Oregon



Geneforum.org, Portland, OR 2000

Partners:

Oregon Public Broadcasting
Albany Democrat-Herald
The (La Grande) Observer
Newport News-Times
Geneforum.org

Because Oregon is the only state in the nation that treats an individual's DNA as private property, its genetic privacy law is frequently under discussion and review. The project increased public knowledge of this unique law and created opportunities for public input into the ongoing discussions using a variety of tools:

  • Three produced stories and five call-in shows on Oregon Public Radio.
  • Seven focus groups around the state of 12-15 people each.
  • A Nov. 14, 2000 town hall meeting in Portland that attracted 25 people including three state legislators.
  • The creation of geneforum.org, an interactive Web site dedicated to the topic.

The Web site experienced approximately 10,000 user sessions during 2000. Some 300 of the visitors completed quizzes on their attitudes toward genetically engineered food and the use of their own tissue for genetic research.

The results, along with other citizen input, were forwarded to the Genetic Research Advisory Committee, appointed by the Oregon Legislature to make recommendations on the state's genetic privacy law. In its final report, the committee cited the input as beneficial to its work and recommended, among its findings, that "continuing efforts be made to gather public input on genetic privacy issues, to inform and educate the public about genetic research and to promote public dialogue on these issues."

The partners used the Pew funding to leverage additional funding from two Portland based foundations for support of the Web site and the focus group research.


Contact:

Morgan Holm
Director of News & Public Affairs
Oregon Public Broadcasting
7140 S.W. Macadam Ave.
Portland, OR 97219-3013
Phone: (503) 293-1905
Email: morgan_holm@opb.org



Your Neighborhood, Your Future, Portland, OR 2001

Partners:

KGW-TV (NBC), KGW.com
Portland Tribune
Beaverton Valley Times
Tigard Times
Gresham Outloo
Clackamas Review

As elected planning officials in the Portland area began seeking public input on a long-term growth plan, the media partners launched a project to inform citizens and engage their interest in the process. "Your Neighborhood, Your Future" included dozens of TV and print stories about crucial growth issues. A poll and a town meeting provided a barometer of public opinion on the issues.

The project started Oct. 1, 2001, with a KGW story about growing pains in the region. Print partners followed with similar stories. Meanwhile, the partners commissioned a poll of 400 Portland area residents on growth, traffic, schools and the economy. The poll surfaced some surprising contradictions. Respondents worried about the economy and favored incentives to attract new business even as they expressed concerns about too many newcomers. They supported the urban growth boundary but opposed higher density development in cities. They wanted to ease traffic congestion but didn't want to pay for transportation projects.

Stories continued to run from October to March, explaining the impact of growth and the trade-offs involved in related issues. KGW's Web site offered an interactive feature that allowed users to type in their address and see how regional growth plans for 2040 would affect their neighborhood. The site also offered a slide show on growth plans for the next four decades.

The project culminated in a one-hour Town Hall Discussion on growth issues, March 15, 2002, broadcast live on KGW. A panel of local elected officials, neighborhood leaders, businessmen and citizens took questions from a studio audience of about 100 people. The meeting coincided with the wrap-up conference of the elected planning officials on Metro. When, later that year, Metro proposed expanding the urban growth boundary by 15,000 acres - the largest expansion in more than 20 years - KGW news director Rod Gramer said he believed the project had played an important part in furthering public discussion of the issue.


Contact:

Rod Gramer
Executive News Director
KGW-TV
1501 SW Jefferson St.
Portland, OR 97201-2549
Phone: (503) 226-5079



Portland, OR 1997

Partners:

The Oregonian
Oregon Public Broadcasting

That most fundamental of civic activities, voting, was the subject of a three-part series in the Oregonian and a special call-in show on public radio. Though Oregon had one of the highest voter turn-out records in the nation, there were still nearly a million eligible Oregonians who did not vote. Through a survey of 733 people and three focus groups, reporters learned that voters and non-voters had a great deal in common and that not voting was not an indication of detachment or alienation. In fact, they found 80 percent of non-voters were active in their community, with many involved in three or more civic activities.

The survey divided respondents into three groups: frequent voters, occasional voters and non-voters. Results found that non-voters tended to be younger and less well-educated than frequent voters but all groups felt cynical about elections-that they are about choosing the lesser of two evils and that voting changes very little. All groups were put off by negative campaigning.

The findings were reported on three consecutive days beginning Oct. 26, 1997. The series included the pros and cons of ideas to curb negative campaign ads, lists of opportunities for community involvement and each part invited caller comment. Oregon Public Radio aired a call-in show just before the series ran, inviting suggestions about what needs to be addressed to get people to vote.


Contact:

Sandra Mims Rowe
Editor
The Oregonian
1320 S.W. Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
TEL: (503) 221-8400
FAX: (503) 294-4175
EMAIL: srowe@news.oregonian.com




[ Doing Civic Journalism ] [ Pew Projects ] [ Batten Awards ]
[ About the Pew Center ] [ Search Engine ] [ Site Map ] [ Home ]