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Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. on PBS39, PBS39.org, WLVR and Billboards
Bethlehem, PA. – November 4, 2019 – Lehigh Valley Public Media announces plans for live election night coverage on Tuesday, November 5. Decision 2019: A Special Presentation of PBS39 News Tonight will feature PBS39 Reporter Corps® journalists reporting from the PBS39 studios and from 7 locations throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley, including The Morning Call newsroom. Also in the studio, experts from local colleges will bring additional insights to the program.
“Promoting civic engagement is a vital part of our mission at Lehigh Valley Public Media,” Tim Fallon, Chief Executive Officer said. “It is our responsibility in a democracy to inform and inspire the community. The addition of our Reporter Corps journalists and our new radio station allows us to bring unbiased coverage to all citizens of the Greater Lehigh Valley through a variety of platforms.”
Lehigh Valley Public Media’s coverage will extend beyond the television screen in several ways, as the newly-launched NPR station, WLVR, will offer coverage on the radio. Also, thanks to a partnership with Adams Outdoor Advertising, live news updates and results will be visible on more than 20 digital billboards throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley. When there’s a development in an important race, the team will immediately post an update to the billboards.
“We realize not everyone is sitting in front of a television or computer screen on election night. This is an opportunity to provide the public with a variety of options, using as many different platforms as we can,” Yoni Greenbaum, Chief Content Officer of Lehigh Valley Public Media said. “These elections are about so much more than results and numbers. Through storytelling and new technology, we want to help revive community journalism.”
Reports will go beyond results. Journalists will focus on important topics including new voting machines, staffing at the polls, Marsy’s Law, and a historical look at enticing voters to the polls. Commentators will include:
- Adam McGlynn, associate professor of political science at East Stroudsburg University.
- Vera Fennell, associate professor of political science at Lehigh University.
- David Myers, former director of the O’Pake Institute and current government relations and external affairs advisor at Alvernia University.
- Michelle Deegan, professor of political science at Muhlenberg College.
- John Kincaid, professor of government and political science and director of the Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government at Lafayette College.
Check your local listings and watch live on Tuesday, November 5 on PBS39/WLVT. Election night coverage will also be streamed live on PBS39’s Facebook page.
About Lehigh Valley Public Media™
Lehigh Valley Public Media, home of PBS39/WLVT, WLVR, and WPPT, acts as the catalyst to promote civic engagement, and to fulfill the regional needs of the Greater Lehigh Valley, through its dynamic communication platforms and resources. The Reporter Corps® creates community-focused content for PBS39 News Tonight, digital platforms, and radio. Lehigh Valley Public Media and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley are partnering to fund and fulfill the regional literacy initiative Lehigh Valley Reads. This campaign is working to ensure all Lehigh Valley students read on grade level by the end of third grade by 2025. Lehigh Valley Public Media is a community-owned public media organization serving eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. PBS39 is licensed in Allentown to the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. For more information, visit PBS39.org.
Information provided to TVL by:
Jim Macdonald
Director of Marketing, Lehigh Valley Public Media