2015 Election and the Leaders Debates

Just as I predicted tonights UTV election debate will be in horrendous SD picture quality here is the promo :

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9cpn3inRt9cbGwxTGNHYTVyY3c/preview

Cannot believe this is being shown around the UK , embarrasing.

Still using the 2001 music too...

'Tonight's' debate has actually already happened. It was pre-recorded this afternoon.

UTV Live's 6pm top story was the debate build-up, while at the same time making it very clear that it had actually already happened. Made the whole thing seem like a trailer.

I'm very much looking forward to the political debate but from a set design, graphics and picture quality point of view it'll be a TV Forum disaaaawwster.

Just to say ITV border Scotland is not showing this debate either.

Lens flare in the titles - check.

While probably the best candidate among UTV talent to moderate the debate, Marc could be handling this debate a bit smoother.

Edit 1: And they *still* write out the URL as www.u.tv on the Astons (face palm)

Edit 2: they can't spell the hash tag right on the Astons either

I swear each camera in the studio is set to different levels.

On reflection, that could have been better - yet also worse. The sentimentalist in me liked the fact it's a UTV programme, made in Havelock House, going out on the ITV network.

I think the presentation elements were as expected. However the debate itself, IMO, was rather bland and certainly didn't follow the same format as the other debates this election. This one was more of a general political discussion with short speeches at each end.

I'm pretty sure the BBC affair next week will be more along the lines of the BBC Scotland debates - a proper debate format, live, with a studio audience.

I'd imagine it will be the same set-up, followed by a studio based programme on Friday. Certainly makes sense.

And I notice that the BBC debate will also be on the network. I know they're all on BBC Parliament but they're also showing this on BBC2 as well, which they're not doing with the Scottish and Welsh debates, so maybe there is something in the idea that they're showing them to make up for no NI presence in the other debates. I don't see why they'd need to outside NI, though.

All of the BBC regional debates are on BBC Parliament this weekend.