Ohio NBC stations to broadcast live debate on 'Issue 2'

COLUMBUS (WDTN) - Ohio NBC affiliated stations have partnered to present the first televised statewide debate of Issue 2, which is a referendum on Senate Bill 5, a controversial new law that made changes to a variety of government laws and policies.

The debate will be broadcast from Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday, October 25 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will be carried live on WDTN-TV Dayton, WCMH-TV Columbus, WLWT-TV Cincinnati, WKYC-TV Cleveland, WLIO-TV Lima, WNWO-TV Toledo, WTOV-TV Wheeling/Steubenville, WFMJ-TV Youngstown, and WHIZ-TV Zanesville. It will also be streamed live on each of the station’s websites.

Debating Issue 2 will be State Senator Keith Faber of Building a Better Ohio, who will be defending Issue 2, and Former Ohio Congressman Dennis Eckart of We Are Ohio, which opposes Issue 2.

Senate Bill 5 was signed into law by Governor John Kasich earlier this year. A “yes” vote would preserve the law and a “no” vote would repeal the law.
NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd will moderate the debate. Serving as panelists from the Ohio NBC affiliated stations are: WCMH Anchor Colleen Marshall, WKYC Senior Political Reporter Tom Beres, and Anchor/Reporter Sheree Paolello from WLWT.

“Issue 2, like Senate Bill 5 before it, has evoked intense public scrutiny from both sides over the past year,” said Lisa Barhorst, Vice-President & General Manager of WDTN-TV. “This debate reaffirms our On Your Side commitment to quality and comprehensive coverage of the issues that matter most to Ohioans. Our goal with this debate is to educate our communities and clarify the myriad of details of this contentious issue.”