Debate to be carried live on local stations

Advertiser Staff

A one-hour debate between gubernatorial candidates Mazie Hirono and Linda Lingle will be broadcast live tonight on all five local television stations.

The debate at the Hawai'i Public Television studio will be carried on KHET public television, KHON, KITV, KGMB, KHNL, and cable local Japanese-language station KIKU-TV from 7 to 8 p.m.

It also will be broadcast on the Internet at www.khet.org, and debate transcripts will be available on the KHET Web site.

Listeners on O'ahu can tune in to live radio coverage on KHVH 830 AM and KHNR 650 AM.

It will mark the first time all local television stations air the same debate live.

"We want to reach as wide an audience as possible, to make sure people are informed and motivated about one of Hawai'i's most important elections ever," said KHET CEO and president Mike McCartney.

The Hawai'i gubernatorial race is only the second time in U.S. history that two women are competing for governor. The first was in 1986 in Nebraska.

Former CBS and CNN correspondent Linda Taira will moderate. Taira, who also worked in Honolulu, is vice president of station relations at the national Public Broadcasting Service.

Debate panelists are Gregg Takayama of KHON, Daryl Huff of KITV, Jade Moon of KGMB, and Darren Pai of KHNL.

Representatives from the League of Women Voters will take questions for the candidates by telephone and e-mail.

Immediately after the debate, KHET's Island Insights will air live with host Dan Boylan, and include an analysis from long-time political reporter Richard Borreca of the Star-Bulletin and editorial editor Jerry Burris of The Advertiser.