PBS Launches Late-Night Debate Show 'Point Taken'

Combining late night TV with a format, spirited debates and town halls, that has clearly proved a winner in the campaign realm, PBS is launching a news weekly series, Point Taken.

The show, which debuts April 5 at 11 p.m., is produced by anchor PBS programmer WGBH Boston and hosted by journalist (notably of MSNBC) and cofounder of OZY Media, Carlos Watson.

The series, comprising 10 half-hour episodes, will get funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The show will focus on a single topic and feature journalists, artists, academics and experts weighing in, with audiences invited to join as well via polls and social media.

Watson will moderate the discussions.

“From this year’s surprising presidential campaign to the Oscars controversy to evolving church and state boundaries, there could not be a better time to create a wide-open arena for curious people to come together and debate the critical issues facing this country,” said Watson of the show.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.