News 12 New Jersey to Televise First Live Debate Featuring New Jersey U.S. Senate Candidates Lautenberg and Forrester on October 30 at 7pm

Democrat Frank Lautenberg to Face Republican Challenger Douglas Forrester
and Other Candidates in Ninety-Minute Exchange on Local Issues

First Televised Debate Between All U.S. Senate Candidates on News 12 New Jersey
Will Be Simulcast on C-SPAN

Edison, New Jersey, October 22, 2002 – News 12 New Jersey said today it would present the first real debate among all the candidates in the race for New Jersey U.S. Senate. The live ninety-minute program begins at 7:00pm on October 30 and will be carried statewide on News 12 New Jersey and on C-SPAN. The moderator will be News 12 New Jersey anchor Janine Strafaci.

According to Jonathan Knopf, News 12 New Jersey General Manager and News Director, "When the Supreme Court affirmed Mr. Lautenberg's involvement in the election, we immediately reached out to both the Lautenberg and Forrester campaigns. We expressed our interest in hosting a debate for the people of New Jersey and welcomed a discussion. All candidates in the race will be heard in this debate."

The debate format will feature all six candidates during the first hour, with the last thirty minutes slated as head-to-head debate between the two front-runners. In addition to Mr. Lautenberg (Democrat) and Mr. Forrester (Republican), the slate of U.S. Senate candidates includes Ted Glick (Green), Elizabeth Macron (Libertarian), Gregory Pason (Socialist), Norman Wahner (New Jersey Conservative).

"News 12 New Jersey is pleased to be involved in such an important event. The debate will be seen in News 12 New Jersey's 1-point-8 million households. C-SPAN will also carry our debate live throughout the state of New Jersey and the rest of the nation," Mr. Knopf said.

The ninety-minute debate will be televised live at 7:00pm on October 30, with replays scheduled for 12midnight; October 31 at 2:00pm; Saturday, September 7 at 10:30am and 8:00pm; and Sunday, September 8 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm.

News 12 New Jersey is the exclusive 24-hour local news channel dedicated to serving 14 counties in New Jersey. The cable exclusive service currently reaches more than 1,800,000 homes on the Cablevision, Comcast, Service-Electric and Time-Warner cable systems in Northern and Central New Jersey. News 12 New Jersey is part of News 12 Networks – the first, largest and most-watched regional news service in the nation.

News 12 New Jersey is owned and managed by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a leader in news, sports and entertainment programming. A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC) and NBC, Rainbow manages American Movie Classics, WE: Women's Entertainment, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow Sports Networks, News 12 Networks, and MetroChannels as well as the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. In addition, Rainbow is a fifty-percent partner in FOX Sports Net.

Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve 3 million households located in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its Lightpath integrated business communications services; its Optimum-branded high-speed Internet service and iO: Interactive Optimum, the company's newly introduced digital television offering. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. operates programming businesses including American Movie Classics, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel and other national and regional services. In addition, Rainbow is a 50 percent partner in Fox Sports Net. Cablevision also owns a controlling interest and operates Madison Square Garden and its sports teams including the Knicks and Rangers. The company operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall and owns and operates THE WIZ consumer electronics stores and Clearview Cinemas in the New York metropolitan area. Additional information about Cablevision Systems Corporation is available on the Web at www.cablevision.com.

Press Contacts

  • Jonathan Knopf
    732 346-3210

  • Patrick Young
    732 346-3226