News Byte: WABC’s Bill Ritter Meets with Students

On October 27, New York Tech students had the opportunity to discuss the 2020 election during a community conversation with seven-time Emmy award-winning reporter Bill Ritter.

The event, which was part of the New York Tech Votes initiative, was coordinated by the Office of International and Experiential Education in partnership with Jamel Vanderburg, M.P.A., adjunct instructor of interdisciplinary studies.

As an anchor for Eyewitness News on WABC-TV New York, Ritter has recently covered New York City’s long early voting lines, as people showed up in record numbers to cast their vote. During the virtual visit with New York Tech students, he shared his concerns and hopes for the country, all while expressing the importance of casting one’s vote.

Ritter covered some of the biggest concerns on the minds of Americans, including social justice issues and the growing economic divide. In fielding questions from students, Ritter fact-checked election claims about both presidential candidates, including questions about former Vice President and candidate Joe Biden’s tax proposals and the impact of President Donald Trump’s economic policies on the middle class.

He also discussed how the election could have delayed results well past November 3, with cases going to the Supreme Court, which could leave Americans without a clear winner until, possibly, the second week of December. Despite these snags, Ritter reminded students that every vote does matter and that they should still cast their ballots if they had not already.

This was not the first time Ritter met with New York Tech students. In 2017, Vanderburg’s class visited the ABC news studio and met with Eyewitness News reporters to discuss the need for fact-checking and media literacy.

Throughout his career, Ritter has covered monumental events such as the crash of TWA Flight 800, the death of Princess Diana, the trials of O.J. Simpson, and the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing, among many others.