After months of planning and weeks of rehearsals, we will finally unveil Upfront with Katie Hannon on Monday night at 10.35pm.
The format is a nod to Questions and Answers – which ended its run in 2009, having been an integral part of the national conversation for more than two decades.
The difference now is that the audience isn't just the people who can come in to studio.
We will have a wider audience of people online – and their questions and comments will help drive the Monday night TV programme. But beyond that, we’ll be updating and engaging online across the week – and publishing an interview podcast mid-week.
We’ll also be getting on the road around the country, which is something I’m really excited about.
In reality, Upfront will not just be something that involves turning up on a Monday night, doing the programme, turning out the lights, and going home. It’s more than a TV show.
We aim to fill a gap in the Irish media landscape: to create a space where the people who are making decisions can come face-to-face with the people whose lives are impacted.
Upfront is about accountability. It's about the social contract.
People who will be seeking our votes – whether in government or in opposition – will be challenged to explain why they deserve our support. They will be given an opportunity to set out their positions, to get buy in from the people, and a chance to answer questions put to them by the public, not the media.
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It’s being launched at an important time. Soon, there will be a crucial election. We’ll have a decision to make. We will try to give people a forum to help them make that choice.
But it will be about much more than politics. I hope that we will be about having the kinds of conversations people have in their living rooms or the pub, or in their WhatsApp groups.
In a world where facts have lost their power, we know that it’s people and their stories and experiences that can change minds. So, if somebody has a story to tell, they will be given the space to tell that story too.
Launching a new TV programme – launching anything new – is daunting. But it’s also hugely exciting. The make-up of our panels will be important, but the make-up of our audiences will be just as important.
This is a programme for our times, and we want people to feel like they have ownership of it. If you want to get involved, get in touch.
upfront@rte.ie | Whatsapp: 087 677 1000 | @RTEUpfront|
