DALLAS, Jan. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Television company Belo Corp. (NYSE:  BLC) announced today that its stations provided free airtime to 135 congressional and gubernatorial candidates across the U.S. during the 2012 election season through the Company's "It's Your Time" program.  In addition, Belo maximized the impact of its voter education efforts by broadcasting an average of 120 minutes per week of political coverage on each of its 14 news-producing television stations in the six weeks leading up to Election Day. 

From September 23 to November 5, Belo television stations aired an average of 87 local and national election-related stories each week.  The coverage included eight debates that gave viewers a focused look at the candidates and their platforms.  Belo re-broadcast an average of 105 stories weekly on the Company's regional and local news channels.

The Company also streamed and archived election-related stories and debates on its 20 station websites and distributed election coverage on its digital multicast subchannels, mobile applications, and station Facebook pages. 

Other highlights of the Company's election coverage during 2012 included:

• A one-hour Texas Republican U.S. Senate debate which aired on all Belo Texas television stations including WFAA-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth, KHOU-TV in Houston, KENS-TV in San Antonio, and KVUE-TV in Austin. The debate was streamed on each station's website as well as on Belo's regional cable news channel, TXCN.  It was also streamed on the website of The Dallas Morning News and made available statewide to Texas radio stations and Spanish television stations.  This debate was followed by an additional one-hour Texas Republican runoff debate hosted by WFAA;
• a one-hour Texas U.S. Senate debate hosted by WFAA between Republican and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz and Democrat and former State Representative Paul Sadler;
• a one-hour Washington state gubernatorial debate hosted by KING-TV in Seattle/Tacoma between Democrat and former U.S. Congressman Jay Inslee and Republican Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna; and,
• a one-hour gubernatorial debate hosted by WCNC-TV in Charlotte between  Democrat and former Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton and Republican and former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory.

"The political coverage our stations provide our local communities is essential to citizens having the information they need to make informed choices," said Dunia A. Shive, Belo's president and Chief Executive Officer.  "Belo is pleased to give candidates the opportunity to air their positions on important issues through the 'It's Your Time' program."

About Belo's "It's Your Time" Program
Belo pioneered the "It's Your Time" program in 1996 to educate viewers on issues facing their local communities.  Each eligible candidate participating in "It's Your Time" receives five minutes of free airtime. Since the program's inception, Belo has provided free airtime to more than 1,100 candidates in nine consecutive election cycles, including 2012.

About Belo Corp.
Television company Belo Corp. (NYSE:  BLC) owns and operates 20 television stations (nine in the top 25 markets) and their associated websites.  Belo stations, which include affiliations with ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and the CW, reach more than 14 percent of U.S. television households in 15 highly-attractive markets.  Belo stations rank first or second in nearly all of their local markets.  Additional information is available at www.belo.com or by contacting Paul Fry, vice president/Investor Relations & Treasury Operations, at 214-977-4465.

SOURCE Belo Corp.