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The Aaron Harber Show: Your Decision 2023™


THE DENVER 2023 MAYORAL RACE

HISTORIC CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE COMING DECADE

 Be part of our live audience! These events are free & open to the public. See below for the schedule.

The April 4, 2023 Denver Mayoral Race (with a runoff date of June 6, 2023) presents a momentous opportunity for change and new leadership for the city of Denver. This is the first time since 2011 that no incumbent is running for reelection. The City & County of Denver is faced with a myriad of challenges which will require exceptional leadership from the next Mayor – who could be in office for up to 12 years. In order to make their informed voting decisions, Denver’s citizens must learn about an unprecedented number of declared candidates.

 

 As a public service, The Aaron Harber Show and PBS12 are producing and broadcasting a nonpartisan television series filmed at four community forums which are free and open to the public. The intention is to provide Denver citizens the opportunity to be part of the live audience as they see the candidates in person discussing their solutions to the pressing issues facing the city now and in the future.

 

In addition to select mayoral candidates, former Mayor Wellington Webb (on February 21) and current Mayor Michael Hancock (on March 14) will be special guest speakers to discuss their challenges, legacies, and how leadership has changed, as well to give their advice to Denver’s next Mayor regarding how to conduct the office.

 

The participating candidates include Renate BehrensKelly Brough, Lisa Calderon, Leslie HerodMike JohnstonDebbie Ortega, Trini Rodriguez, Kwame SpearmanEan TafoyaRobert TretaJames Walsh, and Thomas Wolf.

 

Broadcasts of these live forums will begin on February 12 on PBS12 (Colorado Public Television, Channel 12) starting February 24 in Prime Time from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm every Friday (two half-hour programs), with re-broadcasts on Sundays from 12:00 pm to1:00 pm (also two programs). These programs will be broadcast as part of
Channel 12’s Public Affairs block, which includes “Colorado Inside Out.”  In addition, the special election programs also will be on the PBS12.org Website and the PBS12 YouTube channel.  All programs will broadcast and available through the June 6th Run-Off Election.

 

The four public mayoral forums are free and open to the public. 

 

Tuesday, February 21

Shorter Community African Methodist Episcopal Church.

3100 Richard Allen Court, Denver, CO 80205

Hosted by Shorter AME Pastor Reverend Dr. Timothy Tyler

Doors open at 5:30 pm. Event begins at 6:00 pm

Welcome & Introduction by Aaron

Special one-on-one discussion with former Mayor Wellington Webb

Candidate Forum with Mike Johnston + Ean Tafoya  

Candidate Forum with Leslie Herod + Thomas Wolf  

 

Tuesday, February 28

Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center

721 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204

Hosted by Executive Artistic Director Anthony Garcia

 

Doors open at 6:00 pm. Event begins at 7:00 pm.

Welcome by Anthony Garcia & Introduction by Aaron

Candidate Forum with Debbie Ortega + Kwame Spearman 

Candidate Forum with Lisa Calderon + James Walsh 

Candidate Forum with Kelly Brough + Trini Rodriguez 

 

Tuesday, March 14

Special In-Studio Production

Doors open at 5:00 pm. Event begins at 5:45 pm.

Special one-on-one discussion with Mayor Michael Hancock

Candidate Forum with Renate Behrens + Aurelio Martinez + Robert Treta

 

Tuesday, April 25 

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science

2001 Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80205

Hosted by Museum President and CEO George Sparks

 

Doors open at 5:30 pm. Event begins at 6:00 pm

Welcome by George Sparks & Introduction by Aaron 

90-minute Candidate Forum with Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston.  (Concludes at 8:00 pm)

 

This final public event is FREE and open to the public. Because seating is limited, guests must register in advance for tickets through EventBrite at bit.ly/MayorDen

 

Organizations participating in this nonpartisan television series include:

 

Colorado Broadcasters Association

Colorado Cross Disability Coalition

Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition

Colorado Latino Leadership & Advocacy Organization (CLLARO)

COLOR Action Fund

Colorado Press Association

Denver Chamber of Commerce

Denver Press Club

El Semanario

Entravision

KBNO (Que Bueno Radio 97.7 FM & 1280 AM)

Latino Action Council

League of Women Voters Denver

La Voz

NAACP Rocky Mountain Conference

Servicios de la Raza

Servicios Sique

Tepeyac Community Health Center

 This Public Engagement initiative will demonstrate the value of promoting mutually-respectful discourse throughout the City and County of Denver.  Because the series will be broadcast statewide, it also will set an example for the entire metropolitan area and the State of Colorado whose citizens will observe civil discussions rather than be solely dependent on and subject to candidate- and third-party controlled advertising.

