• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Are Political Debates Useful?

We probably can't put this genie back in its bottle, but speaking from the UK I do think our politics has become coarser and less thoughtful since the introduction of TV debates in 2010.

Before that, we had shows where each party leader in turn faced questions from a studio audience, but didn't directly debate against each other. I wish we could go back to that.
 
BMR said:
We probably can't put this genie back in its bottle, but speaking from the UK I do think our politics has become coarser and less thoughtful since the introduction of TV debates in 2010.

Before that, we had shows where each party leader in turn faced questions from a studio audience, but didn't directly debate against each other. I wish we could go back to that.
Click to expand...

That sounds better than the US version of debates.
 
anotherguy said:
That sounds better than the US version of debates.
Click to expand...

Yes, I think it was.

That said, I would like the idea of the UK adopting the Primary system in some form. The Conservatives had a new leader last year, the Liberals and Labour will have a new one this but only a tiny proportion of the UK will have any participation in any of those internal party elections. We just get to choose from the three options on the ballot paper in the general election.

So please don't think that I think "everything UK good, everything US bad" because that certainly isn't the case.
 
BMR said:
We probably can't put this genie back in its bottle, but speaking from the UK I do think our politics has become coarser and less thoughtful since the introduction of TV debates in 2010.

Before that, we had shows where each party leader in turn faced questions from a studio audience, but didn't directly debate against each other. I wish we could go back to that.
Click to expand...

Yes, I remember in the 1960 Presidential debates when Nixon called JFK a "pinko commie-lover," and JFK responded, "Oh yeah, well at least I ain't ugly."

Oh right - that didn't happen - they were actually civil to each other. Times change. George Will (like him or not) calls it "the coarsening of America." He has a point.
 
LKellerIII said:
Yes, I remember in the 1960 Presidential debates when Nixon called JFK a "pinko commie-lover," and JFK responded, "Oh yeah, well at least I ain't ugly."

Oh right - that didn't happen - they were actually civil to each other. Times change. George Will (like him or not) calls it "the coarsening of America." He has a point.
Click to expand...

I personally wouldn't care if they cursed at each other for a solid hour. So long as they stayed on point. Dwelling on something a candidate said 25 years ago is a useless exchange.
 
TheBigA said:
Debates may not be useful, but they get good ratings.
Click to expand...

Except that we all pretty much agree these are not actual debates and do not lead to a true understanding of the individual candidates.

I get as much valid information out of one of these charades as a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Now that would be good television!
 
landtuna said:
I personally wouldn't care if they cursed at each other for a solid hour. So long as they stayed on point. Dwelling on something a candidate said 25 years ago is a useless exchange.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Too bad they did not do some national surveys to determine what voters cared about the most, and then dedicated segments of the debate cycle to cover the top 10 to 12 subjects... maybe an hour on one of the top 5 and an hour to one of the next 5 predetermined subjects.

That would have been informative and just as interesting.

On the other hand (and knowing that my contacts and friends are not a random sample), I heard lots of associates say "I was embarrassed by my own party" (Democrats, particularly Hispanics), or "They are all incompetent" (independents and Republicans).

The terms "circus" and "gang fight" were used by several friends with whom I exchanged emails.

The most interesting thing I have noted is friends in Hispanic radio and TV who want to disassociate themselves from some or all of the candidates, but who are afraid to "go public" because of the feeling that "all Hispanics are Democrats".

It's interesting how the format of these debates has caused so many people I know to question their party or specific individuals. And I think the cause comes from the TV and cable networks, not from the political process.
 
landtuna said:
E
I get as much valid information out of one of these charades as a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Now that would be good television!
Click to expand...

Bugs Bunny vs. Donald Duck: the Future of Comedy hangs in the balance. Tonight on The Cartoon Network!
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom