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Debates are a venerable part of campaign coverage, and offer great opportunities for engaging viewers. Stations are experimenting with unusual locations and a variety of formats, such as including truth checks of campaign ads or position statements into the mix.
Debate Planning Documents
Our Resources section offers several documents on handling the campaigns, organizing a citizen audience, working on location, and more. Take a look!
 
 Student Questioners in a Debate
State College, Penn.
watch clip|clip run time » 4:41
In a gubernatorial forum, college students ask questions of the candidates.
Candidates Defend Their Ads in a Debate
KTVB Boise, Idaho
watch clip|clip run time » 3:11
In a debate led by KTVB's Melanie Marsing, U.S. Senate candidates Alan Blinken and Larry Craig critique each other's television ads.
Initiative On Trial: Vouchers
KQED  : San Francisco, California
clip run time » 1:39
KQED literally tried something different in its coverage of the school voucher debate in California. They set up a courtroom and put a proposed ballot measure on trial. With expert witnesses, cross examination, and all the trappings of a regular case, viewers were able to collect lots of information and opinions to help them understand this complicated issue.
Political Password
WDSE : Duluth, Minnesota
clip run time » 1:52
WDSE tried something quick and easy: political passwords to improve the pace of a debate. Viewers dont necessarily benefit from long, detailed set-up questions. There are times when a brief catch-phrase or word is sufficient to allow candidates to address a popular issue. In this instance, the Minnesota gubernatorial candidates talk about campaign finance reform.
Candidate Ads in Debates (Baldwin & Sharpless)
Wisconsin Public Television : Madison, Wisconsin
air date » 3.Nov.00
clip run time » 4:33
Want to see candidates back up their campaign messages? Use their political commercials as part of a debate. Wisconsin Public Television asked Rep. Tammy Baldwin and challenger John Sharpless to explain and defend their ads in this segment from Weekend. It achieves the objective of both associating the candidates with their ads, and allows them to clarify positions that may be misstated by their opponents.
Bush Pop Quiz
 : Boston, Massachusetts
air date » 3.Nov.99
clip run time » 2:18
This infamous pop quiz by reporter Andy Hiller on then-governor George W. Bush was widely covered during Campaign 2000. We include it as part of the BPJ video library to prompt questions of whats appropriate when interviewing candidates. Would these questions be appropriate in a debate? Are they relevant or conclusive in judging the capability of a person to succeed in an elected position? Should anything be off-limits, particularly for national-level races?
Using Tape in Debates: Nevada Gambling
: Las Vegas, Nevada
air date: 2000
clip run time » 2:11
Taped packages can be an effective way of introducing issues to viewers in debates. Host Mitch Fox narrates a short clip about gambling before asking related budget questions in this debate between 2000 U.S. Senate candidates Ed Bernstein and John Ensign. (Mitch cautions producers about duplicating the bedsheet chic of the debate set, however...)
Candidates Ask Questions (Kind & Tully)
Wisconsin Public Television : Madison, Wisconsin
air date » 27.Oct.00
clip run time » 2:57
As part of its Friday news program, Wisconsin Public Television invited two candidates for Congress to participate in a mini-debate. This included allowing the two candidates to ask questions of each other. (Note: It's a tricky thing when one candidate isnt in the studio. Its hard to avoid an imbalance in the appearance of the contenders. It may be tough, but getting them both in the same room can help make this face-to-face strategy succeed.)
Citizen Questions in a Debate
Bay-TV : San Francisco, California
clip run time » 2:32
Bay-TV, the former 24-hour news channel affiliated with KRON (NBC) in the Bay Area, staged many debates that ran on both stations. In a live debate it can be tricky to incorporate questions from a citizen audience unpredictability, restrictions on time, etc. so Bay-TV used taped pieces in this California senatorial debate.
How Accurate Are Debate Arguments?
CNN  Washington, D.C.
air date » Oct.00
clip run time » 3:27
CNNs Brooks Jackson has practically trademarked the idea of truth-testing every angle of the campaigns. Here he reviews the statements made by Bush and Gore during the first presidential debate of 2000, weighing the accuracy of their claims.
You could examine any part of a local debate, from specific numbers to general statements (e.g., in this clip, Gores I have actually not questioned Governor Bushs experience.) Does your station rebroadcast debates? Why not get more mileage the second time around by adapting the debate footage into a special program, complete with truth-testing of the candidates?
One Debate, Three Side Dishes
KCPT & KCTV  Kansas City, Missouri
air date » 28.July.00
clip run time » 6:11
In partnership with KCTV, KCPT hosted this debate between GOP challengers for the 3rd Congressional District in Kansas. Three interesting elements were added to this hour-long program:
Citizen statements taped from KCTVs Speakers Corner video kiosk were used to introduce related questions to the candidates;
One campaign ad from each of the debate participants was shown, followed by discussion, challenge, and defense of the ads;
A short segment featuring footage of the Democratic incumbent delineating how his voting record had often matched the Republicans, which led to the question of how are you as a candidate different from the incumbent and from your opponents?
Virtual Debate
San Francisco, California
clip run time » 2:32
What if you throw a debate and nobody comes? KRON had tried to unite four candidates for a live televised event, but couldnt get them all to commit. Their creative solution: a virtual debate lacing clips of the candidates issue statements with humor.
Forum with Legislative Leadership
Oregon Public Broadcasting Portland, Oregon
air date » 20.Oct.98
clip run time » 5:44
Although not strictly a debate, this Oregon Forum Project event brought together four key leaders in the Legislature with four citizens. The idea was to discuss issues in a way that complements other campaign initiatives. What makes this work is the give-and-take conversation that developed between the eight participants using this format. This clips has two excerpts: the first is from the beginning of the show, setting up the panel. The second is taken two-thirds of the way through the hour, and youll notice how relaxed and chatty and frank everyone appears.
State Supreme Court Debate
Wisconsin Public Television
WISC Madison, Wisconsin
air date » 23.Mar.00
clip length » 6:05
One challenge in covering perceived non-marquee elected positions such as the State Supreme Court is explaining to voters what that job entails. Neil Heinen of WISC (CBS) contributed a segment to this debate that gives viewers a bit of background on the court and what it does, and why this race was important. To keep the debate visually interesting, it was held in the Supreme Court chambers (actually, the temporary quarters during renovation of the real courtroom) with the citizen-questioners sitting on the bench.
Land Use On Trial
We The People partnership » Wisconsin Public Television : The Wisconsin State Journal : Wood Communication Group : Wisconsin Public Radio : WISC Madison, Wisconsin
air date » 7.June.98
clip run time » 10:16
Looking for a fresh approach to the challenge of public journalism? This Madison, Wisconsin media partnership used a mock trial to ask the question, Who should make land use decisions? Citizens were gathered to form the studio audience, and a jury was chosen before the program began. The three cooperating television stations had each produced a three-minute videotaped exhibit that was shown to the courtroom and the broadcast audience. Opposing attorneys presented expert witnesses to comment upon the video evidence. As the jury deliberated the question (with parts of the sequestered discussion shown on air), a host circulated among the citizens in the audience, encouraging comments and opinions about the land use issue.
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