IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION'S "IDAHO REPORTS" BEGINS NEW...

Idaho Public Television’s Idaho Reports, the longest‐running legislative‐coverage show in the West, begins regular half hour‐long weekly updates and analysis, Friday, January 14. With host Thanh Tan, the show chronicles the week’s legislative action and adds perspective from state officials, legislators, Statehouse reporters and others. “This year, Idaho Reports will closely track budget issues, especially since the state is facing a potential $340 million shortfall,” Tan says.

“Unlike previous years, the state no longer has rainy day funds or federal stimulus dollars to fall back on. We’ll explain where changes will be felt in government services. It will be fascinating to see whether the Idaho Legislature cuts spending, raises taxes, cuts taxes, or attempts to do a combination of all those things.”

Idaho Reports 2011 has additional repeats on the Idaho Public Television HD Channel and World Channel; see the online schedule at idahoptv.org/schedules/. Each week’s episode also is archived online at idahoptv.org/idreports/. Tan talks each week with a panel of lawmakers about legislative activities, as well as a panel of reporters and experts.

This season, the show features two new segments. Perspectives goes outside the studio to highlight two political insiders who are on opposite sides of an issues. Ask Idaho Reports takes requests from viewers to answer questions about the Legislature or to check on a myth or fact.

“Ask Idaho Reports is sort of a cross between Ask Jeeves and Mythbusters,” Tan says. “It’s just 90 seconds or so but we want viewers to engage with us through Facebook and submit any question they may have about state government. For instance, people wonder how much money is really spent on keeping up the Simplot House or how much the state spends per prisoner. We want to find the facts and, if necessary, debunk the myths people believe about government.”

Each episode concludes with a profile of the Public Servant of the Week, a lighthearted introduction to the men and women who come from throughout the state to represent the people of their district and Idaho in the Legislature.