Legislator wants to move speech to night

February 24, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

COLUMBUS (AP) — Move over “Jeopardy!”

An Ohio lawmaker is looking to add a little dash to the state’s nighttime TV programming by moving the governor’s yearly State of the State address to 7 p.m.

State Rep. Tim DeGeeter, a Parma Democrat, says it bugs him that most Ohioans are at work and away from their TVs at noon, the traditional delivery time for the annual policy address.

DeGeeter says his proposal aims to give people more direct access to their government.

Governors in 27 states deliver their State of the State speeches during the day, in speeches beginning anywhere from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bulk of the daytime speeches are clustered around midday, when many working people have the ability to watch it on TV, listen on the radio or stream it on the Web during their lunch hours.

The remaining 23 governors give their speeches in the evening, according to information compiled by The Associated Press, often with the idea that it will grab the attention of more TV viewers. Nine of those begin speaking at 5, 6 or 6:30 p.m., when television newscasts are live. The remainder talk at 7.