May 9, 2005

Radio Debate

The 2005 election campaign's radio debate between Gordon Campbell, Adriane Carr and Carole James demonstrated the importance of format. Unlike the TV debate which contained six subject areas with four minute segments for actual debate, the radio show was more like a political panel than a debate. Like the TV debate, neither James nor Campbell criticized Carr or her party at any time. Unlike the TV debate, Campbell was aggressive in his attacks on James and the NDP.

The debate was interrupted by news broadcasts and advertising, including a Liberal ad, after each 30 minute segment in the 90 minute broadcast. The news interruptions led with the most aggressive clips from Campbell taken from the previous segment. The first segment allowed opening statements from each leader. After the three statements, the host put a single and different question to each leader. The segment concluded with a brief opportunity for rebuttal. That was the closest the program came to a debate format.

The second segment consisted of calls from listeners who put very brief and well worded questions to a leader of their choice. The third segment began the same way and ended with summaries which were like prerecorded ads. In total there were 18 questions from listeners; 14 of the 18 were directed to James on topics that called on her to defend either the record of the past government or a plank in her platform. Campbell was able to follow James on those 14 occasions with no opportunity for rebuttal by James. It didn't matter in which order Carr spoke since she never suffered criticism or attack, no doubt because James wants to attract the Green voters and Campbell wants to help the Green voters take votes from the NDP.

None of the questions were new to the leaders, and only one of the answers was new to those who have followed the campaign carefully. For the first time in months, Campbell referred to the Wright report. Responding to a question to James on how much fair wages for teachers would cost, Campbell said: "That's why we have the Wright report." That is the report which recommends replacing the teachers' right to strike with binding final-offer arbitration. The designation of essential service allows strikes to occur subject to regulation by the Labour Relations Board; the Wright report would ban all strikes. Could it be that Campbell hinted at a major policy change during the radio debate?

The nature of the radio show's audience may be revealed by two instant polls the station conducted, one by the station's website and one by instant cell phone text messaging. In both cases those who responded ranked Campbell as winning by over 80%. That is probably consistent with the station's customary listening audience. The reach of the debate may be limited to how other media, TV and print, interpret the show to their much broader audiences. Some hints on how that may unfold were revealed in an hour long segment that immediately followed the debate with commentators Norman Spector, Keith Baldry, Vaughn Palmer and Moe Sihota. Unlike the relatively tame "debate", some real fire emerged when Palmer attacked Sihota for supporting Harry Lali's campaign. It's too bad the formal debate wasn't as colourful, but with no opportunity for rebuttal few would call it a real debate. Most would agree that the NDP leader maintained her composure and demonstrated that she could take the heat while providing reasoned response.