Bob CollinsThis probably wasn’t the best time to make the Minnesota Legislature invisible, but that’s just what TPT-17 has done by eliminating daily coverage of the Minnesota Legislature on its main channel. Legislative coverage on free TV is one of the little facts of Minnesota life that made our political process so transparent.
TPT has substituted “lifestyle programming” instead. As I write this, we’re all watching how to make equidistant, light hem stitching on Sewing with Nancy. It’s fascinating, sure, but you can’t close the big budget gap with pinking shears, except in a metaphor.
Granted, it’s highly unlikely the calls are pouring into the TPT headquarters with people demanding access to the K-12 Mandate Reduction Work Group session, but it’s rarely a good thing when fewer eyes have access to what politicians are doing.
TPT has moved the Legislature to its “digital tier,” which you can get if you have the correct cable TV tier or have over-the-air access and you can perform the pat-your-head-rub-your-belly method of finding new channels. If you have Dish Network or DirectTV, you’re out of luck.
You can still see the Legislature on its Web site.
