April 11, 2017 4:32 pm
Stranded by the state, the two-part series chronicling the human impact of the Illinois budget impasse is now available to stream on PBS.org!
Part 1 available here.
Demonstrating how the Illinois budget impasse affects the availability of resources for young mothers and children in rural Illinois; its impact on Eastern Illinois University in central Illinois; and how the lack of state funding impacts efforts to help the homeless in Chicago.
Part 2 available here.
Watch how the Illinois budget impasse impacts at-risk youth and the organizations serving them in suburban Chicago; what it means for senior citizens receiving food assistance in southern Illinois; and how decreased state funding affects adult education and literacy programs in Chicago.
The series broadcast across the state of Illinois during the month of February in partnership with Illinois Public Media. Stranded was referenced in Current, which referred to the series when pointing out a 'silver lining' to the crisis' toll on state public media:
"WSIU's Petrowich said he's seeing "unprecedented" levels of collaboration among Illinois stations because of the standstill. Stranded by the State, a documentary that explored the toll the budget impasse has taken on Illinois residents, was a result of this collaboration...it was distributed by joint licensee WILL in Urbana to stations including WQPT."
Stranded by the State was also referenced in a letter to the editor of the Journal Gazette & Times-Courier, titled "Tax Reform would help a state's fiscal mess." The letter opened with:
"On the same day that your newspaper published the editorial of the Bloomington Pantagraph entitled “Rauner right to hold firm on budget” WILL broadcast “Stranded by the State.” The connection? The editorial praises the Governor for insisting that Illinois needs a balanced budget, and “structural change” to achieve that. It avoids mentioning the devastating effects his intransigence is having on the economic health of the state and the lives of many Illinois citizens, notably including Coles County, RIGHT NOW. The TV program depicts, with fairness, accuracy, balance and precision some of those effects on Eastern Illinois University, its students, and this community."
The series is directed, edited and produced by Liz Kaar, in collaboration with In These Times.
Find out more at http://www.strandedbythestate.com, follow the series on Twitter at @StrandedbyState and join the conversation with hashtag #StrandedIL.