Gavel to Gavel Alaska is a service of KTOO-TV, Juneau's public television station, which provides unedited television coverage of governmental activities in Alaska. Gavel to Gavel Alaska covers all three branches of government, from legislative committee meetings to floor sessions and from oral arguments before the Alaska Supreme Court, to speeches by the Governor and other executive branch officials.

KTOO's Gavel to Gavel Alaska began as a two-week demonstration project during the 19th Alaska legislature in 1995. In 1995 KTOO was allowed to expand to fulltime coverage which resulted in KTOO being honored with a Legislative Citation praising Gavel to Gavel Alaska. KTOO began coverage of the 24th Alaska legislature, the tenth anniversary of this critical public service, in January 2005.

Gavel to Gavel Alaska has roots in earlier forms of public-affairs programming. KTOO pioneered legislative coverage in Alaska in the late 1970's with weekly and daily "wrap-up" programs. When these shows went away, the desire to share the workings of state government with the people of the last frontier lingered on, and now has manifested itself in Gavel to Gavel Alaska for the past ten years.

Gavel to Gavel Alaska television service is carried by 37 cable systems statewide, and is also webcast live on the Internet. Anyone with a computer connected to the Internet can listen to almost any hearing, committee meeting, or floor session live as it happens.

The City and Borough of Juneau has provided a major grant to support the coverage since 1995. ACS provides the Internet webcasting service. GCI Cable and several other cable systems are providing cable channels on 37 cable systems in the state. Gavel to Gavel Alaska is supported entirely without state funds. Sponsors include ACS, GCI, the University of Alaska, AT&T Alascom, ConocoPhillips Alaska, the Association of Alaska School Boards, West Group, NEA-Alaska, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547, the Alaska Power Association, Bartlett regional hospital, Alaska USA, the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, the Juneau chamber of Commerce, Wostmann and Associates, AARP, the Juneau Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Alaska Conference of Mayors, and the Alaska Committee.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Frank H. Murkowski, Governor of the state of Alaska do herby proclaim February 8, 2005, as:

in Alaska, and encourage citizens to recognize the great contributions made by Gavel to Gavel Alaska to the people of Alaska, and taking cognizance of the tremendous efforts of the talented staff who make its coverage of state government’s day-to-day operations such a wonderful success.

Dated: February 7, 2005

(signed) Frank H. Murkowski, Governor
who has also authorized the seal of the State of Alaska to be affixed to this proclamation.