With the list of presidential candidates growing and the engines behind political campaigns building steam in a race that's wide open, it can be difficult to make informed decisions about candidates and know where they stand on the issues.

COMMITMENT COVERAGE TIMELINE Commitment 2000 Hearst-Argyle becomes the first of the largest TV station groups to announce that it will commit a minimum of five minutes of nightly airtime to "candidate-centered" coverage in the 30 days leading up to the election. The pledge becomes a cornerstone of the company's Commitment 2000 effort to provide comprehensive political-news coverage throughout election cycle and earns its first Walter Cronkite Award. Commitment 2002 Hearst-Argyle launches Commitment 2002, a followup to its industry-leading Commitment 2000 election-coverage effort. Like Commitment 2000, Commitment 2002 goes on to earn a prestigious Walter Cronkite Award from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. Commitment 2004 Hearst-Argyle stations once again set the pace in political news coverage with Commitment 2004, producing 65 hours of candidate/issue-centered coverage in the 30 days leading up to the November election; 29 prime-time debates and town hall meetings; and 32 one-on-one programs. The group earns its third consecutive Walter Cronkite Award for its efforts. Commitment 2006 Hearst-Argyle, as part of its Commitment 2006 project, raises the bar on local TV coverage of the electoral process with a pledge of a minimum 10 minutes' airtime daily political coverage leading up to primaries and elections. Hearst-Argyle is awarded its fourth consecutive Walter Cronkite Award.

That's why Hearst-Argyle Television stations nationwide continue an aggressive commitment to our viewers with award-winning political news coverage we call Commitment 2008.

Since 2000, our television stations have made a commitment to viewers that we will devote more time than anyone in our markets to political coverage, on the air and online.

What you will get with Commitment 2008 is in-depth, original coverage with real-time livestreaming webcasts of candidate debates, blogs, exclusive research poll data, podcasts, expert analysis, candidates' appearance schedules and issue grids.

Hearst-Argyle stations are recognized for their news coverage of the electoral process.

Hearst-Argyle Television has been honored three times with the Walter Cronkite Award -- the premier honor for political news reporting -- from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School.

In 2006, our stations aired 10 minutes per day of political coverage in the 30 days leading up to the election. Our Commitment project has become a national model for other broadcasters, and remains an important part of our mission.

In the last presidential election during the Commitment 2004 political coverage project, Hearst-Argyle stations produced:

65 hours of candidate and issue-centered coverage in the 30 days leading up to the November election

29 locally produced prime-time debates and town hall meetings of at least an hour in length

32 one-on-one half-hour programs, focusing on candidate interviews and ballot initiatives

The group earned its third consecutive Walter Cronkite Award for its Commitment 2004 efforts.