KNBC And KVEA To Host Live California U.S. Senatorial Debate

NBC’s Los Angeles duopoly of KNBC and KVEA (Telemundo) will host a one-hour live debate featuring four top-polling candidates for California’s 2024 United States Senate election on Tuesday, Feb. 20, beginning at 6 p.m. PT on the Universal Studios Hollywood Lot.

Democratic U.S. congressional Reps. Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee and Katie Porter, and retired professional baseball player Steve Garvey, a Republican, have accepted invitations to participate.

As part of the stations’ commitment to inform Southern California audiences, the debate will be presented commercial-free in English on KNBC and Spanish on KVEA. The debate will be simulcast throughout the state on NBC-owned stations KNTV San Francisco and KNSD San Diego, and Telemundo-owned KSTS San Jose, KSCO Sacramento, KNSO Fresno and KUAN San Diego, as well as on NBC affiliate KCRA Sacramento.

KNBC news anchor Colleen Williams, KNBC chief political reporter Conan Nolan and KVEA news anchor Alejandra Ortíz will moderate the debate, which will cover a wide range of critical issues impacting the diverse state of California.

“This is only the second time since 1992 that California has had a US Senate race without an incumbent,” said Todd Mokhtari, the stations’ president-GM. “That is why we felt it is important to host this debate commercial-free and make it accessible in two languages so voters can better understand the candidates’ position on the issues facing our state and our nation during a critical election year.”

The debate will be held in partnership with Loyola Marymount University (LMU), which seeks to inspire its students to listen, engage and vote. LMU students will ask questions of the candidates to ignite dialogue and promote civil engagement among and within colleges and universities. Representing LMU as a contributor on debate night will be Dr. Fernando J. Guerra, professor of political science and Chicana/o studies and founding director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles.

In addition to being available on the broadcast channels, the live event will stream on nbcla.com, telemundo52.com, on the free NBCLA and Telemundo 52 mobile apps and on the stations’ free 24/7 local news streaming channels NBC Los Angeles News, Noticias Telemundo California, NBC Bay Area News, and NBC San Diego News which are accessible on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Samsung TV Plus.