Politics on the Hudson

Inside Albany going dark

Posted by: Jay Gallagher - Posted in Uncategorized on Dec 12, 2006

Inside Albany, the public-television show that has chronicled the foibles and triumphs of state government since 1975, is going off the air at the end of the year.

     “The frustration of not being able to cover more stories and the strain of running a business while running after news has caused us to decide to end Inside Albany’s long run on Dec. 31, 2006,’‘  the show’s owners said in a statement today.

    The show, which airs at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 6 a.m. Sundays on Channel 13 in New York City and at other times on weekends in the rest of the state, started in the midst of the New York City financial crisis when interest in Albany doings was at its peak.

   One of the show’s original anchors, Dave Hepp, has been along for the whole ride. The other, Lise Bang-Jensen, a former newspaper reporter, joined the show in 1987. Photographer Gary Glinski, also the director, started in 1984.

   The show lost funding from public-television stations in 1996, and has led a more tenuous existence for the last decade, depending on grants from unions, foundations, corporations and other donors. But the staff was cut from eight to three over the years.

   The winner of numerous awards, the show “was created to bring attention and accountability to state government, the often overlooked middle child in news, wedged between coverage of Washington and City Hall,’’ the show’s crew said in a statement. “From the beginning we have been able to take the time to sort through complicated issues and tell the big story. Our weekly deadline has given us the luxury to cover separate news events and put them in perspective.’’

  No more.

 

 

 

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6 Responses to “Inside Albany going dark”

1. Larry Levy December 12th, 2006 at 10:15 pm

   This is very sad. As a newspaper and television guy, I know first hand how good a job Dave and Lisa have done under all sorts of pressure, financial and journalistic. The quality of their work never slackened. They should be very proud of it. Now the question is, who or what will replace what they’ve done? What independently supported and operated voices—if any—will step up to fill the void? Fewer and fewer good professionals covering fewer and fewer issues. What a shame. We are all the poorer and weaker for it.

2. Leroy Solomon December 13th, 2006 at 12:06 am

   They do a terrific job.

   Unlike Snooze 12 with Edelman & Co.

3. the consultant December 13th, 2006 at 4:26 pm

   THATS WHY NEWS 12 IS EXPANDING IN THE HUDSON VALLEY
   WHILE INSIDE ALBANY IS OUT OF BUSINESS…TELEVISION
   TODAY IS ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL AS INFORMATION
   ALL THE SUCCESSFULE SHOWS HAVE SOME SORT OF STHICK WHICH
   MAKES THEM WORK…INLCUDING EDELMAN AND COMPANY
   WHO HAS BUILT QUITE A FOLLOWING AMONG VIEWERS…

4. eddie December 13th, 2006 at 8:05 pm

   the fact that you refer to snooze 12 as edelman and
   company..illustrates the point…its not the content
   its the presentation

5. vemeagWoora September 23rd, 2007 at 4:28 am

   Hi
   site
   site
   Bye

6. GK, State College, PA March 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 am

   As a resident of upstate New York for six years from 1997 through 2003, I was able to familiarize myself and learn to appreciate the inner workings of the Empire State’s government through public affairs shows like INSIDE ALBANY. I am not a native of NYS; however, through the reporting of Dave Hepp, Lise Bang-Jensen, and Gary Glinski, I became thoroughly fascinated with this great state’s government and always looked forward to my weekly dose of tuning in to their “classroom”. I found them to be highly qualified reporters and wonderful “teachers”. I wish each one of them well and hope they prosper in new endeavors. THANK YOU!