29 Oct 04
While there were many interesting questions raised and discussed on the program, I'm more interested in hearing what people thought of the behaviour of the audience in comparision to usual british audience.
My view was they displayed an amazing ability not to want to listen to the panel members.
However is this because it is a characteristic of americans, unfamiliarity with the show's format OR the contentiousness of the questions with regards to the current climate in the US?
MÅ¥HÅRM
01 Nov 04
Originally posted by MayharmI didn't see the show in question, but the audience usually seem to have a political agenda, and I get the impression that many of them are involved in politics in some way, whether they are protestors, party members, or from groups like Stop the War, or socialist worker.
While there were many interesting questions raised and discussed on the program, I'm more interested in hearing what people thought of the behaviour of the audience in comparision to usual british audience.
My view was they displayed an amazing ability not to want to listen to the panel members.
[b]However is this because it is a characteristic of ...[text shortened]... R the contentiousness of the questions with regards to the current climate in the US?
MÅ¥HÅRM[/b]
But, the views of the audience are not unanimous and often seem to cover most of the political spectrum - I've even seen audience members arguing with each other!
But yes, the audience can be quite passionate and hostile.
01 Nov 04
Originally posted by VargIndeed, especially when it comes round to election time in the UK or when contentious issues such as poll tax or the iraq war are in the news.
I didn't see the show in question, but the audience usually seem to have a political agenda, and I get the impression that many of them are involved in politics in some way, whether they are protestors, party members, or from groups like Stop the War, or socialist worker.
But, the views of the audience are not unanimous and often seem to cover most of the pol ...[text shortened]... nce members arguing with each other!
But yes, the audience can be quite passionate and hostile.
However in this instance the audience was comprised mostly of americans as it was a special US edition of the show. What you just described as the norm for a british audience, times it by ten for this last show and...well, you get the idea.
I was curious if anyone had any views as to why they were so badly behaved, but it doesn't seem like anyone watched it...(except for chris stephens)
MÅ¥HÅRM
01 Nov 04
Originally posted by MayharmI caught some of it, and I agree the audience behaved worse than any UK audience I've seen. Without being partisan (I'm not really), the Bush supporters seemed worse to me - they boo'd Michael Moore before he spoke on a number of occassions. I thought things got worse as the program went on - I imagine Kerry supporters, consciously or otherwise, copied the Bush supporters.
Indeed, especially when it comes round to election time in the UK or when contentious issues such as poll tax or the iraq war are in the news.
However in this instance the audience was comprised mostly of americans as it was a special US edition of the show. What you just described as the norm for a british audience, times it by ten for this last show and ...[text shortened]... ly behaved, but it doesn't seem like anyone watched it...(except for chris stephens)
MÅ¥HÅRM
I don't know how US audiences normally behave in political programs. If they always behave like this, then my opinion of the US's political system sinks even further. I'd prefer to be charitable and assume that, because things are so polarised this time round, that emotions were particularly high.
Incidentally, the BBC are usually pretty slick at preventing groups packinmg the audience, but all it takes is a couple of SWPers to make a lot of noise.
01 Nov 04
I seen it.
I generally find conservatives and capitalists repulsive people. The show really, really enforeced my point of view on the subject.
The Republican spokesman just get on hammering the same message over and over, interrupting everyone as he went on his way without actually tackling any of the issues being raised.
Moore was consistently booed.
The democractic spokes person (I think that's what he was) was a bumbling idiot.
However, I watched a similar debate (without Moore) on the BBC world service this weekend and I may be getting the two mixed up.
01 Nov 04
Originally posted by RedmikeActually that was part of the question I was asking when I opened this thread, are they unfamiliar with this format of political debate?
I caught some of it, and I agree the audience behaved worse than any UK audience I've seen. Without being partisan (I'm not really), the Bush supporters seemed worse to me - they boo'd Michael Moore before he spoke on a number of occassions. I thought things got worse as the program went on - I imagine Kerry supporters, consciously or otherwise, copied th ...[text shortened]... ing groups packinmg the audience, but all it takes is a couple of SWPers to make a lot of noise.
To the uninitiated Question Time might seem to be designed towards that kind of audience participation, clearly, with too much participation, it doesn't work. This is well understood in the UK it would seem.
In the US, the purpose of engaging the audience seems to have been misunderstood, they were giving their reactions to the panel's responses rather than their thoughts and opinions. As some of the panel mentioned, perhaps they are too used to Jerry Springer type shows?
MÅ¥HÅRM
