ABC is jumping head-first into the New York City mosque debate with a special town hall edition of “This Week with Christiane Amanpour” focusing on Islam in America and a “20/20” prime time special with Diane Sawyer on the same topic. Amanpour will tape the town hall tomorrow night in New York City at ABC’s Times Square Studios. It will air Sunday, October 3. Amanpour lives in New York but commutes to DC for her show.
The “20/20” special airs Friday night at 10pmET. This is Sawyer’s first primetime special since taking over as anchor of “World News” late last year.
The ABC press release is after the jump…
ABC NEWS EXPLORES ISLAM IN AMERICA
In Depth Reporting from Diane Sawyer on “20/20” and
A Special “This Week” Town Hall Debate Moderated by Christiane AmanpourThe recent controversy over the building of an Islamic community center near Ground Zero has sparked a nationwide conversation about Islam. Last week, ABC News began a dialogue about the Islamic faith with “Good Morning America’s” three-part series “Faith and Fear – Islam in America.” The discussion continues this week with special editions of “20/20” and “This Week with Christiane Amanpour.”
There are many misconceptions about Muslims and the religion of Islam. On Friday, October 1, “20/20” gets answers to some of the central questions about the religion with “Diane Sawyer Reporting: Islam — Questions & Answers.” Sawyer along with Bill Weir and Lama Hasan search for answers to five questions viewers have submitted: What is Islam? Why Do Radicals Feel Violence is Justified? Is Western Culture at Odds with Islam? Where is the Moderate Muslim Voice? How Can We All Get Along?
In a special “This Week” town hall meeting, Christiane Amanpour invites leaders from the Muslim and non-Muslim community to explore issues surrounding the perception of Islam in a debate format. The town hall meeting airs Sunday, October 3 on “This Week with Christiane Amanpour.”
After the broadcast concludes, the conversation will continue on ABCNews.com and at facebook.com/abcnews, where a special digital roundtable moderated by Christiane Amanpour will be live streamed so ABCNews.com users and people on Facebook can participate in the debate and voice their opinions.
David Sloan is executive producer of “20/20” which airs Fridays at 10:00 p.m. Ian Cameron is the executive producer of “This Week with Christiane Amanpour” which airs Sundays on the ABC Television Network (check local listings).