National Association of Black Journalists Online

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 6, 2003

Contact:
Vincent Thompson
Philadelphia Assoc. of Black Journalists
267-688-4056 (cell)
1-800-639-8891 (pager)

Philadelphia's Four Minority Journalists Organizations Host Philadelphia Mayoral Debate on October 9

Forum to Air Live on CN8, the Comcast Network
Race between Mayor John Street and Republican Sam Katz is one of the most watched political races in the nation this year

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 6, 2003) — The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ), in cooperation with Drexel University and the local chapters of National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association

PHILADELPHIA ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS MEDIA CREDENTIAL INFORMATION

Media outlets interested in covering the debate should contact Ms. Niki Gianakaris Assistant Director, Drexel News Bureau, Office of Drexel University Relations, 3141 Chestnut Street, Room 310B, Philadelphia, PA 19104, for press credential information. Her office telephone number is 215-895-6741.
In order to obtain a media credential, you must submit a letter confirming your media affiliation. The letter confirming your media affiliation must be on your organization’s letterhead stating your participation. All letters should include the media organization; your full name, address, city, state and zip code; phone and fax number; e-mail addresses, social security number and date of birth. If you’re a freelancer, please include your name and the name of the assigning media organization on your letterhead, if applicable. Please fax all requests to Ms. Gianakaris at 215-895-6157 starting immediately. No e-mail requests will be accepted.
Credentials will give media limited access to designated seating inside Mandell Theatre and full access to the two candidates after the debate in the press room, which is located in the Living Arts Lounge, right next to the Theatre.

Please designate in your media credential request whether the reporter(s) would like to sit in the Theatre or in the press room. Media sitting in the Theatre must be seated by 6:45 p.m. on October 9 and will not be able to leave until after the event is over.

While inside the Theatre viewing the debate, no media reporter, photographer, member of the general public, or the Street and Katz campaigns will be allowed to videotape or audiotape the proceedings. Anyone found to be videotaping or audio taping the debate will be ejected from the Theatre.
In order to help television stations and newspaper photographers cover the debate, TV camerapersons from other stations and newspaper photographers will be allowed inside the Mandell Theatre only from 6 PM to 6:45 PM on October 9 in order to film b-roll of the theatre, people sitting in seats waiting for the debate to start, and the candidates and panelists on stage waiting for the debate to begin. At 6:45 PM, TV camerapersons and newspaper photographers must leave in order to let the panelists and candidates prepare for the debate.
Newspaper photographers inside Mandell Theatre must not use flashes while taking pictures. Any media using flashes will be immediately escorted from the Theatre and will not be allowed to return
Televisions to watch the debate and mult-boxes to record the audio from the debate will be available in the press room. No mult-boxes will be available inside the Theatre itself.

MEDIA CREDENTIAL PICKUP
Media outlets can pick up their credentials at Office of Drexel University Relations, 3141 Chestnut Street, Room 310B, Philadelphia, PA from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 8th and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 9th . After 5:00 p.m. on October 9th, all credentials can be picked up at The Living Arts Lounge, right next to the Mandell Theatre.
Everyone covering the PABJ Mayoral debate must present a valid photo ID and press identification to receive your approved credential.
VIDEO AND AUDIO FEEDS FOR TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS
Television and radio stations interested in getting a direct video and/or audio feed of the debate from CN8 should contact Scott Clark, director of Network engineering at 215-952-4905 (office) or 215-285-6672 (cell).
CN 8 has announced the following satellite coordinates will be used for stations wanting to download the courtesy feed:
AMC 9, Transponder 14
KU Analog
18:00 ET to 19:00 ET - Test
19:00 ET to 20:00 ET - Program Uplink Frequency: 14280 (V)
Downlink Frequency: 11980 (H)

All television stations using debate video must identify it on-air as “Courtesy: CN8/The Comcast Network and the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ).” Radio stations are also being asked to credit all audio to the “Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists mayoral debate.”

(NLGJA), and the Asian-American Journalists Association (AAJA), is proud to announce it is hosting the first 2003 Philadelphia mayoral debate between Democratic Mayor John F. Street and Republican challenger Sam Katz.

CN8 anchor and managing editor Arthur Fennell will moderate

» The Mayoral Debate will be webcast live on www.CN8.tv. The home page of the site will have a button on which to click that will take users directly to the webcast.

Denise Clay
PABJ President

The one-hour debate, to air live on CN8, The Comcast Network, will take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, 2003 at Drexel University’s Mandell Theatre, housed in the Creese Student Union Complex at 33rd and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, PA. CN8 broadcasts to 6.2 million viewers every day from Washington, DC to the New England area.

