Scripps will broadcast a special one-hour, ad-free program to discuss equity, diversity, and inclusion. It will air on KPAX on Monday, March 8 from 6 pm to 7 pm.
The episodes of "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel Of Fortune" that were originally scheduled to air on Monday will be broadcast on KPAX on Saturday, March 13, at 6:00 and 6:30 pm.
As part of a commitment to creating a better-informed world, KPAX and the E.W. Scripps Company will run a commercial interruption-free special to spark a national dialogue around implicit bias while advancing conversations at the local level in the 41 markets where it operates.
The hour long special, “Hidden Bias of Good People,” is hosted by Bryant T. Marks, Ph.D., founder and chief equity officer of the National Training Institute on Race and Equity. The program will air on KPAX and KAJ Monday, March 8 from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. The special is interactive and conversational, with a goal of helping viewers understand the unconscious biases we all carry based on our upbringings and environments. Implicit, or unconscious, bias refers to attitudes and beliefs that occur outside of our conscious awareness and control.
A diversity and implicit bias expert, Marks has provided training to police departments and to executives and professionals in educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and local and federal government agencies, among others.
The television special will be broadcast on 61 stations in the 41 local markets where Scripps operates.
“Each of us have experiences and backgrounds that shape how we think and how we interact with the world around us,” said Local Media President Brian Lawlor. “As a steward of the public airwaves with a station footprint that reaches into nearly a quarter of U.S. TV households, Scripps has a powerful platform from which we can help facilitate critical conversations about the implicit biases we all carry and what they mean for how we connect with one another.
“We’re proud to bring this special with Dr. Marks to our viewers in every market in order to provide a safe space for these discussions – neighbor to neighbor – about identity and bias.”
In addition to airing the special, Scripps’ local TV stations are producing multi-platform content to aid viewers in engaging with the topic of implicit bias. Planned content includes an in-depth series on race relations and stories examining the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion to employers and job seekers. Scripps TV stations also will host Facebook Live discussions and Zoom Q&As with local experts.
