FOX NEWS AND FACEBOOK PARTNER TO HOST FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATE OF 2016 ELECTION
Network Announces Entry Criteria
Anchors Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace to Moderate
FOX News Channel (FNC) and Facebook announced today that they will present the first Republican presidential primary debate in conjunction with the Ohio Republican Party on August 6, 2015. The debate will be presented live from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH from 9-11 PM/ET on FNC along with FOX News Radio, FOX News Mobile and FOXNews.com.
Moderated by Special Report anchor Bret Baier, The Kelly File anchor Megyn Kelly and FOX News Sunday host Chris Wallace, the debate will feature Facebook data illustrating how the issues of the day are resonating with people on today’s largest platform for political conversation. FOX News viewers and Facebook users will also be able to share images and video questions via Facebook, some of which will be used to help formulate questions for the candidates and broadcast during the debate.
FOX News’ Executive Vice President of News Editorial Michael Clemente announced the entry criteria as follows:
- Must meet all U.S. Constitutional requirements; and
- Must announce and register a formal campaign for president; and
- Must file all necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC); and
- Must have paid all necessary federal and state filing fees; and
- Must place in the top 10 of an average of the five most recent national polls, as recognized by FOX News leading up to August 4th at 5 PM/ET. Such polling must be conducted by major, nationally recognized organizations that use standard methodological techniques.
Clemente also noted that FNC will provide additional coverage and air time on August 6th to those candidates who do not place in the top 10.
A top five cable network, FNC has been the most-watched news channel in the country for more than 13 years and according to Public Policy Polling, is the most trusted television news source in the country. Owned by 21st Century Fox, FNC is available in more than 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.
Adding to the announcement, Andy Mitchell, Director, News and Global Media Partnerships at Facebook, said, “Facebook’s scale and foundation in real identity give Fox News and the Republican contenders for the nomination the opportunity to open up the debate to Americans in a new and unique way. FOX News hosts often take to Facebook to connect with viewers authentically; their using Facebook to bring those viewers into this debate demonstrates how the platform has become an essential part of the political process.”
Matt Borges, Chairman of the Ohio GOP said, “We are thrilled to host the first debate in Ohio. The road to the GOP nomination begins in Ohio this August and culminates with the Republican National Convention almost a year later. A Republican can’t win the White House without carrying our state, so there’s no better place to host the first primary debate.”
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