“This is a proud and historic moment for all of the journalism organizations involved,” said Denise Clay, PABJ president and a reporter for the Bucks County (PA) Courier Times. “For the first time in recent history, voices and issues that aren’t traditionally heard in a mayoral campaign will have their say and citizens, through the journalist organizations that represent their communities, will be able to ask to the next leader of Philadelphia city government the questions that are important to them.

“ Among the issues citizens are concerned about in this election are the economy, public education, the future of Philadelphia, and city services,” Clay continued. “The panel of journalists will ask tough questions of the candidates to get a clear idea of their vision of the city. We hope the debate provides all residents with the information they will need to make an informed decision on November 4th . We also want to thank Drexel University for providing the location for the debate and CN8 and Radio One for making the debate available to millions of viewers and listeners throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.”

“ Drexel is proud to be hosting the first debate of the 2003 mayoral election on our campus,” said University President Constantine Papadakis. “A Drexel education prepares students not only for professional success but also to become good citizens. The debate will provide our students with an opportunity to witness the election process first-hand.”

“ It is an honor that CN8 was chosen to provide exclusive coverage of the first televised debate between these two talked-about mayoral candidates,” said Jon Gorchow, Vice President & General Manager, CN8. “This broadcast event further demonstrates our network’s mandate to provide compelling, relevant programming events important to the Comcast Cable viewers we service.”

Radio One has the rights to air the entire debate anytime between October 9th and Election Day, which is November 4th . Radio One’s local stations are WPHI (103.9 FM) and WPLY (Y-100 FM). It is the seventh largest radio broadcasting company in the United States and the largest black owned radio broadcasting company. The debate will be broadcast in its entirety during “E. Steven Live” on WPHI-FM from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 12th.

“ Radio One Philadelphia is proud to be involved as co-sponsor of this historic event,’’ said Lynn Bruder VP/GM Radio One Philadelphia. “This is an extraordinary example of the true commitment 103.9 The Beat continues to make to our listeners.”

Admittance to the debate in the 424-seat theatre will be by ticket only and the tickets will be distributed to citizens throughout the Delaware Valley by the journalists’ organizations, Drexel University, and the Street and Katz campaigns.

The debate will feature questions to the candidates from a panel of journalists each selected by the four media organizations. The panelists are Nia Ngina Meeks, reporter, Philadelphia Tribune (PABJ); Alan Tu, senior producer, WHYY-FM’s “Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane” (AAJA); Hassan Sudler, freelance journalist (NGLJA); and Henry Veguilla, host of WYBE-TV’s Philly Live: Your Latino Connection. (NAHJ). The moderator is CN8 anchor and managing editor Arthur Fennell.

Fennell served as president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), which has 3,300 members nationwide, from 1995-1997. During his tenure as President of the NABJ, Fennell was named “One of the top 100 most influential African Americans in the country” by Ebony Magazine.

“ We would like to commend the mayoral candidates for agreeing to debate on issues affecting the city’s communities of color,” said NAHJ National Executive Director Iván Román. “Too often, the mainstream media fails to cover a candidate’s position and views on issues affecting these communities.

“ This is why the debate will provide the residents of Philadelphia the unique opportunity to hear how their next mayor will govern for all segments of society,” Román concluded.

“ This is a chance for the future leader of Philadelphia to hear from the diversified voices of the city, said Tina Kim, outgoing president of the Philadelphia chapter of the AAJA. “Many observers may label this contentious mayoral race in terms of black and white but everyone watching the debate will see Philadelphians of all colors care about the city’s future and are ready to put the nominees’ policies to the test. AAJA Philadelphia is grateful to the PABJ for the hard work in setting up such a unique forum.”

Robert Drake, president of the Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, commented, “in the spirit of unity, I am excited to have the local chapter of NLGJA join with our fellow local chapters of the three major journalism associations in order to give the citizens of our city a chance to learn about their candidates for mayor.”

PABJ is a not-for-profit organization celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. It was founded by journalists concerned about the lack of black journalists in the media and the dearth of coverage of the black community. Many of the original members of the PABJ are also founding members of the NABJ, which began in 1975.

The PABJ works to strengthen ties among African-Americans in all media; sensitize the media to biased news coverage; promote diversity in newsrooms; sponsor scholarships for black high school students interested in journalism; honor excellence and achievement in the media; offer workshops to enhance the skills of black journalists; offer workshops that teach the community how to gain access to the media; and expand job opportunities for black journalists.

For more information about the four journalism organizations, go to their web sites at www.pabj.org (Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists), www.aaja.org/Chapters/Philadelphia (Asian American Journalists Association), www.nlgjaphiladelphia.org (National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association) and www.nahj.org (National Association of Hispanic Journalists).

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the world, with 3,600 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.

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