Rhode Island Capitol TV launches free app to stream legislative hearings

The Rhode Island General Assembly has launched a new, free app to stream legislative hearings and press conferences at the Rhode Island State House. (Screenshot)

Want to stream Rhode Island legislative hearings on the go?

There’s an app for that.

The Rhode Island General Assembly on Tuesday announced the debut of a new streaming app for its broadcast arm, Capitol TV. The free app, available on iPhones and Androids and smart TV devices like Firestick and Roku, lets users watch live legislative hearings and votes, along with press conferences and other broadcasted programs held at the Rhode Island State House.

“This app will give Rhode Islanders the power to watch lawmaking literally in the palm of their hands,” House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, said in a statement. “It’s all part of our ongoing efforts to make legislative business more accessible and transparent.”

The app was developed by New Hampshire-based Unique Media Systems as part of a $219,400 contract awarded last year for web streaming and closed captioning services, according to Larry Berman, a spokesperson for the House. The contract, funded through the state’s fiscal 2024 budget for the Joint Committee on Legislative Services, also covered new equipment and software that allows for meetings in all eight State House hearing rooms to include video streaming and closed captioning.

The expanded streaming options were rolled out alongside the General Assembly’s website redesign in January.

The new app only features live meetings and hearings. Archived videos of prior meetings are available on the General Assembly website.

Information on downloads of the new app was not immediately available. 

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