CoC WTAW KBTX Candidates Forum a BUST
Posted By: Kristofer Cowles on Monday, February 22, 2010 @ 9:02 AM
So I took my son to the candidates’ forum Thursday night, February 18. Figured it was a good exercise for him, and a chance for me to get to know the candidates. I discuss the House District 14 part of the forum here, and the Senate District 5 forum here.
The event was broadcast on WTAW and simultaneously streamed on their web site (I have linked the audio in the posts mentioned above), as well as webcast on the KBTX TV web site, though a search of their site for “forum” doesn’t show it now…perhaps the lack of an audience doesn’t make for good TV?
We sat in the front row. We were the only ones in the entire front section, my son and I.
I counted about 40 people there. If you listen to the end of the House Candidate section, Royce Hickman, Chamber President, thanks a BUNCH of people…what I would estimate to be twenty people.
Here are my numbers:
Figure each candidate had a spouse there. 12 people
Rick Davis’ son and corps buddies were there: 5 people.
Give one campaign worker/volunteer/supporter per candidate: 6 people
Hickman said six Chamber board members were there: 6 people
Hickman said another six staff members were there: 6 people
The radio folks I counted as definite: 7 people
TV cameraman and reporter: 2 people
Mike Wright of KBTX was there: 1 person.
The video below shows the arena. You tell me if there are more than 40 people there. The numbers above amount to 43.
My son and I make another two.
I’d be willing to bet we were the only general public there and, if not, we were two of less than five.
Sad.
So I took my son to the candidates’ forum Thursday night. Figured it was a good exercise for him, and a chance for me to get to know the candidates. I discuss the House District 14 part of the forum here, and the Senate District 5 forum here.
Remember, I was in Radio. I worked for WTAW in the mid-90s.
The event was broadcast on WTAW and simultaneously streamed on their web site, as well as webcast on the KBTX TV web site, though a search of their site for “forum” doesn’t show it now…perhaps the lack of an audience doesn’t make for good TV?
We sat in the front row. We were the only ones in the entire front section, my son and I.
I counted about 40 people there. If you listen to the end of the House Candidate section, Royce Hickman, Chamber President, thanks a BUNCH of people…what I would estimate to be twenty people.
Here are my numbers:
Figure each candidate had a spouse there. 12 people
Rick Davis’ son and corps buddies were there: 5 people.
Give one campaign worker/volunteer/supporter per candidate: 6 people
Hickman said six Chamber board members were there: 6 people
Hickman said another six staff members were there: 6 people
The radio folks I counted as definite: 7 people
TV cameraman and reporter: 2 people
Mike Wright of KBTX was there: 1 person.
The video below shows the arena. You tell me if there are more than 40 people there. The numbers above amount to 43.
My son and I make another two.
I’d be willing to bet we were the only general public there and, if not, we were two of less than five.
Sad.
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:34 AM
[...] 14 | a m e r i c a n : w r i t e s on No respect from Senator Ogden means a vote for Ben BiusCoC WTAW KBTX Candidates Forum a BUST | a m e r i c a n : w r i t e s on No respect from Senator Ogden means a vote for Ben BiusCoC WTAW KBTX Candidates Forum [...]
February 23rd, 2010 at 4:26 PM
I have been at several forums around the area, and though a few were well attended, most ended up with only a handful (certainly less than 20) uncommitted voters. I think there’s a lot of forum fatigue out there. Most people can’t wait for March 3 to get here, so they can get a break from politics for a few months before the fall election season kicks in.