 

PBS12 President and television station General Manager Kristen Blessman announced the series and stated, “PBS12 is committed to bringing impact media and meaningful public affairs stories to the State of Colorado, and this partnership with Aaron Harber allows us to do just that. We’re excited to have Aaron’s leadership in this initiative since he’s known for his nonpartisanship, thorough interviews and evenly moderated debates.”  

 

Blessman explained, “Aaron is known for promoting civil, informational discussion, so we’re excited to see how he’ll bring the relevant issues to the forefront with each candidate. This is a great way to bridge PBS12’s mission of Impact Media for Colorado and Aaron Harber’s expertise in getting informative content from these mayoral candidates. The result will be a fantastic forum to educate Denver’s residents during the upcoming election.”

 

Harber expressed his enthusiasm for the project, noting, “Having PBS12 provide such as substantial public service to Denver is more valuable than ever, given the fact voters are bombarded with so much biased and erroneous misinformation. PBS12’s decision to create an opportunity for Denver citizens to hear and see their candidates in a setting not controlled by campaigns is exactly what our Democracy needs today.”

 

Community leader Patricia Barela-Rivera said, “One of the most outstanding aspects of Aaron’s work over the years is his consistent commitment to ensuring that women and people of color always have access to his Media platforms – creating equal access opportunities for Coloradans few others in the Media ever provide.” 

 

Former State Senator and Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Polly Baca added, “This series is an extraordinary public service for the benefit of everyone in Denver. As a PBS12 Community Advisory Board member, I am excited we have Aaron leading this initiative on behalf of the people of Denver, especially given his long-time commitment to ensuring diversity of the guests on his nonpartisan public affairs programs.”  

 

Baca, Barela-Rivera, and other community members will advise the producers of the series through the entire election schedule.

 

To ensure maximum accessibility to the programs, entire shows and key segments will be shared with newspapers, other publications, television and radio stations, websites, social media sites, blogs, and other media sources via USA Talk Network’s Publishers Advantage Initiative ™ and its Broadcasters Advantage Program ™ (HarberTV.com/Press).

 

This will be done in conjunction with the Colorado Press Association, the Colorado Broadcasters Association and the Denver Press Club.  These two extensive Media endeavors, administered by USA Talk Network, Inc. (“USA-TN”), will provide all the programming and services at no cost to all participating Media entities. 

 

This approach maximizes the accessibility of the events and the television and online programs to all members of the Public so as to address the variety of viewing practices of different demographic cohorts.

 

Funding of the series will be done in conjunction with the Democracy and Media Education Foundation (“DMEF”), an IRS-approved tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity.  Tax-deductible support for the series can be provided to the DMEF or USA-TN.

 

Please feel free to share this link with any interested parties and in your social media and newsletters.

 

02-24-23

 

AARON HARBER SUPPLEMENTAL BACKGROUND  

Aaron is widely recognized as a superb moderator and an expert with academic and professional experience who has had direct exposure in many fields including Economics, Energy, Environment, Finance, Government Regulation, Health Care, International Relations, Politics, Ethics, Law, Media & Press, Medicine, Science, Citizen Rights, and Consumer Affairs (including hosting The Watch Dog™ citizen rights and consumer affairs Talk Radio program at the beginning of his media career).   

 

Aaron has the special ability to open people’s minds via reassuring viewers and listeners by encouraging them to consider key facts. He queries his guests with many of the same questions his listeners have. And he has set an example of openness by respecting other perspectives.  His personal commitment to everyone’s welfare was exemplified by his decision to volunteer to be included in COVID-19 vaccine trials. 

 

A distinctive aspect of Aaron’s approach is his use of humor with his guests, viewers, listeners, and callers. By strategically using humor, he is able to keep conversations flowing in a mutually respectful manner, often because humor can be both disarming while providing a break, i.e., breathing room, within difficult or emotionally-charged conversations. Aaron showcased this ability when he was the host of Spontaneous Combustion™ and The Aaron Harber Show™ on Colorado Public Television (KBDI-TV, Channel 12). 

 

A graduate of Princeton University’s School of Public & International Affairs, formerly the Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs (concentrating in Economics), and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government (concentrating in Ethics in the Professions), Aaron has an extraordinary knowledge base as well as the ability to get some of the most sought-after guests on the planet. He is exceptionally well-positioned to successfully host this program. 

 

Aaron is the recipient of the prestigious “Broadcaster of the Year Award” (HarberTV.com/Award).  Aaron serves as the voice of all citizens by taking on all sides, albeit in an entertaining manner.  He was designated by TALKERS MAGAZINE as one of America’s “Most Important Talk Show Hosts,” in competition with Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, and 5,000 other hosts, when he started his career in Talk Radio.   

