Intelligence Squared U.S. Launches Weekly Debate Show on Public Radio 

Joining WNYC carrying the program weekly are WLRN and WGCU (Miami), KVPR (Central California), WBHM (Birmingham), WYSO (Southern Ohio), and Wyoming Public Radio.

Intelligence Squared U.S., the nation’s leader in provocative nonpartisan debates, has kicked off a weekly show on public radio stations across the country. The hour-long program is now airing on WNYC Radio every Saturday at 6:00 PM ET following All Things Considered, as the veteran media brand transitions to a weekly release schedule across its public radio, podcast, and video platforms.

The weekly show will feature new debates and conversations furthering Intelligence Squared U.S.’s mission of combating extreme polarization by exposing audiences to smart arguments across a range of timely issues. Episodes will come out every Friday in podcast apps and air soon after every week on a range of public radio stations across the country, with more being announced regularly.

The programming schedule for the next two months is as follows:

• August 5: Should We Eat More Processed Foods?
• August 12: Should We Indict Trump?
• August 19: Is Cancel Culture Toxic?
• August 26: Should We Do Away With the SAT?
• September 2: Will AI Do More Harm than Good?
• September 9: Activism in Healthcare
• September 16: Can We Separate Art from the Artist?
• September 23: Is Amazon Good for Small Business?
• September 30: Will Dollar Dominance Last?

To mark the launch of the new weekly show for public radio, Intelligence Squared U.S. will take the stage live on August 31st at PRPD Public Radio Content Conference in New Orleans to debate a timely question: “Is public radio still relevant in a digital world?”

“In our increasingly divided world, Americans deserve a contempt-free zone for hearing both sides of the issues,” said Clea Conner, CEO of Intelligence Squared U.S. "We are thrilled to offer our program on a weekly basis to help expose public radio listeners to a range of ideas on some of the most important questions of our time."

The program was made possible in part by a generous grant from the Laura and Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund, contributing up to $1.25 million over four years to initiate the Debate for Understandingprogram.

"The ability to consider and learn from each other's perspectives is crucial for our democracy to function," said Laura Lauder. "We are thrilled to support Intelligence Squared U.S.'s new program, Debate for Understanding, to enable all Americans to explore the most pressing issues of our time through debates conducted with civility and respect."

The new show builds on a remarkable recent run for the veteran media platform. Just last month, Intelligence Squared U.S. won six Telly Awards for excellence in digital programming. The nonprofit media organization has also produced recent debates in partnership with Bloomberg, IBM, the German Marshall Fund, the Richmond Forum, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and more. The program will continue to air on other public radio stations across the country and via the Intelligence Squared U.S. podcast and YouTube channel.

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S.
Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Through its award-winning live debates and associated programming, the nonprofit organization serves as a model for responsible media in a new age - fair, intelligent, nonpartisan - while restoring critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to public discourse. Recognized as "Best Podcast Event of 2020" by Adweek, Intelligence Squared U.S. reaches millions through multi-platform distribution, including public radio, podcasts, video live streaming, newsletters, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps. With over 220 debates and counting, plus additional podcast and video content, the organization has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics for over a decade. Intelligence Squared U.S. was initiated by The Rosenkranz Foundation, which continues to provide major support.

For more information on Intelligence Squared U.S., contact Ray Padgett (raypadgett@shorefire.com) or Mark Satlof (msatlof@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media.