[Cymro]

Hey Jason, BBC's "Question Time" is going to be having a special Washington D.C. edition on the 30th of October, and since (I think) you still live there I thought you might want to go.

Question Time is a political debate show that travels around the United Kingdom. The way it works is you have a panel of guests, usually high-ranking figures from the major political parties, as well as some other notable people, journalists, bishops and the like. The audience puts forward some question relevant to current events and each of the panelists as well as members of the audience are offered the chance to comment or put forward an argument.

Wikipedia

Website, including how to apply to be part of the audience.

And a recent example you may enjoy (subject matter is usually a bit more sober).

[Jason Vines]

That looks like an interesting program; thanks for sharing it! Yes, I do still live in Washington, DC, and I probably will for a while.

I'll see if I can go.

[Cymro]

No probs. It's one of those things that makes me happier to pay for my TV License, and I imagine it'll be quite good.

[tomba1701]

Question Time is a phenomenal program. Nothing like the scripted, staged "Town Hall" events that take place in the U.S.

Havig been back in the states for 2 months now, I'm going through withdrawl at not having access to quality, objective, and hard-hitting news reporting. The infotainment factor in the US press has gone through the roof in the three years I've been gone. And the elections make it even worse, with Fox and MSLSD trying to position themselves even more ideologically slanted than before and most of the others playing up the horse race and non-substantive elements of covering the election. ("CNN=Politics" is a slogan now? I'm not sure that is a good thing to be advertising on. CNN should = news and reporting).

Jason - if you can get to the Question Time event in DC, you will not be disappointed.

[Cymro]

Well, I just finished watching it - what a circus! I've never seen David Dimblebee struggle so much to keep it under control, and the boos (that don't happen often in Britain) just say so much about how divided America really is at this juncture.

EDIT: As a side note, it was amusing that the BBC provided the American panellists with poppies.

This post has been edited by Cymro: 31 October 2008 - 08:57 AM

[Jason Vines]

Unfortunately, I did not make the event.

Might video of it be online somewhere?

[Cymro]

I'm not sure, the BBC releases all it's TV over the interweb here, however they don't offer most of it abroad, though they might have made an exception as this was broadcast worldwide, and the Beeb generally shares news related products.

This post has been edited by Cymro: 09 November 2008 - 06:26 PM