 

Aaron also won the prestigious “Geosciences in the Media” award from the more than 40,000 member American Association of Petroleum Geologists in honor of his record-setting science-related work in the Energy & Environment arena, where he has done more programming than anyone else in the entire history of broadcast television (327 energy- and environmentally-related programs with 458 guests).   

 

The Aaron Harber Show offers high-level, yet intelligible, analyses of salient issues which further distinguishes it from other programs.  Aaron directly engages listeners and viewers at a deeper level by providing them with the information they need to make their own decisions. 

 

The Aaron Harber Show features top-tier guests, including Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, Secretaries of State, Cabinet Secretaries, Heads of State, Ambassadors from and to the U.S., major business leaders, leading scientists, academicians, and celebrities.   

 

All guests on The Aaron Harber Show always have appeared in person with Aaron, either in studio or on location.  A sample of guests who already have appeared together on-air with Aaron include the following.

Madeleine Albright 

Philip Anschutz            

James Baker 

Alan Blinder 

Erskine Bowles 

Stephen Breyer 

Eli Broad 

James Cameron 

Jimmy Carter 

Elaine Chao 

Mona Charen 

Michael Chertoff 

Deepak Chopra 

Bill Clinton 

Bob Costas 

Kevin Costner 

Diana DeGette 

Dick Durbin 

Zeke Emanuel 

Anthony Fauci 

Steve Forbes 

Jason Furman 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

Amy Goodman 

Jane Harman 

Michael Hayden 

Eric Holder 

Dolores Huerta 

Brit Hume 

Walter Isaacson 

Jesse Jackson 

Valerie Jarrett  

Paul Kagame 

John Kerry 

John King 

Nicholas Kristof 

Paul Krugman 

John Legend 

John Lewis 

Gina McCarthy 

Mark Meadows 

George Mitchell 

Robert Mueller 

Lisa Murkowski 

Ralph Nader 

Craig Newmark 

Queen No’or 

Grover Norquist 

Michelle Obama 

Sandra Day O’Connor 

Mehmet Oz 

David Petraeus 

T. Boone Pickens 

Colin Powell 

Dan Rather 

David Rubenstein 

Howard Schultz 

Jeff Sessions 

Al Simpson 

Jerry Springer 

Oliver Stone 

Richard Trumka 

Donald Trump 

Ted Turner

The television show is broadcast several times each week on COMCAST systems in multiple states and is accessible worldwide 24/7 online.   

 

The television show previously completed a 26-program national broadcast series on Mark Cuban and AEG’s AXS TV, where it was available to 61 million households and 127 million viewers (including AXS TV and the show’s already existing broadcast and related platforms, including Channel 3, KCDO-TV in Denver and throughout Colorado as well as in portions of Nebraska and Wyoming).  

 

Certain special shows, such as Aaron’s exclusive program series with former FBI Director Robert Mueller, produced in 2018 and seen by over 537,800 viewers across multiple platforms, also are available online (HarberTV.com/R-Mueller).  For more information, contact [email protected]. Thank you! 

 

COMMENTS FROM ICONIC TELEVISION INDUSTRY LEADERS 

 

Clark Bunting, former President of the DISCOVERY Channel.  “What sets Aaron apart is his remarkably diplomatic approach — asking the tough questions most hosts shy away from and then, without offending his guests, adroitly eliciting surprisingly candid and often profound answers.” 

 

John Sie, founder and former Chairman & CEO, STARZ Entertainment Group.   The Aaron Harber Show” offers our nation a desperately needed, fact-based forum for civil discourse and problem-resolution. By featuring the world’s most prominent guests sharing their perspectives across the political spectrum, the program objectively informs viewers so they can come to their own conclusions.  Aaron’s extraordinary depth of knowledge, experience, and wit allow him to probe at deeper levels while simultaneously entertaining his ever-expanding audience. 

 

Joseph Koker, former President, Television Station Group, ION MEDIA NETWORKS. “‘The Aaron Harber Show’ continues to win kudos from all sectors of the political spectrum.  The nonpartisan and non-confrontational forum he anchors provides for a free-flowing discussion of important issues of the day.  This makes his show timely, educational and entertaining.”   

 

Richard Buchanan, former Vice President & General Manager, Content Services, COMCAST.  “As a result of the credibility Aaron has amassed via his nonpartisan reputation for seeking the truth, he uniquely fills the void in the programming landscape dominated by polarizing political commentary which simply echoes the point of view of its audience.  Because Aaron reaches people across the entire political spectrum and provides them with accurate and balanced information, ‘The Aaron Harber Show’ has the potential to be transformational at a time the Media urgently needs to meet the obligations of the Fourth Estate.”