A group of major news organizations, including ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, PBS, NBC, NPR, The Associated Press, and others, have issued a joint statement urging both presumptive presidential nominees, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, to commit to participating in televised debates before Election Day. The statement emphasized the importance of general election debates in American democracy and highlighted the tradition that has been in place since 1976.

While Trump has expressed willingness to debate his 2020 rival, Biden has not committed to debating him again. The news organizations stressed that the high stakes of this election make it crucial for the candidates to debate their visions for the future of the nation before the American people. The statement also mentioned the three presidential and one vice-presidential forums set by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.

The Trump campaign has already indicated the president's willingness to debate anytime, anywhere, and any place, citing the historic Lincoln-Douglas debates as an example of the importance of such discussions. However, they have also raised concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the debate moderators selected by the commission.

Biden, on the other hand, has not committed to the debates, with his campaign pointing to the president's behavior as a determining factor. The news organizations' statement comes amidst declining television news ratings and increased interest in news during the pandemic.

The call for debates was supported by a wide range of news outlets, including C-SPAN, NewsNation, USA Today, and Univision. The statement noted that while invitations have not been formally issued, it is important for the candidates to publicly state their support for and intention to participate in the commission's debates planned for this fall. If no debate is held in 2024, it would break a streak that dates back to the 1976 election between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.