DETROIT (May 7, 2015) – For the fifth year in a row, The Detroit Regional Chamber and Detroit Public Television (DPTV) will collaborate to provide Michigan citizens with the highest level of access to the Mackinac Policy Conference’s content. The Conference, held May 27th through May 29th on Mackinac Island, Mich., will feature top-level speakers, insightful panels and other programming with nearly 1,500 statewide business, government and community leaders on-site.

Since 2011, the Chamber and DPTV have worked together to significantly broaden access to the event. Each year, an average of nearly 50,000 unique audience members watch at least some part of DPTV’s Mackinac Policy Conference coverage via computers and tablets during and immediately after the event.

Building on past successes, DPTV will broadcast, webcast and produce other content from the Conference and make it available via its multiple television channels and Web platforms, so the public can experience the significant discussion of the most important issues facing Michigan. All content, including live streams, will also be offered, at no cost, to any public or commercial broadcast outlet, as well as all other news organizations in Michigan, to continue to make coverage of the Conference as accessible as possible.

DPTV plans to broadcast and/or webcast:

• Coverage of virtually every Conference session, featuring speakers and panel discussions
• A daily half-hour recap of Conference activity
• Live and recorded interviews with speakers, Conference participants and analysts

DPTV coverage will be anchored by Christy McDonald, with analysis from Detroit Free Press Pulitzer Prize-winning Editorial Page Editor Stephen Henderson and Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley.

“Working with DPTV has allowed us to reach a larger audience each year and firmly establish this Conference as Michigan’s Center Stage,” said Sandy K. Baruah, President and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber. “This year the Chamber welcomes speakers who will help Michigan’s leaders prioritize talent, urban revitalization and cohesion. We are glad to partner with DPTV to again bring this discussion to audiences throughout Michigan.”

“Together with the Chamber, we want to bring this one-of-a-kind Conference to even more of Michigan and the nation,” said Rich Homberg, President and CEO of Detroit Public Television. “We are making our embed code available to every news organization that would like to stream all or part of the Conference and any business or nonprofit that would like to offer the content on its website. This is how we can use the power of public media to help solve Michigan’s most important issues.”

Through its MiVote.org project, Detroit Public Television is seeking to engage more citizens in meaningful discussions about Michigan’s future. The Chamber believes DPTV’s focus on issues continues to make them an ideal partner for the Conference.

DPTV’s coverage of the 2015 Mackinac Policy Conference is made possible with the support of the DTE Energy Foundation, ITC Holdings, MASCO Foundation and PVS Chemicals.

About the Detroit Regional Chamber

Serving the business community for more than 100 years, the Detroit Regional Chamber is one of the oldest, largest and most respected chambers of commerce in the country. The Chamber’s mission of powering the economy for Southeast Michigan is carried out through economic development, education reform, regional collaboration and providing valuable benefits to members. For more information, please visit detroitchamber.com.

About Detroit Public Television

Detroit Public Television (DPTV)-WTVS-TV is the non-commercial, viewer-supported PBS member station serving the nation’s 11th largest television market, with 1.5 million weekly viewers in Southeast Michigan and 1.2 million weekly viewers across Canada. DPTV is a leader in programming related to health and the environment, public affairs, arts and culture and children. It is also a leading national producer and distributor of programming for Public Television, and winner of a 2012 Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Award, as well as the only dual PBS licensee / entertainment label in the country, operating as DPTV Media.  For more information, visit www.dptv.org

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