NBC10 drops debate after Kenney objects to camera angle
Philadelphia mayoral candidate Jim Kenney is ready for his close-up - as long as his is the only face in the camera's frame.
Philadelphia mayoral candidate Jim Kenney is ready for his close-up - as long as his is the only face in the camera's frame.
Kenney's campaign had been haggling with NBC10 about camera angles for an upcoming debate, according to campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt.
Kenney, the Democratic nominee, was fine with close-ups and reaction shots, but didn't want the TV station to use "one particular shot, a split-screen close-up," when Melissa Murray Bailey, his Republican opponent, was speaking, Hitt said.
Anzio Williams, NBC10's vice president for news, called Kenney's campaign Wednesday to say the station was dropping its plans to televise the debate, according to Hitt.
6ABC - which Hitt twice noted is the "top-rated news station" in the region - still plans to broadcast a mayoral debate this fall.
Williams confirmed Hitt's account via email.
Hitt said that next week, the Kenney and Bailey campaigns will release an agreed-upon lineup of community forums and debates leading up to the Nov. 3 general election. Kenney was trying to avoid television angles that made debates "more raucous, less substantive," she said.
"The goal was to have a substantive debate that would allow for candidates to really get into their answers and get real input from the community," Hitt said, calling the NBC10 dispute "kind of silly."
On that, the Republican candidate appeared to agree.
"Are you kidding me?" Bailey asked, laughing when an Inquirer reporter told her the NBC10 debate was not going to happen.
Bailey said she, too, had tinkered with the debate rules, asking for more time to respond to questions.
"Our campaign is totally open to letting the public have as much opportunity to see both of us asked questions in an open manner," Bailey said. "We're open to it all."
215-854-5973@ByChrisBrennan
