WGN-TV AND CHICAGO TRIBUNE TO HOST GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE LIVE ON OCTOBER 24 FROM 6-7PM
CHICAGO, September 30, 2002 — WGN-TV and the Chicago Tribune will host “Decision 2002: The Governor’s Debate” on October 24, live from the WGN-TV studios from 6-7pm. Jim Ryan, the Republican candidate, and Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic candidate, will participate.
Allison Payne, WGN News at Nine anchor, and Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune political reporter, will moderate the event. During the first two-thirds of the debate, members of the general public, in attendance, will have the opportunity to pose questions to the candidates. Payne and Pearson will query the candidates in the final 20 minutes.
Viewers and readers who are registered voters and who are interested in participating in the debate should submit their names and questions, along with age, daytime and home phone number, street address, e-mail and gender to:
Chicago Tribune
435 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Attn: Media Relations
Viewers and readers also can register online via wgntv.com or chicagotribune.com Submissions must be received by Thursday, October 10, 2002. WGN and the Tribune will then invite audience members to attend the debate to ask their pre-submitted questions.
“Decision 2002: The Governor’s Debate” will be simulcast on WGN-AM (720) and replayed on CLTV (Chicagoland’s Television), Chicago’s 24-hour local cable news channel, at 7pm and 11pm the evening of the debate. The hour-long program will be closed-captioned for the hearing impaired.
MEDIA ALERT:
WGN-TV will provide a media workroom in studio 1, next door to the debate in studio 2. Media will be able to view the debate from studio 1. WGN will also make available an audio/video feed of both the debate and post-debate news conference for crews to record onsite. No ENG cameras will be allowed in the station, except for a brief period to shoot b-roll of the media room. A live shot area for television stations will be available in the WGN parking lot. Media wishing to cover the debate should contact Kate York at (312) 222-4431. The deadline for submission is Thursday, October 17 at 5pm.
WGN-TV is Chicago’s WB network affiliate, programming a strong schedule of news, sports, and entertainment. Via satellite/cable distribution, WGN’s signal is also available in over fifty-five million homes outside Chicago. WGN-TV is a Tribune Broadcasting station. For additional information, visit WGN-TV’s web site at www.wgntv.com
Chicago Tribune Company publishes the Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper with daily readership of more than 2 million and nearly 3 million on Sunday. The company also operates related developing media businesses serving Chicagoland. Chicago Tribune is the founding publication of Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB), one of the country’s leading media companies, operating businesses in broadcasting, publishing and on the Internet.
