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Exchange Exemplar: Debate On TV, The Old Way

White House Photo Office/Wikimedia
William F. Buckley with a friend he helped get into office.

Having people with different viewpoints debate each other on television is nearly as old as TV itself. 

But the shoutfests of today common to the cable news channels bear little resemblance to some of the meatier discussions of earlier days.  Like the ones hosted by conservative icon William F. Buckley, on his show "Firing Line." 

The creation of the show and its legacy are examined by Heather Hendershot in the book Open to Debate: How William F. Buckley Put Liberal America on the Firing Line.  Our interview about the show and its effect on politics is from 2017, and we replay it here. 

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The Jefferson Exchange is Jefferson Public Radio's daily talk show focused on news and interests across our region of Southern Oregon and Northern California. Angela Decker is the senior producer, Charlie Zimmermann is the assistant producer, and Geoffrey Riley hosts the show.