Twelve major media outlets issued a joint statement urging President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumed nominees, to engage in debates before the November general election.

Signatories include ABC News, The Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, C-SPAN, FOX News Media, NBCUniversal News Group, NewsNation, Noticias Univision (Univision Network News), NPR, PBS NewsHour, and USA TODAY.

They emphasized the importance of debates in upholding democracy, citing their role in presidential elections since 1976.

While Trump expressed willingness to debate Biden at any time, his campaign urged for earlier debate opportunities proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Biden, who won both debates in 2020, has not confirmed participation in 2024 debates, the Washington Examiner has reported.

The Commission has outlined dates and criteria for the debates, with the first scheduled for September 16, 2024.

The media outlets stressed that debates provide voters with insight into the candidates’ visions for the country’s future.

Written by B.C. Begley