations of racial profiling by Seattle police, and the council’s preoccupation with seemingly remote issues such as a ban on circus animals and removal of the Snake River dams.
Afterwards, Tom, who had been watching off stage, expressed rare approval. He credited the smashed finger with focusing my attention and jokingly offered to slam my fingers in a car door before future debates. Luckily it was the last of the campaign encounters.
But it was hardly my last time appearing on the Seattle Channel. During three terms on the council, I frequently debated city policies on “City Inside/Out,” with C.R. Douglas moderating until 2011 when host Brian Callanan took over. No matter what the topic (and there were many) I never ceased to admire how even-handed both moderators were. They always worked to help viewers understand issues better, never to promote their own views.
Over the years, I came to view the award-winning channel — often cited as the best civic outlet in the country — as a treasure and celebrated its dedication to transparency. It was one more reason to take pride in doing things the Seattle way.
That is why I’m aghast that Mayor Bruce Harrell is now proposing to eviscerate the Seattle Channel. The reasoning, according to the mayor’s office, is the city’s large deficit (his excuse for taking windfall receipts from the payroll tax) and that corporate providers no longer contribute as much in franchise fees to the Seattle Channel. Comcast and Wave’s assistance has declined from a high of $11.9 million in 2017 to a projected $5 million in 2025.
In response, Harrell wants to slash $1.6 million from Seattle Channel, laying off the entire “City Inside/Out” staff along with Nancy Guppy’s “Art Zone” and librarian Nancy Pearl’s “Book Lust.” The cut would leave the channel only to air city council meetings and news conferences, assuming that they could somehow manage with a skeleton crew.
This attempt at crippling the channel shows a brazen disregard for public access. Already the proposal is receiving heavy criticism from respected sources like the Society for Professional Journalists, which has spoken against the attempt to stifle public information.
The good news is that the mayor’s misguided grab is not final. The Seattle City Council has seven weeks set aside to work on Harrell’s budget proposal. The mayor’s misguided grab is not final. The Seattle City Council has seven weeks set aside to work on Harrell’s budget proposal. The councilmembers can and most certainly should find the $1.6 million to restore the Seattle Channel’s ability to inform the public and to support artists and literature. As many critics have pointed out, $1.6 million is a modest amount to find in a $8 billion budget. It’s chump change when it comes to preserving transparency in government.
Like many residents, I tune in to the civic channel when I’m undecided on issues and get fair and balanced information in contrast to the often-biased accounts broadcast on corporate-owned outlets. It behooves all of us to speak out — write, e-mail, and testify. Before it’s too late, restore the cuts and save the Seattle Channel, keep “Art Zone” and “Book Lust” and preserve the Seattle way.
It does seem odd that a city that is so “with it” media wise that a valuable public asset like Seattle Channel should be so exposed to the bean counters’ red pencil. I am thinking that this will probably get fixed soon, if our civic leaders know what is good for them, and us. I’ve lived and worked in Seattle and Portland and love both cities for different reasons. Seattle’s city population and the metro region’s population is about a third bigger than Portland’s. Yet how can Seattle have a proposed budget of “only” $8.3 billion while little old Portland’s proposed budget comes in at $8.2 billion. Just wonderin’, just sayin’.
It seems like the City Council could cut the Mayor’s staff budget by $2M — especially since it has exploded in size since Bruce Harrell took office. That’s unlikely, since the Council President will do whatever hizzoner wants. But Bruce did leave about $50M to the side — precisely so the Council could “save” Seattle Channel and look like they fought the good fight. The Mayor is good at these games. Experience counts; he has it and the Council does not.
“…a brazen disregard for public access.”
That’s exactly what this is. Thank you, Jean Godden, for writing this column and bringing more attention to this issue.
Thank you, Jean, for this article. I urge all those who oppose the cuts to contact the City Council today and tomorrow and urge them not to approve the cuts. The email for all of them is: council@seattle.gov. Even better, show up in person for tomorrow afternoon’s budget public hearing and give 60 seconds of testimony or do so by phone. It makes a difference!!