A scheduled debate between Congressman Bill Shuster and challenger Michael DelGrosso is now expected to receive live radio coverage, including WTRN in Tyrone.
The move should allow more voters in the Ninth Congressional District the opportunity to hear the candidates’ viewpoints.
However, at least one of the two candidates has said “no thanks” to expressing his views at a candidate’s forum which was scheduled for this evening in Bedford.
“We were told Chamber officials went to television station WTAJ to request the change to allow WRTA live coverage, and they agreed to it,” said WRTA radio’s Steve Clark. “We’ve received word from both the Shuster and DelGrosso camps and they are agreeable to it.
“This was not about just us carrying the debate, it was about opening it up to all media outlets,” said Clark.
Justin Meyer of the DelGrosso campaign said they have no objection to having the debate aired live, but they had received no formal information regarding the change as of this morning.
The sold out debate is being sponsored by the Blair County Chamber of Commerce and is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, April 19 at the Blair County Convention Center.
Clark explained the original plan was for the event to be taped by WTAJ and aired at 11:35 p.m. that evening. Clark indicated there was an embargo time set for some point after the WTAJ airing which would allow other broadcast outlets to air the debate or excerpts from it. Print media had also been invited to cover the debate.
“We understand Channel Six (WJAC-TV, Johnstown) is also interested in covering this in some way,” said Clark. “We felt this was manipulation of a news event and apparently because of public opinion and media coverage about the situation they (WTAJ-TV) agreed to open it up.”
There has been no official word yet about when other television stations will broadcast the debate, but an agreement has been reached between WRTA and Tyrone’s WTRN to air the coverage live.
“We are glad to have the opportunity to be able to broadcast the debate,” said WTRN owner Cary Simpson. “We’ve made arrangements with WRTA to carry the live feed. We are grateful to be able to do it.”
The situation regarding the broadcasting of the Altoona event appears to have been ironed out at the same time changes have been made regarding another candidate’s forum for the two congressional opponents.
Shuster’s campaign office has released a statement regarding an event scheduled this evening in Bedford stating the campaign is saying “no thanks” to it. The release claims the event was organized by a DelGrosso supporter.
“We have been committed to debating DelGrosso in an honest, straight forward format, such as the one presented by the Blair County Chamber of Commerce,” said Ray Zaborney, Shuster’s campaign manager. “But we won’t participate in an ambush from the DelGrosso campaign.”
Originally, Zaborney had indicated he would appear at the event instead of the congressman since Shuster was scheduled at another event in Fayette County.
The Shuster camp said event organizer Ronald Christopher originally agreed to the arrangement. However, in an email dated April 7, he informed the campaign that a representative would not be permitted to take Shuster’s place at the event.
“What the forum amounts to is an absolute set up by Michael DelGrosso and those who support him,” said Zaborney.
“Our campaign wanted to participate in an open forum for the residents of Bedford County, unfortunately what it has turned into is an ambush.”
Meanwhile, DelGrosso is still expected to attend tonight’s event scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Bedford Area High School auditorium.
“The original agreement allowed for both candidates or just one of the candidates to appear and Michael is planning on being there,” said Meyer.
