Bill Overview
Title: Go Pack Go Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires a cable operator or satellite carrier to provide their subscribers in specified Wisconsin counties (i.e., Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Dunn, Florence, Iron, Pierce, Polk, Sawyer, St. Croix, or Washburn) the choice of retransmission of (1) the signal of any local network station that the operator or carrier is required to retransmit to the subscriber; (2) an in-state, adjacent-market network station; or (3) both. This will allow residents of such Wisconsin counties currently assigned to an out-of-state Minnesota television market to access programming in Wisconsin.
Sponsors: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Target Audience
Population: People in specified Wisconsin counties who use cable or satellite TV services
Estimated Size: 120000
- The bill specifically targets cable and satellite subscribers in specified counties of Wisconsin.
- These counties include Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Dunn, Florence, Iron, Pierce, Polk, Sawyer, St. Croix, and Washburn.
- The primary impact is on those who are presently assigned to receive television programming from an out-of-state Minnesota market.
- These residents will gain the option to receive programming from in-state, adjacent-market network stations, or both in-state and the previous out-of-state network stations.
- It specifically affects people who watch TV via cable or satellite rather than those who use internet streaming or other methods.
Reasoning
- The Go Pack Go Act mainly impacts residents in specific Wisconsin counties who rely on cable or satellite TV and currently receive Minnesota broadcasts instead of Wisconsin news and content.
- These residents may feel disconnected from their local Wisconsin news and events, which could affect their community engagement and subjective wellbeing.
- The policy is not expected to have a high cost per individual given that it only involves a change in broadcasting channels, and cable providers should not incur large new infrastructure costs.
- The population likely represents individuals who value local content, particularly pertaining to sports, local news, and regional events that might affect them more than distant news events.
- Given the 120,000 estimated residents affected, the budget over 10 years approximates to about $178 per person, which is a manageable investment across multiple years.
Simulated Interviews
Farmer (Barron, Wisconsin)
Age: 54 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I like keeping up with local news and the Packers games.
- Right now, I mostly get info from radio because the TV channels don't cover Wisconsin stuff much.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Schoolteacher (Douglas, Wisconsin)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's frustrating not having local broadcasts, especially community happenings and local school announcements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired nurse (Iron, Wisconsin)
Age: 68 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel like I'm missing out on what's happening in my own state.
- Would enjoy more Wisconsin-based news and events.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Tech support analyst (Pierce, Wisconsin)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I mostly stream sports online, but local channels would be nice for other events.
- It would be great if I could catch more local culture on cable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Small business owner (Ashland, Wisconsin)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having local advertising options on TV would help my business reach more local customers.
- I’d prefer more Wisconsin news coverage instead of Minnesota.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Chef (Washburn, Wisconsin)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I love watching cooking shows, and I'd prefer to see more Wisconsin-centric content.
- Right now, our TV offerings don't feel relevant to my day-to-day life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Librarian (Sawyer, Wisconsin)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having local broadcasts would benefit our community events' promotion.
- It’s not just about TV shows, but about aiding our library services with relevant info.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Construction worker (Polk, Wisconsin)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Don't watch a lot of TV, but prefer local news when I do.
- Usually too tired after work for anything that doesn’t relate to my area.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
College student (Florence, Wisconsin)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m away at college most of the time, so I stream whatever I need.
- It might be nice for my family to have more local TV options though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Truck driver (Dunn, Wisconsin)
Age: 61 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- When I'm home, I'd love to have more Wisconsin-based news.
- I don’t have much time for TV, but it’d be nice to stay informed on local affairs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2500000 (Low: $1500000, High: $5000000)
Year 2: $2300000 (Low: $1400000, High: $4600000)
Year 3: $2150000 (Low: $1300000, High: $4300000)
Year 5: $2100000 (Low: $1200000, High: $4200000)
Year 10: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $4000000)
Year 100: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $4000000)
Key Considerations
- The main obligations and costs fall on private cable and satellite providers, not the government.
- The impact on rural versus urban counties within the designated area may differ.
- Potential resistance from out-of-state network stations losing viewers.