Wisconsin Lawmakers Meet in Private as C-SPAN-Like Network Shuts Down

The closure of WisconsinEye amid funding shortfall leads to restricted public access to state government proceedings.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 5:31am

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The shutdown of Wisconsin's version of C-SPAN, known as WisconsinEye, amid a fundraising shortfall has led to state lawmakers meeting outside public view, fueling complaints from open government advocates and putting pressure on lawmakers to reach a deal to revive the network. WisconsinEye had broadcast every floor session of the state Senate and Assembly since 2007 for free before it went dark in mid-December.

Why it matters

The closure of WisconsinEye has raised concerns about transparency and public access to the workings of Wisconsin's state government. Without the network's live coverage and archived footage, citizens have lost a vital resource for participating in and understanding the democratic process.

The details

WisconsinEye was a private, independent nonprofit that provided live coverage of legislative floor sessions, court hearings, news conferences, and other government proceedings. When the network shut down, it also closed its website containing over 30,000 hours of archived footage. Republican lawmakers have since enforced rules prohibiting members of the public from livestreaming or recording proceedings, further limiting transparency.

  • WisconsinEye stopped its free live broadcasts in mid-December 2025.
  • The Wisconsin Legislature convened in January 2026 and began enforcing rules restricting public recording of proceedings.

The players

WisconsinEye

A private, independent nonprofit that had broadcast every floor session of the Wisconsin state Senate and Assembly since 2007, providing live coverage of government proceedings.

Bill Lueders

President of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, who has criticized the shutdown of WisconsinEye as a loss of a "vital part of our democracy in Wisconsin."

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What they’re saying

“WisconsinEye has become a vital part of our democracy in Wisconsin. We've lost, at least temporarily, this precious resource for participating and understanding the workings of our democracy.”

— Bill Lueders, President, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council

“I'm really baffled that they are doing that. With WisconsinEye sidelined, it's more important than ever for citizens to be able to broadcast the proceedings.”

— Bill Lueders, President, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council

What’s next

Assembly Democrats and Republicans have unveiled a proposal that could allow WisconsinEye to access interest accrued from a $10 million endowment created by the state legislature, with fundraising covering the rest of the network's operating budget. However, the proposal must still pass the state Senate, and it is unclear how much support it has.

The takeaway

The shutdown of WisconsinEye has raised serious concerns about transparency and public access to Wisconsin's state government proceedings. Without the network's live coverage and archived footage, citizens have lost a vital resource for participating in and understanding the democratic process, underscoring the importance of maintaining independent, publicly accessible channels for monitoring government activities.