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Round 2: SKY News to air new Gillard / Abbott forum

Here we go again. Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have agreed to a public forum this Wednesday night which will air exclusively on SKY News.

Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have agreed to a public forum this Wednesday night in a forum organised by The Daily Telegraph.

To again be hosted by SKY News Political Editor David Speers The People’s Forum will air exclusively on SKY News.

The town hall-style public forum will take place at Rooty Hill RSL in Western Sydney and will air live Wednesday, August 11 at 6:00pm AEST. 200 undecided voters chosen by the Galaxy polling company will question the leaders separately on their policies.

Speers said, “Modern election campaigns have been criticised for being too controlled. We’re bringing back some old fashioned face-to-face campaigning to give voters a good look at the real Julia Gillard and real Tony Abbott.”

The agreement to the forum follows widespread criticism that the first Leaders’ Debate lacked any passion, and an offer of another Debate from the Seven Network, which was declined by Abbott.

It also comes at a time when SKY News has been looking to upstage the new ABC News 24 channel.

Amended.

32 Responses

  1. Sunrise must be spweing.

    Perhaps they too can have a “forum”, but with parties nobody cares about. It’s baceuse they’re “real”, you see.

  2. How come this is only on PayTV? This is a joke and no wonder why Abbott declined Seven because he is running scared. This is a limited amount of people and quite frankly i have had enough of this person. The quicker we elect Julia and Labor the quicker we can get his face off the tv.

  3. @Carolyn – having Foxtel doesn’t necessarily make someone ‘well off’ or ‘well-in-debt’. I am neither. I have just made a choice with a modest entertainment/recreation budget ($25-50 p/w) to avail myself of pay tv services – each to their own.

  4. But Andrew it’s not like Sky News bought the show, it’s producing it so I have no problem with them having it, anti-siphoning rules don’t apply.

    I’m sure the FTA networks will cover the hell out of it but yes maybe they should have a deal with ABC to have this on their new ABC News 24 channel… oh wait they don’t like each other right LOL

  5. What bullsh*t! I though this was supposed to be a democracy, but our leaders decide to hold their debate on a channel most cannot see, particularly those who cannot afford pay TV. Shame on them.

  6. I agree with the others, it is a shame it is only available for the well off or the well-in-debt. Unfortunately for the rest of us we will have to make our mind up in the dark. It also goes to show that the politicians are still scared of an honest debate the whole nation can see.

  7. @ Craig – 32%, I think – mentioned on Media Week recently.

    With all the complaints about it being on Sky News – maybe politics needs anti-siphoning rules?

    Surely in 2010 – we can move on from everything needing to be on FTA TV?

  8. What is the latest number for Pay TV? I agree Matt, I’m sure it’s more than 5%… it’s like those annoys ads about keeping sport on FTA, if they actually treated it right then it would be on FTA. Give it to the highest bidder I say!

  9. it’s not a debate as Tony said this morning on the Today show. The first hour will be Julia answering the questions then the second and final hour will be all for Tony, so this is more of a dual press conference rather than a debate.

  10. Good point Barry – how do the rest of us see it? Seems like such a waste for only 200 people to attend and a mere handful able to watch it on TV.

  11. Kinda stupid that it airs exclusively to SKY News FTA network would make alot more sense so that the majority of voters can actually watch these two idiots argue with each other.

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