Politics

WSOC-TV Launches 'Candidate Access 2010' Election Coverage

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Channel 9 announces a multi-faceted plan called "Candidate Access 2010" to offer expanded news coverage for this fall's 2010 political races. It will include news coverage of local and state ballot issues, local candidates, candidates for State and U.S. House of Representatives and South Carolina gubernatorial candidates on WSOC-TV, sister station WAXN-TV Channel 64 (TV64) and wsoctv.com.

The plan also calls for special programming aimed at giving Carolina voters a more comprehensive look at local candidates and issues. The stations will provide on-air time to participating congressional and gubernatorial candidates. The public will be able to access information regarding the candidates and issues on the November ballot through a special section of the stations' website, www.wsoctv.com.

In addition to this extensive coverage of the candidates and issues, WSOC-TV and TV64 will offer Congressional and Gubernatorial candidates five minutes of free airtime to present their campaign objectives to voters. These five minute pieces will be showcased in a half-hour program to be aired on both stations. If the candidates provide their comments in writing they will be posted on both stations' websites.

WSOC-TV and TV64 will also air public service messages in the Fall encouraging eligible voters to participate in the election process. Voter registration information for North Carolina and South Carolina will be posted on the stations' website.

"The commitment to expanded election coverage continues our mission to serve the community," said Joe Pomilla, Vice-President and General Manager of WSOC-TV and WAXN-TV. "Our extensive political coverage provides the opportunity for candidates to present their position on the issues and in turn provides viewers with useful, easy-to-access information before they go to the polls."