ATLANTA, Ga. (WALB) — WALB announced Wednesday, Aug. 5, that both general election candidates for the U.S. Senate, incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) and challenger U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R), have accepted invitations to participate in an exclusive, live debate on Thursday, Oct. 8.

The one-hour debate will take place at Assembly Atlanta, Gray Media’s state-of-the-art studio production facility. The broadcast will air live at 7 p.m. on WALB and on Gray Media television stations in all Georgia markets, providing voters statewide with direct access to the candidates.

To provide comprehensive coverage, WALB’s sister station Atlanta News First will also produce dedicated 30-minute pre- and post-debate programs.

“On the Record: Live,” hosted by Doug Reardon, will serve as the pre-debate show beginning at 6:30 p.m. EDT, as well as the post-debate analysis airing immediately following the debate at 8 p.m. EDT. Both programs will be available on WALB News 10 platforms.

The debate will be moderated by Atlanta News First anchor Rick Folbaum and will follow a standard format, with a panel of professional journalists asking questions of the candidates on key issues facing Georgia and the nation.

“It is exciting to be in a position to air debates across all of Georgia, and that is one of the reasons we were chosen for this debate,” said Erik Schrader, vice president and general manager of Atlanta News First. “This is the power of Gray. Our statewide footprint allows us to deliver this crucial civic event to voters in every corner of Georgia, from Atlanta to Albany, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah and beyond.”

In Albany, viewers can watch the debate live on WALB or via streaming on WALB’s digital platforms and connected TV apps. Local listings and streaming details will be updated closer to the event.

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