On Sunday, September 14, Hardy OneNet Channel 915 (HD1Net) will be airing the first-ever televised Presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. The debate was largely credited with changing American politics and helping the campaign of Kennedy, who later was elected President. The debate was originally broadcast live on September 26, 1960, and moderated by Howard K. Smith. The broadcast is in the public domain, and OneNet is showing the debate as part of a “History Hour” beginning at 8 p.m. this Sunday, September 14.
Immediately after the debate a broadcast of “Strictly G.I.” from January 1, 1943, will be shown. This is a film version of a command performance radio program that was sent to World War II troops during the war. The episode was filmed at Camp Roberts, California, with Bob Hope serving as master of ceremonies. Performers include Judy Garland, who sings “Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz,” and Lana Turner.
“This is an opportunity to show a watershed event in the history of American politics,” said Derek Barr, Hardy’s director of customer services and sales, marketing, and human resources. “After the Kennedy-Nixon debate, U.S. presidential candidates forever afterward had to consider how they would appeal to television audiences. We hope audiences will find it both entertaining and educational. With the ‘Strictly G.I.’ program, we want to recognize how important such entertainment was for our troops during World War II and still today. Probably no one entertainer dedicated as much of his time to boosting the morale of American service personnel as Bob Hope did. It’s a tribute to him and the U.S. Armed Forces.”