KTOO-TV, which runs the station, has invested in technology that allows it to feature seven-day, 24-hour programming during the five months of the legislative session.

Program manager Bill Legere also is looking forward to possible innovations, such as robotic cameras.

A new project manager also has been hired, and the service hopes to expand to year-round programming beyond its current staple of government meetings.

“The style of coverage is the same, but it is the technology behind it that has been changing and improving,” Legere said.

The first week of the session resulted in a few glitches, but Legere said that was to be expected.

“Because of the technology changes we had a few technical issues, but we have rounded the corner and everything is operating normal,” he said.

One key change some viewers might notice is the 24-7 programming made possible by a new automation system.

“It makes the programming that much more accessible,” Legere said. “It will run around the clock.”

Live programming usually runs from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, depending on the session's schedule. During other hours, reruns are shown. “We still need people in the control room when we have live people on the air,” Legere said.

A robotic camera system would allow a set of cameras to be controlled either remotely or by a sound-triggered sensor.

“We are going to have to do some homework on the cost and the functionality and how that would work in our Capitol,” Legere said.

The upgrade would come with a hefty price tag: Each camera costs at least $30,000, and most rooms would require more than one camera to ensure all angles are covered.

Robotic cameras would mean savings elsewhere, however.

“The pros (are that) they don't require people in the room. It saves both the expense of staffing it and it also saves room,” he said. Many Capitol meeting rooms are already cramped even without a camera and operator.

A planned renovation of the Scottish Rite Temple near the Capitol may mean more coverage opportunities. The Juneau Assembly approved purchase of the building for $700,000 in December and plans to sell it to the state for $1, but the deal has not been finalized. Legere expects to take part in planning when renovations get under way for government use of the Scottish Rite Temple, to ensure the best technology is installed for TV use.

Renovations are still a long way off, said Pam Varni, executive director of Legislative Affairs.

KTOO has been granted $273,000 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to find out whether it would be financially viable to run a year-round schedule of public affairs programs about Alaska when the Legislature is not in session.

Tim Olson, a longtime Alaskan TV producer, begins work Feb. 1 as project manager for the 18-month experiment.

Gavel to Gavel's legislative coverage includes committee meetings, floor sessions, press conferences and other related events. It also covers other general government activities and the Alaska Supreme Court.

It operates on a budget of roughly $550,000 per year, paid for by a variety of sponsors, including private businesses, nonprofits and the city. No state funds support the programming.

Gavel to Gavel began as a two-week demonstration project in 1995, expanding to full-time legislative coverage the following year. It is distributed statewide by satellite and is accessible through streaming video on the Web. Archived files are also available.

It is widely used by state workers.