Top journalists and political strategists will offer straightforward assessments of the campaigns and the press while exploring the role that media has in shaping the national political discourse at public events during the national political conventions in Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C.

Politics & the Media: Bridging the Political Divide in the 2012 Elections will be hosted by Geoffrey Cowan of the Center on Communication Leadership & Policy at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Norman Pearlstine of Bloomberg and Trey Grayson of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The discussions are open to the press and the public. Limited seating is available and registration required. To RSVP, visit communicationleadership.usc.edu, email commlead@usc.edu or call (213) 337-3100. Viewers may also watch the events live online at bloomberg.com/live-stream.

Sunday, Aug. 26 (Tampa, Fla.)

2-3:30 p.m. The Bloomberg Link, 601 S. Harbour Island — second floor, Knightspointe at Harbour Island, Tampa, Fla.

Confirmed participants: Jill Abramson, executive editor, The New York Times; Russ Schriefer, political and media strategist, Romney for President; Charles Spies, founder and treasurer, Restore Our Future; Al Hunt, Washington editor, Bloomberg News; Dan Schnur, director, Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics and senior fellow, USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy.

Monday, Sept. 3 (Charlotte, N.C.)

2-3:30 p.m, The Bloomberg Link, Epicentre — Level 3, 210 E. Trade St., Charlotte, N.C.

Confirmed participants: Marcus Brauchli, executive editor, The Washington Post; Matt Bai, chief political correspondent, The New York Times Magazine; Olivia Ma, news and politics manager, YouTube; Ben LaBolt, press secretary, Obama for America; Al Hunt, Washington editor, Bloomberg News; Dan Schnur, director, Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics and senior fellow, USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy. Hunt will serve as program moderator.

The program will also include a presentation by Schnur and Los Angeles Times Washington Bureau Chief David Lauter on results from the USC Annenberg-Los Angeles Times Poll on “Politics and the Press,” which was conducted immediately following the announcement of Rep. Paul Ryan as the Republican candidate for vice president.

“We are delighted to partner with Bloomberg and Harvard’s Institute of Politics to bring together some of the field’s brightest leaders for an insightful discussion on the ways the press, including new media, are setting the tone for political debate as the nation heads into a spirited general election campaign,” Cowan said.

Pearlstine, chief content officer for Bloomberg, added: “Our job is to inform the public with facts about the critical issues in this year’s U.S. elections,” said “By joining forces with USC Annenberg and Harvard, we will have a substantive debate about the role of the media in shaping political dialogue and the importance of accurate, nonbiased and precise reporting.”

The Annenberg Foundation provides funding for the Center on Communication Leadership & Policy’s initiatives exploring the role of media in the nation’s democracy.

For a live feed of the events, visit  bloomberg.com/live-stream/