Sangamon Sun

The Better Government Association (BGA) will host an Idea Forum on Statehouse coverage on May 8, the public advocacy group announced recently.

The BGA said it felt a need to hold such an event after looking at the relatively small number of reporters covering the Statehouse and the compelling need for strong coverage at a time when Illinois is facing unprecedented and compounding challenges. According to the BGA, the Statehouse press corps is at an all-time low.

BGA President and CEO Andy Shaw will lead the discussion on how a lack of coverage is affecting public dialog on the state and its leaders. He also will talk about the convergence of traditional media with non-profit and digital news sources. Joining him in the forum are a panel of reporters, editors, media executives and non-profit news-funding groups.

The event, to be held in Governor's Ballroom A at the Statehouse Inn, will feature a 30-minute reception beginning at 4:30 p.m., followed by the forum at 5 p.m. It is free and open to the public, but reservations should be made by contacting the BGA.