Seattle Forward

Why We Need a Center for Public Media

We have entered a post-factual world.

The president of the United States verbally attacks journalists and repeats false statements over and over. He threatens reporters and contends they will suffer consequences because he disagrees with their reporting.

Traditional media — newspapers, magazines, radio and television — are going through an economic realignment that threatens the essence of a free press by eliminating many of the outlets we have relied on for objective, independent and factual reporting. Consolidation of media voices through acquisitions and mergers carries with it the great risk of reducing diversity of thought and perspective.

The economic pressures media outlets face today have impacted our region. We used to have two daily newspapers; The Seattle Post Intelligencer stopped its print edition in March, 2009 after 146 years of publication. The Seattle Times struggles and has paid for early retirements and laid off dozens of employees. Many radio reporters used to cover City Hall in person nearly every day; we rarely see any of them today. Local TV stations have cut back local news production and let reporters go.

A vibrant and free press is the essential element for sustaining our democracy. Thomas Jefferson understood this 230 years ago, when he wrote to a friend, “The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

We have an opportunity to reverse the decline of media, to bolster and invigorate a free press, to contribute to a stronger, independent, objective and factual journalism.

One idea that I love is to create something called The Center for Public Media at Seattle Center. There is historic precedent for it, too.

In 1967, Congress created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting which today stewards the federal government’s support of 1,500 locally owned and operated public radio and television stations. In 1969, Congress created the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) to strengthen the education television network. KCTS Channel 9 is our Seattle PBS station. In 1970, Congress created National Public Radio (NPR), which we hear locally on KUOW and KNKX. These government-created and -funded media voices have played a crucial role in sustaining the independent and objective journalism we so urgently need today.

Can you imagine a news media mix without NPR? I listen constantly and appreciate the in-depth coverage, diversity of opinion and fact-based reporting. But this type of journalism is at risk and that’s why we should act now.

City government should create The Center for Public Media at Seattle Center. KCTS, KEXP and Crosscut, all nonprofit media outlets are already located at the Center. Our local NPR stations have indicated they may need new and expanded facilities soon. The Seattle Channel, our award-winning city government-run TV-Internet outlet needs expanded and overhauled space. Some of our ethnic media outlets may want to be co-located at the Center.

City government could allocate space at Seattle Center for The Center for Public Media, charging substantially reduced rent for nonprofit media organizations who pledge to provide independent, objective, fact-based journalism.

We could contribute capital dollars for construction and maintenance, perhaps in collaboration with private investors who may want to partner with the city for other facilities at the Center. Think Key Arena, the new Seattle Opera Center, and more.

The people of Seattle have a stake in preserving a free press. It’s imperative we do so.

We could sit back and watch as our media voices are consumed by the economic forces wreaking havoc on our traditional media and our president pursues his vindictive and destructive attacks on journalists. Or, through city government we can do our part to make sure we have many thriving, independent, objective, and fact-based media voices in Seattle.

A post-factual world? Or a world infused with objective, fact-based journalism? Seattle can and should lead the way on this important mission.

Supporting the Muslim Community, a Voice for Drivers, Labor Standards, and More

Yesterday was the last Full Council meeting of 2015 and it was jam packed: 52 agenda items, 3 ½ hours of deliberations.

We started with a resolution expressing our support for Seattle’s Muslim community in the wake of increasing anti-Muslim hate rhetoric and violence. The City of Seattle welcomes and affirms our Muslim residents, both native born and immigrant, and recognizes the enormous value they add to the cultural and economic life of this city. When we respond from fear, we respond from weakness. We all want our community to be safe, but fear does not lead to safety.

The Council then passed landmark legislation that allows drivers of for-hire vehicles to collectively join together and negotiate better working conditions, making Seattle the first city to take this step. We must continue to find ways to protect workers in the new gig economy where the traditional employer-employee relationship is less prevalent.

We approved a thick bill (146 pages) improving and standardizing the enforcement processes for our local labor standards. We debated nuances while updating the Council’s rules and procedures. We made a small change to our business licenses that allows us to more easily revoke these for unlawful businesses. We designated the P-I Globe as a landmark and we created a new Arts & Cultural District in the Central Area.

It was a full, productive meeting. It was also the final Full Council meeting of three of my colleagues, Nick Licata, Jean Godden, and Tom Rasmussen. Between the three of them, we are saying goodbye to 42 years of collective service on the Council. As we get excited about the incoming councilmembers, I will miss the wisdom, dedication, friendship, and passion for service of my exiting colleagues.

Final Decisions on 2016 Budget

The Full Council voted to adopt the City’s 2016 budget today, incorporating changes Councilmembers have made from the Mayor’s proposal over the last two months.

The Mayor’s proposed budget provided us with a good start, including funding for a hospital-based gun violence intervention program at Harborview Medical Center.

I’m happy to report that all of the items I pushed for were adopted into the Council’s final package. These included funding to study an educational center for immigrants and refugees with foreign professional degrees, increasing dedicated funding for arts programs, support for small manufacturers, advancing a study to incentivize shared parking facilities in private buildings, expanding funds for the reentry and job assistance program Career Bridge, and language to direct City staff to work with Seattle Public Schools on student population growth planning.

I also have been working closely with community leaders and Councilmember Harrell to provide City support for a new “Opportunity Center” in southeast Seattle. This budget will provide nearly $2 million in seed funding for this project, which is expected to include job training, affordable housing, meeting space, or other amenities a community-led process will help determine.

Budget Season Begins

It’s City budget time again. Last week the Mayor presented his budget proposal to the Council and this week the Council heard more details from the various department heads. Starting October 19, we will begin to identify issues and possible changes the Council will want to make. You can find the budget schedule here; there is one more public hearing at City Hall on Tuesday, October 20.

Staff and councilmembers are beginning to dive into the Mayor’s proposal, and we’re hearing from members of the public about their priorities. I’m particularly happy to see a few elements included in the Mayor’s proposal:

Our Creative Culture

As our city grows, we must act with urgency to stabilize families, artists, and small businesses because without them we lose one of the very things that has made us such a special city. We must invest in the culture of Seattle that has given us our unique identity and strength.

Seattle is the entertainment and cultural center of the Pacific Northwest. Creativity is in the water and in our blood. From musicians, to painters, to dancers, to writers and filmmakers, and many more—artists have given us voice and spirit. To make sure we don’t lose this valuable distinction in a skyrocketing economy, I am proposing to increase arts and culture spending.

Specifically, we should increase the allocation of the city’s existing admissions tax revenue dedicated to the arts from the 75% it is today to 80% in 2016, 90% in 2017, and 100% in 2018. This increase means millions of additional dollars dedicated to supporting artists and arts organizations all over the city, including more arts education in our public schools.