ATLANTA — 11Alive/WXIA-TV announced Thursday, the station is creating a dedicated political reporting team that will devote significant time and resources to helping Georgia voters stay informed this election, representing all views with balance. Given the expected rematch of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, there is anticipation Georgia will once again play a pivotal role in who leads our country for the next four years.
11Alive will also focus on how the candidates compare on the issues of highest interest and will seek the perspectives of Georgia voters on those key topics, often ignored by the politicians: Crime and Safety, the Economy, Healthcare, Education, Politician Accountability, and Infrastructure (RTDNA Research of 2000 U.S. voters, Sept. 2023). These topics will guide 11Alive’s daily reporting on city, county, and state officeholders, and in special segments and programming.
“Georgians are counting on its local, trusted reporters to make sense of the chaos,” said Carol Fowler, 11Alive’s Director of Content. “We promise to ask tough questions without bias and to be as transparent as possible in fact-gathering and investigations. We owe that to our audience. Our highly respected VERIFY segments will show where the candidates stand on these key issues and whether claims made are true.”
(11Alive’s VERIFY is driven by audience tips and questions which can be emailed to verify@11alive.com or text the word VERIFY to 404-885-7600.)
The political team is led by 11Alive Executive Producer Ric Garni and includes 11Alive anchors Jennifer Bellamy and Faith Jessie; investigative reporter Zach Merchant, reporters Doug Richards, Joe Ripley, and Rarione Maniece; Executive Producer of Digital Jonathan Raymond; Executive Producer Kelsey Stanger; and producers Jesse Horne and Gabriella Nuñez.
Metro Atlanta audiences can expect a variety of segments and programs to stay informed through November:
- The Georgia Vote – a weekly, 30-minute political conversation program hosted by Faith Jessie and Zach Merchant featuring newsmakers. The show will air following NBC’s Meet the Press on Sundays at 11 a.m. beginning April 28 on 11Alive. It will also be available to stream live and on-demand on the 11Alive+ app, available for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV.
- “To the Polls” – a visual explainer of "news you can use" related to casting a ballot in Georgia.
- “VERIFY: The Stance” – a regular segment comparing candidate positions on the issues airing on 11Alive News at 11 p.m. and streaming on the 11Alive+ app.
11Alive is also partnering with NBC News on a hyperlocal reporting initiative “The Deciders,” featuring reporting from seven bellwether counties in the U.S., including Gwinnett County, Georgia. The goal is to better understand the ever-changing dynamics driving voter decision-making in the most politically diverse areas of the nation.
ABOUT 11ALIVE/WXIA-TV
11Alive/WXIA-TV is the NBC affiliate for Atlanta, GA. 11Alive and is owned by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) and includes 11Alive News, WATL “The ATL” Channel 36, and four diginets. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA is the largest owner of the top 4 network affiliates in the top 25 markets among independent station groups, reaching approximately 39 percent of all television households nationwide. Across platforms, TEGNA and 11Alive tell empowering stories, conduct impactful investigations, and deliver innovative marketing solutions.
Watch the first episode of The Georgia Vote below:
