Owen to moderate Tuesday U.S. Senate debate

Ken Owen

Commercials for U.S. Senate candidates Evan Bayh and Todd Young have been everywhere on local television recently, but theirs won’t be the only two familiar faces featured on the U.S. Senate debate Tuesday evening.

Greencastle and DePauw community members, as well as long-time local news watchers, will also recognize DePauw Media Relations Director Ken Owen, who will moderate the 7 p.m. event broadcast live from the studios of Indianapolis PBS affliate WFYI.

A 1982 DePauw graduate, Owen spent nearly 20 years as a broadcast journalist, including stints with WXIN, WISH and WRTV in Indianapolis. He returned to his alma mater in 2001.

The hour-long program will feature Democrat Bayh, Libertarian Lucy Brenton and Republican Young, all of whom are running for the seat to be vacated by retiring Sen. Dan Coats.

It’s the second time the Indiana Debate Commission has called upon Owen to moderate. In 2012 he shared a studio with Mike Pence, John Gregg and Rupert Boneham for an Indiana gubernatorial debate televised from Fort Wayne.

Although WFYI is not available in local cable packages, the debate will be broadcast live on WTHR 13 at 7 p.m. Tuesday.