Jackson Free Press

Today, the sponsoring organizations for the April 23rd mayoral debate received a Press Release from the Harvey Johnson camp. The release stated his campaign's concerns with accessibility for the first debate. The April 23rd debate will be seen on WAPT.com and on their digital channel WAPT-2 or (CH 208 on Comcast). Folks there will be TWO(2) debates and this is only part one. Now, we do understand that everyone doesnt have access to either the internet or cable. However, due to the large number of candidates in the primary and considering the fact that WAPT would have to have permission to override ABC programming, it was in the station's best interests to wait and televise the run-off(or general) debate on May 10th.

Because of this, we are encouraging all participating candidates to sponsor "watch parties" at the home of your supporters who get the channel. THIS IS IN NO WAY AN ATTEMPT TO LIMIT ACCESS TO THE VENUE! On behalf of Jackson Progressives and the other organizations, we birthed this event to give the public a fair opportunity to hear ALL of the candidates. We moved to a larger venue and have made FREE tickets available for EVERYONE. The second debate event will be seen in its entirety on WAPT TV-16.

If you have any questions email [e-mail missing] or [e-mail missing]

Previous Commentsshow

I have been wondering if someone was going to raise the fact that a HUGE percentage of the population in Jackson won't be able to watch the debate at all unless they can find someone who has high speed internt access or has digital cable to go visit.

thabian

Apr 15 2009

Well, thats why we are stressing the fact that we are having TWO debates. In a perfect world we would have had them BOTH televised in prime time and interrupted all of ABC's top thursday night programming but alas... We're suggesting watch parties. and FYI NONE of the other debates have been televised at all so...Our groups are working hard to go the extra mile

Kamikaze

Apr 15 2009

This is a good point that I thought might come up when come people heard the debate wasn't going to be regular TV, but I also understand why WAPT can't do it. Was the full WJTV debate televised last night? Seems unlikely at 5:30 p.m. Have any of them been in their entirety? The Council forums? Certainly, the Millsaps mayoral forum I attended wasn't. I'm not the TV expert here, or involved in those decisions, but someone just said to me that people can go ahead and get their voucher for their digital switch if they don't have cable (which are the people we're talking about, right?); they're going to have to anyway for their TV to keep working. Is that right, TV folk? We can also publicize any places with free Internet like the libraries, etc. And anybody doing watch parties, feel free to let us know about them, and we'll put them in the paper next week. Our paper is read all over the city so that will help word get it. Meantime, all, remember that free tickets are available for the people who ask for them in time. E-mail jackson@jacksonfreepress.com or call 601.362.6121 ext. 2 to get on the list.

DonnaLadd

Apr 15 2009

Good points to you both. And I must say I appreciate all the organizations that have brought this debate together. I happen to be a member of several of the organizations involved. However, I get basic cable plugged straight into my TV and I don’t need a digital analogue box and still can’t see the debate. I understand that WAPT has made a business decision. Grey’s Anatomy is far more important than choosing a mayor who won’t arrest people without warrants or tear down folks houses for the hell of it “allegedly”. As for the other stations…. Shame on them too! You’d think as much as they b*tch about all that’s wrong with Jackson, they’d want to make sure that the citizens participate fully in its future.

thabian

Apr 15 2009

Do you expect a full house for the debate? I would kind of like to attend, but I wouldn't want to take a seat away from someone who can actually vote in this election...

Rico

Apr 15 2009

Write and get on the wait list and if there are extras, we'll let you know.

DonnaLadd

Apr 15 2009

has there actually been a debate yet? to my understanding there have only been forums, whether council or mayoral, no? and based on format i think that tends to draw a difference.....i know this is the south where we make terms with elastic definitions, which are to be stretched to fit whomever! i think kaze was right, let's recognize that good ol' capitalism will win this issue, and the issue of the ever existing digital divide will be alive and well perpetuated again! mayor johnson was right to raise the issue, if none of the hosting organizations are hosting watch parties, or helping to correct this problem let's just keep it moving, but please do not deflect the issue to point out whether forums were covered on cable television. again, please demonstrate otherwise that there was a debate, and not a melodramatic forum, which again was what WJTV held, there was no exchange between candidates what so ever...i think people should actually just admit their mistakes.

freemagnolia

Apr 15 2009

WAPT report on Johnson's press release tonight and Stuart Kellogg's response: WAPT General Manager Stuart Kellogg said that's not quite true. "He did not mention that anyone who's getting our signal over the air, the digital signal, with a converter box -- which everyone has to have in two months -- will also be able to receive it," Kellogg said. "The other thing that's important is that we are the only ones televising a debate." There are 10 candidates on the Democratic primary ticket and Kellogg admitted that the large number of candidates during a debate can be unwieldy. There have been several debates and forums this year, but they haven't been on televised. "We're taking the step to televise it," Kellogg said. "The fact is thousands of people will be able to watch, if they want, over the air." If Kellogg is right, why did Johnson send out a re lease just about this debate/forum? Weird. Regardless, it's shaping up to be a great event. There are some smart candidates in this thing, and we expect a good discussion. We're also getting tons of questions to choose from. Go, Jackson!

DonnaLadd

Apr 15 2009

I'll be honest, freemag. I'm not sure I understand the difference between an election forum and debate these days. I'm not sure the last time I saw a "debate"—where people go back and forth arguing. (The last presidential debate, perhaps?) I'm not sure how the format of this one varies from that done by WJTV and others. I'm not all that focused on the television end of things. The point is that all the "forums" and "debates" are important, not just the one we're doing, and I'm not sure why this one is singled out, although I think the criticism is fine. But remember that it's not a "mistake" just because people are critical of something about it (we went through that on the Chism polls, too). If that were the case, no media outlet, business, creative work or anything else would ever exist. It seems clear that WAPT agreeing to do this event and helping get it to thousands of people who might see it otherwise, even if they don't believe they can afford to preempt Thursday night primetime (or perhaps be allowed to by ABC) to do it is not a "mistake." It is a public service. They didn't have to do it at all. In the same vein, one could criticize the candidates because they don't videotape every public appearance and pay for broadcast time to put the tapes out in their entirety, but we all know they can't afford it. Personally, I'd rather this be broadcast on regular TV, and I've expressed that to the sponsors. But I understand business decisions and would rather them do it this way than not. It becomes an important part in a campaign puzzle that is built by every forum and debate and appearance and interview and ad, and that's really all you can ask for from one event. All of that said, we still have tickets for any Jacksonian who wants them (the only restrictions are on people who work with the campaigns). Just ask for them: jackson@jacksonfreepress.com or call 601.362.6121 ext. 2. It takes no longer to request a ticket than it does to slam WAPT. ;-)

DonnaLadd

Apr 16 2009

BTW, here's the format of the April 23 event, as reported several days ago at this link: The Debate starts at 7pm and features four rounds of questions: The first round will be questions from the Moderator, 16 WAPT News Anchor Scott Simmons. The second round will be questions from voters submitted to 16 WAPT News and the Jackson Free Press. Who answers which question will be determined by a lottery drawing. In the third round of questions, each candidate can answer his or her favorite question from the previous two rounds. In the final round of questions, each candidate can ask another candidate a question. There is no limit to the amount of questions a candidate can be asked in this round. The questions will not be made available to the candidates before the debate. The Moderator may ask follow up questions to a candidate.

DonnaLadd

Apr 16 2009

Even if the debates could not be aired live, seems to me that WAPT could air the debates on a tape-delay basis during local programming time.

golden eagle

Apr 17 2009