Without WisconsinEye, Trust Suffers
Today I unexpectedly saw an old photo of myself in The Capital Times from my years working at WisconsinEye, the state’s nonprofit public affairs network.
It made me nostalgic for that job and the sense of purpose that came from working for “WisEye.”
The photo ran alongside an editorial about the effort to get WisconsinEye back on the air. Due to funding shortfalls, the network went dark in December 2025, leaving Wisconsin without comprehensive video coverage of its legislative proceedings.
Legislative leaders from both parties have been working toward a funding solution, and the editorial described that cooperation as a bipartisan win for democracy — a recognition that public access to government shouldn’t be a partisan issue.
The image was clearly pulled from the paper’s archives — taken years earlier and saved, waiting for a moment like this. I was in my early 20s at the time. My hair was black then. Not the silvery gray it is now.
That photo was from the first few days of the network’s life in May 2007.
We were in full startup mode — bootstrapping, improvising, building something that didn’t quite exist yet. It was the perfect place for a young guy with a lot of energy and a stubborn belief that people should have access to government.
The network was dedicated to providing gavel-to-gavel coverage of Wisconsin state government — floor sessions of the Assembly and Senate, committee hearings, press conferences, Supreme Court arguments, and civic events across the state. It was, in many ways, Wisconsin’s version of C-SPAN.
I was excited to be a part of it. The job felt perfect for me.
In high school — before I could even drive — I helped broadcast City Council and School Board meetings for the local cable access channel in Columbus, Wis. Later, as a newspaper journalist, I made it a point to serve the public interest by attending as many public meetings as I could, whether something dramatic was happening or not.
Most government meetings meander. They’re procedural. They can be dull.
But democracy lives and breathes in the dull moments as much as it does the fiery Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moments.
During my time at WisconsinEye, we covered many grand events such as State of the State addresses, budget unveilings, and the dynamic 2008 presidential campaign. But some of the events I remember most are the long nights of forgettable Senate and Assembly floor debates.
Floor sessions sometimes stretched late into the night and into the early morning hours. If the Legislature was in session, WisconsinEye staff were working too. That sometimes meant 12- to 15-hour days.
Opponents of various pieces of legislation would often criticize these late-night sessions — arguing that important decisions were being made when few citizens were awake.
But we were awake at WisconsinEye. Bleary-eyed. Eating takeout. Watching every amendment, every procedural motion, every vote.
I don’t know how many people stayed up with us. Sometimes probably not many. But the cameras were rolling.
And the next day, those sessions were rebroadcast. More importantly, they were archived online. Anyone could go back and see exactly what happened — who said what and how it unfolded.
That’s what access looks like. Not glamorous. Not viral. Just available.
Sometimes, in those early years, when multiple committees met at once, we depended on one guy with one camera to fill the gaps. We’d record meetings on tape and air them later.
Yes. I did say tape.
And because it was tape, you had to change it mid-meeting. That meant pulling one cassette out and sliding another in as quickly as possible. Occasionally, you’d miss a brief moment — a sentence of testimony here and there. It was unavoidable.
Every now and then, we’d hear from viewers convinced the footage had been intentionally cut to silence someone. That feedback wasn’t fun to field, I’m sure, but in its own way, it was affirming. People were watching closely enough to notice ten missing seconds. They cared.
The WisconsinEye team in those early days was exceptional — smart, committed, mission-driven. Some of the original employees are still there. That says something. I appreciate them and their commitment to keeping the organization moving forward. Their work is meaningful.
I was only there for what, in the grand scheme of things, was a short time. It was impactful for me. I met legislators, staffers, power brokers, and fellow journalists. I learned how the machinery of government really works up close.
A few years later, it was time for me to leave and try something new. But my time at WisconsinEye remains one of the highlights of my career.
I’ve always followed the network’s work, and I have often used the service. I watch press conferences and committee hearings when legislation I’m tracking — professionally or personally — is being debated.
It’s educational and illuminating. There are many bills and discussions that never receive coverage from the Capitol press corps. They simply don’t have the capacity to cover everything, especially the obscure or technical issues that matter deeply to smaller groups or industries.
The archives matter just as much as the live broadcasts. In a world where slices of video can be taken out of context in advertisements or social posts, having a full, unedited record matters. More often than not, WisconsinEye serves as proof that something did — or did not — happen.
For many people today, video is the most effective way to inform. It’s not uncommon to see legislators themselves share WisconsinEye clips with constituents to educate and explain.
When I began seeing the early rumblings about WisconsinEye’s financial struggles, it was concerning. The organization has always operated lean, relying heavily on corporate and philanthropic support. Still, I assumed a solution would come. Surely someone would step in. Surely it wouldn’t actually go off the air.
But it did. And we need to get it back.
Fundraising efforts have been underway for months. The organization has a GoFundMe. And it seems lawmakers are trying to come up with their own funding solution.
I hope our better angels recognize what’s at stake.
Without WisconsinEye, one of the quiet pillars supporting trust in society disappears.
Transparency does not guarantee trust. But without transparency, trust has little chance.
In a moment when confidence in institutions feels fragile, WisconsinEye should be seen not only as a trusted institution itself, but as a brace that helps ensure confidence in our state government.
Let’s get those cameras switched back on — for all our sakes.
CRAIG SAUER is a writer, communicator and former journalist living in Fitchburg, Wis. He worked for WisconsinEye as a production assistant and producer.
