PRI and WNYC Present: America's Water Cooler

Public Radio International and WNYC Radio Present

"Your Billion Dollar President"
With John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji

The First in a Four-Part Election Series Featuring the Hosts Of WNYC and PRI's Upcoming Morning Drive News Program

More than one billion dollars will be spent by each party's nominee in pursuit of the Presidency -- on everything from political ads and commercials to pizzas, Spanish translators and ringtones.

On Tuesday, November 6 - exactly one year before the next presidential election - PRI and WNYC Radio will present "Your Billion Dollar President" with John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji, a look at what (or how much) it takes to get elected and what the candidates' spending, marketing, and campaigning say about the state of our democracy.

"Your Billion Dollar President" is the first of a series of four monthly Election Specials featuring the hosts of the upcoming morning drive news program from WNYC and PRI, which will be produced in collaboration with the BBC, the New York Times, and WGBH Radio. The Election Specials are an opportunity for listeners to meet Hockenberry and Udoji and experience the signature tone, attitude, interactivity and interests that will drive the morning show. The series will air on public radio stations around the country. "Your Billion Dollar President" will air on stations including WGBH/Boston, KUOW/Seattle, KCUR/Kansas City, and WHYY/Philadelphia, among others (check local listings).

"Your Billion Dollar President" will originate from WNYC's studios in New York, the home of the future morning show. Upcoming Election Specials will originate from partner cities, with the final special bringing the hosts back to WNYC on February 5 for live coverage of Super Duper Tuesday.

"Your Billion Dollar President" will examine how campaigns are targeting narrow communities of voters and whether those messages are being heard. It will look at how the act of contributing to a campaign changes a voter's sense of engagement. And it will put forward provocative questions about the relationship between money and power following two controversial and very close Presidential election cycles.

Some of the morning show's digital components will be previewed on an Election Special companion website, www.billiondollarpresident.org, which will offer additional content (including video) and interactive features that will help listeners better understand choices being made by campaigns and the choices they will have to make on Election Day.

"Your Billion Dollar President" can be heard on WNYC on Tuesday, November 6 at 3pm on 93.9 FM, at 7pm on AM 820, and via live streaming and on-demand at wnyc.org.

The morning show, a daily two hour live broadcast, will launch in early 2008, and will be co-produced by PRI and WNYC, in collaboration with the BBC, the New York Times, and WGBH Radio.