Wisconsin Eye, which broadcasts state government, will shut down Monday without more funding

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Wisconsin’s version of C-SPAN will shut down in just a few days, unless donors or leaders save it. 

Wisconsin Eye is a nonprofit organization that provides access to state government. They cover the Assembly, the Senate, the executive branch, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the Department of Health Services, the Department of Natural Resources… the list goes on. 

If you want to see lawmakers on the floor of the legislature, you can go to the Capitol, or you can watch Wisconsin Eye. Their mission is to ensure everyone can watch what their representatives are doing in government. 

For months, Wisconsin Eye staff have warned they have a severe budget shortfall. It will cost $887,000 to cover the organization’s expenses in 2026. If they don’t raise that money, WisEye will shut down December 15. 

Wisconsin Eye President and CEO John Henkes told WISN’s UpFront there are so many good causes to support these days. The competition for donor dollars has left WisEye in the red. 

“You go anywhere, from Madison to Milwaukee, Green Bay, La Crosse, Racine… there are multiple campaigns for local causes, very good programs that serve those communities. But when you throw tens of millions of dollars statewide into these community-based projects, Wisconsin Eye is not first in line,” Henkes said. 

Wisconsin Eye began broadcasting in 2007. It has more than 30,000 hours of archived footage from the last 18 years. If the organization doesn’t raise enough money, that archive will disappear too. 

In the state budget, lawmakers set aside $10 million for Wisconsin Eye. However, those are matching funds. The nonprofit has to raise money to be eligible to get the state dollars. 

“If we only succeeded in raising $4 million, there would still be a $4 million match,” Henkes said. “Yet to think that we could raise $10 million between now and the end of June is something of a pipe dream.” 

Henkes said they’re exploring asking the Governor and lawmakers to change the plan for those matching funds just to keep Wisconsin Eye afloat for now. 

To learn more about Wisconsin Eye, click here.