Intelligence Squared U.S. Announces Virtual Season of Debates and Programming

This spring, Intelligence Squared U.S. will present an entire season of virtual debates as the nonprofit transforms from a live event series to a digital-first company. These debates will offer both the reasoned argument and high production values fans have come to expect while being taped entirely remotely and appearing across digital video and audio platforms.

Intelligence Squared U.S. is experimenting with a wide array of new ideas and formats, all pulled together in only a few weeks, including one-on-one debates, audio exclusives, livestreaming-from-homes debates, and a new conversation format they are calling "Agree to Disagree." For all of this, they are mailing out professional audio/video kits to all participants to ensure the show maintains its high-quality production values. They are also incorporating the audience just as they would in a live event, letting online viewers ask questions of the debaters and vote to determine the winner.

Debates will address topics both of-the-moment and timeless, including the financial system's pandemic preparedness, the Electoral College, the Defense Production act, gene editing, China, nationalism, and, available today, a conversation on online education that launches "Agree to Disagree."

See the upcoming schedule below, with more virtual debates to be announced.

Friday, April 24: "The Defense Production Act Is Being Underutilized"
Margaret O'Mara (New York Times contributing op-ed writer)
vs.
Thomas Sphoer (Heritage Foundation Center for National Defense director)
Available online now

Friday, May 1: "Agree to Disagree: Online Education"
Ben Nelson (Minerva founder) & David Deming (Harvard professor)
Available online now

Friday, May 8: "The Global Financial System Was Better Prepared for the Pandemic Than 2008"
Jason Furman (Obama economic advisor)
vs.
Gillian Tett (Financial Times editorial board chair)

Friday, May 22: "The Electoral College Has Outlived Its Usefulness"
Kate Shaw (Obama White House associate counsel) & Jamelle Bouie (New York Times opinion columnist)
vs.
Bradley Smith (former Federal Election Commission chairman) & Tara Ross ('Why We Need the Electoral College' author)
In partnership with Northwestern Law

Friday, May 29: "Coronavirus Will Reshape the World Order in China's Favor"
Minxin Pei (author, 'China's Crony Capitalism') & Susan Thornton (former State Department Acting Assistant Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs)
vs.
Kurt M. Campbell (CEO of The Asia Group) & Kishore Mahbubani (former UN Security Council president)
In partnership with Foreign Affairs

Friday, June 5: "Eradicate Disease Through Permanent Gene-Editing"
Alta Charo & Dieter Egli
vs.
Benjamin Hurlbut & Carrie Wolinetz

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)
A non-partisan, non-profit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Their mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse. The award-winning debate series reaches millions of viewers and listeners through through multi-platform distribution, including radio, live streaming, podcasts, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps on Roku and Apple TV. With over 170 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008.

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