NEW YORK—In another digital achievement for city government, City Council meetings began live streaming on May 1.
Coverage of the council’s 250 committee rooms inside 250 Broadway near City Hall will be completely available in three to four months, after the rooms are outfitted with equipment.
The first broadcast came from a joint hearing between the Committee on Education and the Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse, and Disability Services, which examined mental health services in school.
Paid for with grants, the initiative will not use taxes. The council is paying a small fee for Web hosting.
Last year, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, which has a big role in this new technology, expanded nyc.gov to air on channel 25.2. Though City Council hearings were sometimes shown on the channel, they weren’t live.
“Live coverage of City Council hearings is a step in the right direction toward increasing government transparency,” said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn in a statement. “By bringing government directly to the people, we are encouraging greater participation by New Yorkers in city government.”
To access the live streaming, go here.
