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Debate Reform: Online Debate Hosted by Conservative New Media
Working Prototype
The CNBC debacle may have been the straw that broke the elephant’s back. Republican campaign managers are considering holding a debate on their own terms and the RNC has cordially uninvited NBC from an upcoming debate. I am aware that Ricochet has approached the candidates in the past about hosting and was rebuffed. It should try again — now — and propose an innovative new debate format, co-hosted by two other leading conservative new media organizations in which:
- Candidates don’t appear onstage together
- There is no live audience or auditorium
- Candidates receive a question, record their answers on video (smartphone is fine) and submit their answers back to the moderator, all within 30 minutes or so per question
- The video answers are quickly assembled into a YouTube channel where they can be viewed together in order (just like a a debate on TV) or a-la-carte as individual questions, answers and rebuttals (enabling wide syndication on social media)
A few of us produced a working prototype on a YouTube channel here with placeholder stock videos in place of the candidates’ statements.
The benefits are many, including:
- Thoughtful questions from people who represent the primary voters, not NBC news.
- A civilized in-depth debate in which candidates compete on the field of ideas.
- Freedom from time limitations imposed by TV time-slots, ads and program scheduling.
- Elimination of the advertiser-friendly, reality TV nonsense such as playing to the audience and clown questions.
- A shining example of how the Republicans are the party of the people and of the future — not the whipping boys/girls for the paleo-media.
- Wide exposure and a positive impression for Ricochet and other co-sponsors.
- Best of all, it is practically free.
Here is how it would work:
- Ricochet and two other conservative media outlets (e.g., National Review, The Weekly Standard, etc.) form a debate host committee. Ideally choose three new media outlets that represent the left, right, and center of the party and movement. The combined group probably has more reach to likely primary voters than a network like CNBC.
- Each publication nominates one administrator, three questioners, and one moderator/host from their own staff, their freelancers, or even from one of the other two publications. (e.g., National Review might think that Ricochet’s Peter Robinson would be the best moderator and host … and they would be right.) The administrators set the rules and vote on all business matters. The questioners form questions and submit them to the moderator in writing. The moderator/host asks the questions and handles niceties. (See #5 below about how the questions and answers are handled very differently than previous debates.)
- The three administrators decide how many candidates and who to invite to the debate. (Again, see #5 below for why this format can accommodate a wide field.)
- Give each candidate one “blackball” card to play for questioners. If a prospective questioner gets more than (n) blackballs, he or she cannot participate.
- The debate is not a live event in the traditional sense. There is no audience to pack with supporters. Candidates are not on screen or miked up while the other is speaking. They can’t upstage the others by sighing, interrupting, or mugging for the cameras.
- Questions are emailed to the candidates at the same time. They are given five minutes to record a response and post the video to a shared YouTube channel. This channel is not (yet) open to the public, but is open to the candidates. They can see and rebut each other for another 10 minutes. Once all rebuttals are posted, the moderator assembles the responses and rebuttals in a YouTube playlist in a random (or pre-arranged, fair order) and then publishes the playlist to the world. Anyone who wants to see the entire question, all answers, and all rebuttals can do so.
- Repeat step #6 above for a reasonable number of questions.
- YouTube gets to sell advertising on all of the videos (political ads are not permitted, of course). The paleo-media (television, newspapers) can use the footage under the same agreements that they currently air clips from each other’s debates.
- Ricochet and the other sponsoring entities get branding opportunities on-screen, pre-roll and on the YouTube channel page.
- Tons of free distribution on social media
C’mon, Ricochet. Ask the candidates again — today! If we could pull this off it could provide wide exposure for Ricochet.
Published in General
So after a week of (well-deserved) recriminations directed at RNC chair Reince Priebus, the Paleomedia and their champion President have turned the narrative about the CNBC debate away from the shameful and biased behavior of the CNBC hosts and executives and now it’s simply an example of how Republicans can’t handle tough questions.
Worse yet – the world has failed to embrace our idea of an asynchronous online debate. :)
The RNC showed some guts by firing NBC but it appears that it will proceed with more lousy multi-podium cable TV cluster-shtups while Trump (not my guy) shows them how it ought to be done by holding a presser on Facebook.
Why am I not surprised.
Conservatives are – you know – conservative, which is what we kinda like about them, right? Except sometimes it pays to be daring and to adopt innovation. If not first, at least as a fast follower.
Technology is a good example of a discipline where it pays to be conservative when you have something to protect and it REALLY doesn’t when you are the insurgent.
Guess which one the Republican Party is when it comes to the media.
This article in Wired about the 3rd CTO of the RNC in as many years explains quite a bit.
I wonder if instead of trying to disrupt the debate format, we ought to be developing the Uber of political parties; one which radically shifts power from the odiously ossified career political “managers” like Priebus and and the other rear-echelon Louie DePalma’s of the political world to a more innovative and responsive alternative.
http://www.wired.com/2015/11/gop-hires-silicon-valley-vet-to-up-the-partys-tech-game/
This. Good on you DfB for venturing to pioneer.
Paleo-Channel debate formats are conspicuously designed to serve the interests of the Channel, rather than the candidates or the viewers. That disseminating important information in the most effective and efficient manner currently feasible has to be such a “radical idea” is clear evidence that economic and political interests are consistently eclipsing the truth.
Keep pressing on, man. The Truth finds a way.
Thanks. Will do.
It is insane nothing like this has been tried. The best we can do in these debates from “new media” is Youtube questions from “muslim” Bernie Sanders supporters??? Sheeeezzeee
We can help fix that by holding lower profile debates. If we do a good debate for a statewide race, we might be able to do something Presidential. If we insist on only having the dessert, I don’t see why we should believe that our current failure will transform into success.
Might you be able to organize a debate for your statewide primary officials, or for a Congressional primary? There’s every reason to believe that when this succeeds, it will be because of a member led effort.
Actually like this idea quite a bit….. Might be interesting to do something c0-sponsored by Ricochet and The Beacon Center of Tennessee.