stories that explore the motivations and impacts of a variety of events, issues and ideas.” Reporters provided comprehensive coverage of Congressman Tim Johnson’s unexpected retirement announcement, exploring not just why he announced his intention to retire, but why he waited until after he won the GOP primary. Reporters also looked at the impact on our listeners of the Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act. They reached out in advance of the decision to local hospital groups, major regional employers, local health care providers, patient advocacy groups, lawmakers and politicians, providers for low income and uninsured patients, and university experts on public policy. Once the ruling was made public, their coverage considered a wide variety of angles in reporting the High Court’s decision and its impact.
A series of 14 stories on health and wellness, most by reporter Sean Powers, looked at nutrition education in the schools, efforts to fight obesity in immigrant communities and other issues. The reporting was supported by a grant by the Lumpkin Family Foundation. Sean also developed stories examining U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee procedures and how they have led to tough decisions for local law enforcement regarding immigration. Jim Meadows examined
stormwater utility fee proposals in Champaign and Urbana, and Jeff Bossert looked at the potential impact of a threatened prison closure on the community of Dwight, Ill. These are just a few examples of this renewed commitment to an indepth exploration of issues, ideas and events.
Andrea Seabrook offers blunt assessment of Congress Illinois Public Media brought NPR congressional correspondent Andrea Seabrook to central Illinois for a two-day visit in April that included an appearance in a class at Urbana’s University Laboratory High School, a talk at Campbell Hall that was open to the public, and an appearance on WILL-AM’s Focus. A great storyteller, Seabrook, who has since left NPR to branch out on her own with a daily podcast about Congress, told students and the Campbell Hall audience that although
the news media often like to focus on what lawmakers say and what happens each day on the floor, she likes to pay attention to what members of Congress don’t say. She talked about the noticeable dip in civility and bipartisanship in Congress. “People ask me if this is the worst that it’s ever been,” she said. “But if no one’s beating anyone with a cane then it’s not the worst it’s ever been, although in some ways beating someone with a cane is more functional than nothing happening at all.”