The WBA Foundation Board is proud to announce the names of the journalists from across the state who will continue its 34-year tradition of conducting broadcast debates. The WBA Foundation will be hosting a U.S. Senate debate on Oct. 18. Qualifying U.S. Senate candidates Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Republican Senate candidate Eric Hovde have agreed to participate in the debate.
The debate will be conducted by diverse teams of broadcasters from stations and communities across Wisconsin.
The following broadcasters will make up the question team:
- Aditi Debnath, Reporter, PBS Wisconsin
- Allyson Fergot, Reporter, WKBT News 8 Now, La Crosse
- Neil Johnson, Reporter/Producer, Big Radio, Janesville
- Shannon Sims, Anchor, TMJ4, Milwaukee
- Jeff Thelen, Anchor/Producer, WSAW-TV, Wausau
The question team will work with a team of journalists making up the data team, which will be announced in the coming days, to research issues important to voters and to produce debate questions that elicit specific, meaningful answers from candidates. During the debate, as members of the question team address the candidates, the data team will provide background, context, and resources to voters via digital and social platforms.
The debate will be moderated by WBA Hall of Fame inductee Jill Geisler. Geisler holds the Bill Plante Chair in Leadership and Media Integrity at Loyola University Chicago. The lifelong Wisconsinite was one of the first female news directors of a major market affiliate as news director at WITI-TV in Milwaukee. She’s moderated numerous WBA Foundation debates since 2014.
The WBA encourages its members to inform the public by airing this debate and their own programming to help educate voters ahead of the election.
The WBA Foundation debate is sponsored by the Wisconsin Counties Association.
The WBA is a non-partisan statewide trade association representing radio and television broadcasters across the state.
Questions or inquiries about the debates should be directed to debate@wbafoundation.org.
