Getting past the hype of political ads into the issues is what an initiative by E.W. Scripps Co. aims to do. The Cincinnati-based media company plans to make free airtime available to political candidates on its nine network-affiliated TV stations. The stations will provide five minutes of free airtime to candidates nightly between 5 p.m. and 11:35 p.m. in the 30 days before the general elections in 2008. The stations also will provide free airtime as needed during the 30 days preceding primary elections.
Called Democracy 2008, the program will also include election-related content on Scripps' Internet sites, "Get out the vote" public service announcements, exploration of key local issues in the month leading up to the general election, and programming such as town meetings and debates. The goal is "bringing individual citizens and groups of citizens into an active dialogue with candidates," says Scripps executive Bill Peterson. Scripps' TV stations implemented a similar free airtime policy during the national elections in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006.
Writer: David Holthaus
Source: Mark Kroeger, E.W. Scripps Co.
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