FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Calle Andrus, Communications Manager
216.916.6434 | calle.andrus@ideastream.org
The City Club of Cleveland and Ideastream Public Media Will Host Two Mayoral Candidate Debates — "Cleveland Mayoral Debate: Voters First"
CLEVELAND, Ohio (August 5, 2021) — In May 2021, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson announced he would not be seeking a fifth term as Mayor of Cleveland — opening up a race for new leadership not seen in 16 years. Knowing where the mayoral candidates stand on the issues, and what they plan to do for the city, is essential to making an informed vote.
Ideastream Public Media, the home of Northeast Ohio’s member-supported public broadcasting stations WVIZ, WCPN and WCLV, in partnership with the City Club of Cleveland, is hosting two debates in the lead-up to the 2021 Cleveland mayoral election. Additional partners in these debates include more than two dozen local media outlets that form the Northeast Ohio Solutions Journalism Collaborative.
All seven candidates seeking office have agreed to participate in both debates. The questions will come directly from members of the community through pre-recorded video. The moderators may also pose follow-up questions. Clevelanders can submit questions for the candidates in English or in Spanish at ideastream.org/election2021.
Topics will be divided among the two debates. This first debate on August 10, moderated by Ideastream Public Media Senior Host/Producer Rick Jackson, will cover: Racial equity, public safety, housing, transparency in government and health equity. The second debate on August 17, moderated by Ideastream Public Media Senior Reporter/Producer Nick Castele, will cover: Education, jobs, the economy, environmental issues and transportation.
The debates will air live August 10 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. on WVIZ, WCPN, cityclub.org and ideastream.org . The debates will also be made available to any local media outlets interested in sharing or reporting on the mayoral race.
Funding for “Cleveland Mayoral Debate: Voters First” is provided by The Cleveland Foundation and The George Gund Foundation.
To find more about Ideastream Public Media’s ongoing local election coverage and podcast “After Jackson: Cleveland’s Next Mayor,” visit ideastream.org/election2021.
Directions and Information for In-Person Media Attendance
Media are invited to attend the debates in-person at the Idea Center at 1375 Euclid, Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. Every effort will be made to create appropriate amounts of physical distance to ensure safety. There will be no live studio audience. Credentials will be required for entry, and masks will be required for all media members and staff for the entire duration of the event.
Any time after 7 p.m. on both August 10 and 17, media should enter the Idea Center through the doors at Euclid Avenue to be escorted to the viewing area in the Gund Dance Studio. The viewing area will be equipped with an audio mult box, video distribution amp and hardwire and wireless network connectivity. Media will not be permitted inside the Westfield Studio Theatre during taping, though media will have access to the candidates immediately following the debate.
Media needing assistance on August 10, contact Matt Erman, Director of Marketing at Ideastream Public Media, at 216.882.3545.
Media needing assistance on August 17, contact Calle Andrus, Communications Manager at Ideastream Public Media, at 216.916.6434.
About Ideastream Public Media
Ideastream Public Media serves the people of Northeast Ohio as a trusted and dynamic multimedia source for illuminating the world around us. Ideastream Public Media is the home of five public television stations (WVIZ, WVIZ OHIO, WVIZ WORLD, WVIZ CREATE and WVIZ KIDS); WCPN, Northeast Ohio’s NPR news and public affairs radio station; and WCLV, Northeast Ohio’s classical music radio station. Ideastream Public Media produces the award-winning children’s series “NewsDepth” and manages The Ohio Channel and the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau on behalf of all Ohio’s public broadcasting stations. Ideastream Public Media is indispensable and highly valued for its unique ability to strengthen our community. For more information about Ideastream Public Media’s rich legacy of innovation and credible content, visit ideastream.org.
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