WCVB Channel 5 to present "5 On: Race in Boston" on Thursday, July 14

		James H. Burnett III, TBF 617-338-3890 james.burnett@tbf.org
		Ro Dooley Webster, WCVB 781-433-4008 rdooley@hearst.com

 

• FULL DAY OF COVERAGE TO EXAMINE RACE RELATIONS IN BOSTON IN THE WAKE OF RECENT EVENTS ACROSS THE NATION

• DAY INCLUDES AN ABC NEWS TOWN HALL, FEATURING PRESIDENT OBAMA, TO DISCUSS NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF RACE RELATIONS, FROM 8-9 PM

• CULMINATES WITH A LOCAL TOWN HALL SPECIAL BROADCAST, IN PARTERNSHIP WITH THE BOSTON FOUNDATION, LIVE FROM WCVB STUDIOS 9-10 PM

BOSTON – As the nation reels in the wake of recent racial tensions, the ripples are felt here in Massachusetts. To help advance the dialogue, this Thursday, July 14, WCVB presents "5 On: Race in Boston," a day-long examination of the state of Boston's race relations in every newscast and Chronicle, culminating in a live, one-hour special "5 On: Race in Boston, A Town Hall Meeting" at 9 PM, presented in partnership with The Boston Foundation.  The Town Hall will be moderated by WCVB anchors Ed Harding and Maria Stephanos, and WCVB's Director of Public Affairs/Host of CityLine Karen Holmes Ward. The role everyone can play in making sure our community avoids the tragedies of Saint Paul, Baton Rouge, Ferguson, Baltimore, Dallas and the growing list of American cities, will be discussed by a panel and a live studio audience. 

WCVB's local Town Hall broadcast will immediately follow an ABC News special national Town Hall broadcast that will air from 8-9 PM, “The President and the People: A National Conversation" and feature a panel of speakers including President Barack Obama.  The network telecast will be moderated by former WCVB anchor and current ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir.

Confirmed "5 On: Race in Boston, A Town Hall Meeting" Panelists (To-Date) Include:

• Boston Police Commissioner William Evans
• Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Boston, Dr. S. Atyia Martin
• Community Leader Founder, ‘Catalyst for Change,’ John Borders IV
• The Boston Foundation President and CEO, Paul Grogan
• Director of the Racial Justice Program at American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Rahsaan Hall
• Attorney and President of the Boston Branch of the NAACP, Michael Curry
• Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, Iván Espinoza-Madrigal

"This is an opportunity to provide in-depth reporting on this very important topic that is gripping the nation and is of utmost concern to all of us here in the greater Boston community," said Bill Fine, WCVB President and General Manager. "Increased dialogue and preventative measures are especially important when so many communities in America have suffered."

"In light of the tragic events across our nation last week, many of us joined with Americans everywhere in offering our heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and the five Dallas Police Officers – all fatally shot," said Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. "Greater Boston residents and Americans as a whole are struggling to comprehend this senseless violence, and I include myself in that group. As I take stock of the divisions and challenges our communities face, I think it is a useful moment to think about who we are as a city, a region, and a nation, and what we stand for."

WCVB will also dedicate digital media coverage and resources throughout the day, posting coverage on the web and social media as it airs. In addition, "5 On: Race in Boston, A Town Hall Meeting" will be live streamed on wcvb.com and Facebook (wcvb5) as well as on NewsON, a free app that allows viewers to watch local news, including WCVB NewsCenter 5, on their smartphones and tablets.  

Join the conversation by using #RaceInBoston

About WCVB CHANNEL 5
WCVB is Boston’s broadcast/digital media leader, providing news, weather, sports, community service and entertainment on multiple platforms including WCVB Channel 5, wcvb.com, WCVB mobile and MeTV Boston.  Founded by community leaders in 1972, WCVB is committed to its mission to serve the region with quality local content.  In addition to nearly 45 hours of NewsCenter 5 coverage each week, original offerings include Chronicle, the nation’s longest running local news magazine; CityLine, a weekly urban magazine program; and On The Record, a weekly political roundtable.  The station has been honored with numerous prestigious national broadcasting honors including the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards for “Best Newscast” and National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation’s “Service to the Community” award.  Additional top honors include the National Headliner Awards, Gracie Awards, Gabriel Awards, the regional Emmy’s, Associated Press Awards, Walter Cronkite Award, and duPont Awards.  WCVB, Boston’s ABC affiliate station, is owned by Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst, a leading media company whose global holdings include 30 television stations and two radio stations.  Follow us on Facebook (wcvb5), Twitter (@wcvb) or Google+ (search +wcvb).

About The Boston Foundation
The Boston Foundation, Greater Boston's community foundation, is one of the largest community foundations in the nation, with net assets of some $1 billion. In 2015, the Foundation and its donors paid $135 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and received gifts of $123 million. In celebration of its Centennial in 2015, the Boston Foundation launched the Campaign for Boston to strengthen the Permanent Fund for Boston, the only endowment fund focused on the most pressing needs of Greater Boston. The Foundation is proud to be a partner in philanthropy, with more than 1,000 separate charitable funds established by donors either for the general benefit of the community or for special purposes.

The Boston Foundation also serves as a major civic leader, think tank and advocacy organization, commissioning research into the most critical issues of our time and helping to shape public policy designed to advance opportunity for everyone in Greater Boston. The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI), an operating unit of the Foundation, designs and implements customized philanthropic strategies for families, foundations and corporations around the globe. For more information about the Boston Foundation and TPI, visit tbf.org or call 617-338-1700. Also, follow us on Twitter @Bostonfdn and on Facebook @TheBostonFoundation.