Urban planning professors from the University of Kansas suggest that televising community meetings and using techniques from reality TV could significantly increase participation.
From the University of Kansas press release:
"More specifically, planners can use reality TV to create "ethical spectacles' that draw attention to planning issues while creating democratic two-way dialogues with the public.
'Community planners historically have struggled to pull people away from the TV to attend an evening meeting about a community project,' said Bonnie Johnson, assistant professor of urban planning at KU. 'But new technologies mean planners don't necessarily have to pull people away from the TV; rather, they can use TV to engage citizens. Moreover, planners who make these planning processes more like reality TV - rather than the standard town hall, C-Span-style meeting - have a better chance of increasing citizen participation.'"
Thanks to Joe Monaco
FULL STORY: Community planners can use reality TV to drive participation, KU researchers say
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