Last Questions and Answers ever tonight

Time Magazine

I know this forum isn't a noticeboard and apologies if this sort of thing isn't allowed, but I'm sure some viewers of this forum would appreciate a reminder that tonight will be the last time Questions and Answers will air.

There's a write-up about it here and a nice piece about John Bowman here. Both worth a read.

sovtek

i think that it's going to be missed and would not be surprised if RTE don't have anything to replace it.

solice

sovtek wrote: »

i think that it's going to be missed and would not be surprised if RTE don't have anything to replace it.

They do, Pat Kenny has a new political show starting. Not sure of its format though, panel or 1 on 1 interviews

JonathanAnon

Fergus Finlay was the best so far tonight. Not usually a fans of his, but he certainly saved his best for last.

Interesting enough show.

Het-Field

An interesting, and nostalgic show in many ways. I cant believe I have been compelled to watch it every Monday night for over five years now.


However, it is no loss. The format was trite, the questions sanitised, and the audience partisan. It had almost lost its ability to act of any public sevice, until that night five weeks ago when Michael O Brien stuck us all to our chairs. Like the Lenihan Moment, like the McDowell moment, like the Adams moment, like the McCreevy moment, it will go down in TV history, as a most powerful piece of TV. At least RTE didnt try to moderate, or censor it.

In spite of the powerful contribution of Mr O Brien, I had become weary of seeing the same rubbish trotted out each week. It has gotten worse and worse through the ineptitude of the Front Benches of both parties. Harney is the only Minister who can properly engage the show. The rest have NO ability at all to engage with the media.

I wish Mr Bowman well for the future, and Im sure we shall see him again on RTE very soon.

Tony EH

Anyone know why Q and A is being axed?

It was easilly the best current affairs program on Irish TV.

Have to say, I am really very sorry to see it go.

Tony EH

solice wrote: »

They do, Pat Kenny has a new political show starting. Not sure of its format though, panel or 1 on 1 interviews

:rolleyes:

You've got to be kidding?

Joey the lips

Tony EH wrote: »

Anyone know why Q and A is being axed?

It was easilly the best current affairs program on Irish TV.

Have to say, I am really very sorry to see it go.

Thats why its being axed in my opinion. Having been a studio audience member many times I came to the conclusion that the program was very pc in its approch. as john screened the questions I felt this wrong although tried to understand the motives i could not be brought to the same conclusions as he intended.

Primetime is the closest replacement but it lacks in participation

Time Magazine

Tony EH wrote: »

Anyone know why Q and A is being axed?

There's a bit about it in the piece I linked to at the top. Dr. Bowman is contracted to do a historical documentary and is approaching retirement so RTÉ decided it'd be best to pull the plug now.

ednwireland

its been axed because bowman hasnt managed to get a politician to answer a question in 21 years.

if thats the best god help us, audience filled with party cronies, there might have been questions but very few answers i used to watch 10 mins and turn off in frustration.

(not that anyone else will do any better)

eagle eye

ednwireland wrote: »

its been axed because bowman hasnt managed to get a politician to answer a question in 21 years.

if thats the best god help us, audience filled with party cronies, there might have been questions but very few answers i used to watch 10 mins and turn off in frustration.

(not that anyone else will do any better)

Party cronies you say, I personally know about ten regular audience members who have no affilition to any political wing/party etc. Just an avid interest in politics. Four of them were there last night too.

Also it was a show where questions were asked to a panel and not an individual. I thought it was a very good show myself but like all shows it eventually ran its course and it was time to move on. I have never been an avid watcher, maybe tuned in three times a season.

swiss

I've been watching Questions and Answers on and off for the last number of years and while I agree that the questions are sanitised at least it adds structure to the discussion. As for politicians not answering questions, well that's a feature of politics and I don't see that changing even if a new format was introduced.

Last nights show was interesting, and what I found especially prescient was the debate at the end which looked to a possible future and discussed what I see as an impending energy crisis.

Time Magazine

swiss wrote: »

impending energy crisis.

It's not as urgent as everyone claims. If the price of oil rises, people will stop putting the heat on as much all by themselves. Very few non-economists factor this sort of thing into their analyses.

FTA69

I thought Cowen was very good to be honest, it was his best media performance in a long time.

Het-Field

FTA69 wrote: »

I thought Cowen was very good to be honest, it was his best media performance in a long time.

TBH, im getting worried that these sort of platforms are being utiliserd for "state of the nation addresses". If so, the Cowen must be one of the most visionless politicians in the country. He has only ever spoken about "working together", "getting involved", and "helping each other out". He has never even alluded to the state of the country, nor has he articulated any plan to remove us from this mess.

A one on one interview, on the final night of a show, which is gushing with nostalgia can give the impression of Cowen performing, but in reality he was simply trotting out the staple lines.

Tony EH

The Economist wrote: »

There's a bit about it in the piece I linked to at the top. Dr. Bowman is contracted to do a historical documentary and is approaching retirement so RTÉ decided it'd be best to pull the plug now.

But that's no reason to axe the show IMO. Bowman is only a presenter. Olivia Leary did it before him. They could easilly have got another presenter to do it.

Tony EH

ednwireland wrote: »

its been axed because bowman hasnt managed to get a politician to answer a question in 21 years.

if thats the best god help us, audience filled with party cronies, there might have been questions but very few answers i used to watch 10 mins and turn off in frustration.

(not that anyone else will do any better)

When was the last question you heard answered by any poliitician? Evasion and let's be honest, outright lying, is part and parcel of the political brief.

At least in a cross panel discussion, there was a chance for someone to call out a politician's "answer", which happened often.

It happened last night, when Fergus Finlay showed up John Waters' nonsense about Brian Lenihan for what it was.

I, too, would liked to have seen the audience peppered with less political partisans (ie none), but it wasn't full to the brim with them either, in fairness.

The_Minister

Joey the lips wrote: »

Thats why its being axed in my opinion. Having been a studio audience member many times I came to the conclusion that the program was very pc in its approch. as john screened the questions I felt this wrong although tried to understand the motives i could not be brought to the same conclusions as he intended.

Primetime is the closest replacement but it lacks in participation

Having been in the audience and having to sit near some of the Shinners, I'm very glad that they 'sanitised' the questions.
During the Lisbon programme I thought there might be a riot.

FTA69 wrote: »

I thought Cowen was very good to be honest, it was his best media performance in a long time.

So did I, and I am not a fan.
For a brief moment I knew what it was like to have a real Taoiseach again.

Red Alert

Are you saying that the Shinner's views are less valid than your own because you happen to support Lisbon and they don't. No matter how ridiculous they are, if they have a mandate it's the mark of a democratic country that they're allowed speak.

I think in a format where there's only half an hour that there's some selection of the questions necessary so there can be a decent open-ended discussion about them.

FTA69

Het-Field wrote: »

TBH, im getting worried that these sort of platforms are being utiliserd for "state of the nation addresses". If so, the Cowen must be one of the most visionless politicians in the country. He has only ever spoken about "working together", "getting involved", and "helping each other out". He has never even alluded to the state of the country, nor has he articulated any plan to remove us from this mess.

A one on one interview, on the final night of a show, which is gushing with nostalgia can give the impression of Cowen performing, but in reality he was simply trotting out the staple lines.

I never said he was engaged in cutting debate, emerging victorious in a battle of wits. I said he gave a good performance. Yes, he did throw out platitudes and warble on about sh*t, but it was effective from a publicity point of view and like it or not it gave the effect of him being an honest, hard-working and amiable man. He's still a prick in my eyes though.