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The most important gubernatorial election in Wisconsin history is days away, the two candidates are having their first public debate tonight — and yet the state’s largest newspaper doesn’t carry any notice of the debate?

You’d think, maybe, perhaps, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel would consider this noteworthy. You’d think, maybe, perhaps, the Journal Sentinel would want members of the public to know of the debate so they can watch it and make decisions for themselves, rather then waiting for the pundits to weigh in and pass judgment.

Good luck finding any article about the debate in today’s paper. Yes, there’s a brief mention that the Journal Sentinel will be “live-tweeting” during the debate — but no notice that the debate will be shown live, on television. To find that out, you have to look at the fine print in the television listings in the Weekend Cue section, buried on page 11.

I'm all for social media. But "live-tweeting" does not replace the importance of encouraging civic engagement and letting the public know of important events.

Editor's Note: Purple Wisconsin is a collection of community bloggers with views from across the political spectrum. The Journal Sentinel hosts these blogs as a way to encourage thoughtful debate about the important issues facing Wisconsin and the Milwaukee region. The opinions voiced here are those of the individual bloggers alone; they are responsible for their posts. The Journal Sentinel does not edit or direct the bloggers in any fashion.