TV, Boon or Bane? Participation and a Televised Town Meeting

Abstract

As a public participation tool, television has been particularly vexing for planners who see promise in its ability to reach large audiences, but have issues with its expense and love of “sound-bites”. In 2009, a regional planning organization in the middle of the USA put the power of television to the test with a live televised town meeting. This study evaluates the event's effectiveness using democratic principles. The program was successful at reaching huge numbers in a short time period, at being inspiring, at increasing political efficacy, and at creating networks. It fell short, however, where the medium of television is inherently undemocratic (in the timing and scheduling of the show and engagement, in expense, and in reinforcing passivity). Comparing the strengths and weaknesses of television reveals that planners can use television to its best participatory advantage when they focus on collaborative participation and when they have realistic expectations.