WASHINGTON, June 25, 2007 – The campaign trail leads candidates back to D.C. with the first in a series of “All-American Presidential Forums” beginning with the Democratic Presidential Forum hosted at Howard University on June 28. Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Joseph Biden, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Christopher Dodd, former Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Mike Gravel, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Bill Richardson will address questions on top domestic issues. Beltway native Atlantic Video will handle the series’ production.

Issues being discussed include healthcare, Hurricane Katrina relief, education and areas of interest outlined in the The New York Times best-seller, Covenant with America. The book describes the 10 most critical issues for African Americans – many of which are universal. The event marks the first time a panel exclusively comprised of journalists of color is represented in primetime.

Tavis Smiley of PBS will moderate the forums supported by three journalists who will question the candidates. Journalists include nationally syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr., National Public Radio’s Michel Martin and USA Today columnist DeWayne Wickham. The Republican Presidential Forum is September 27 at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD.

Smiley hopes the forums allow candidates to address issues most important to voters.

“We are encouraged by the enthusiasm of all parties for this historic event. From the title to the format, the 'All-American Presidential Forums' was created to provide fresh perspectives and an unprecedented level of inclusion for all Americans in general, and people of color in particular, in these critical discussions about our country’s future,” stated Smiley on PBS’ website.

Atlantic Video’s experienced Remote Production unit and the linkage to their full-scale production house makes them the logical choice for the series. KCET, the Los Angeles PBS affiliate, will act as host. The forum will broadcast live on all PBS stations and webcast simultaneously on www.pbs.org.

“We are honored to provide support for this important series and see this as a natural extension of the service and support we provide to the political and campaign segment,” said Ed Milligan, President of Atlantic Video. “Our extensive remote capability and our full-service production resources let us provide a total solution for the Presidential Forums.”

Atlantic Video is a full-service production management and development organization with broadcast centers in Washington D.C. and New York City, New York. It operates remote cameras for live shots in Chicago, Denver, Boston and Dallas, which are connected full-time to the company’s broadcast centers. The company specializes in management and development of broadcast series and specials. The mission of the organization is to deliver unparalleled, quality production and post-production services that set the standard for excellence in the marketplace. For more information on Atlantic Video, please visit our website at www.atlanticvideo.com or call 877-777-1118.

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