WHY Q+A IS TAKING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD TO GLADSTONE. QLD. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING A...
0Why Q+A is taking the show on the road to Gladstone. Qld. and the importance of finding a balanced audience
When Q+A executive producer Erin Vincent took over running the program at the end of 2019 she had a vision to increase the number of shows taken out of the studio and into suburbs and regions across the country. The team got off to a good start in early 2020. hosting a program from communities hit hard by the Black Summer blazes. Then COVID 19 arrived. dashing travel plans. reducing then preventing a live audience. and forcing a swift overhaul of the program's production. Last year. 15 out of 43 shows had no audience at all. 'The pandemic has really forced Q+A to adapt.' Vincent says. 'Our audience is the very essence of the show and so. of course. not having them in the room made a big difference to the energy in the program. 'I remember our studio audience dwindling each week from 250. to a socially distanced room of around 70. dropping to a dozen questioners. then eventually videos from all over the country. 'Also. for the first time in its history. the program couldn't travel into communities. so we did national call outs for questions and the response was amazing. People sent in videos from every corner of the country and it really allowed the program to reflect how differently each state was living at different times. 'One of the things that surprised me was how well the format adapted to all the restrictions and changes. No one was commenting on the fact we'd lost the studio audience. or that a panellist had to join by Skype from their home office. 'Everything about our lives was being up ended and people just wanted trustworthy information from those leading us through the pandemic. 'I'm incredibly proud of the Q+A team and the way they've handled it all during a very challenging two years.' Now. as Australia 'lives' with COVID. Vincent is able to realise her original vision. On Thursday Q+A is being broadcast from the regional Queensland city of Gladstone. in the electorate of Flynn. one of the key seats to watch this election. David Speers is hosting the program. only the second broadcast from a regional area since the pandemic began — last year between lockdowns the team managed to squeeze in a show in Wollongong. Then on April 28. the show will be broadcast from the Brisbane Powerhouse. 'I'm really looking forward to spending some time in Gladstone and hearing from locals in this part of Queensland mid campaign.' says Speers. who also presents Insiders. 'Elections are often a reminder of how politically diverse Australia can be. The priorities and perspectives in regional Queensland can be very different to those in the big cities. 'I think it's important for our national audience and for us journos and program makers to hear these views. discuss the issues in a region facing enormous structural change. and to better understand what's going on in a part of the country that could determine the election outcome.' Staged at the Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre (GECC). the program will welcome a live audience of about 500 people to pose questions to a panel featuring Bob Katter. independent MP for Kennedy. Keith Pitt. Minister for Resources and Water. Murray Watt. Labor senator for Queensland. Amanda Cahill. CEO of The Next Economy. and Bronwyn Fredericks. pro vice chancellor Indigenous engagement at the University of Queensland. 'I only came to Q+A mid pandemic and my first few shows had little or even no audience in the room.' Speers recalls. 'The upside was the ability to bring in video questions from people all over Australia. The downside was losing that atmosphere of a live studio audience and trying to conduct conversations with multiple guests on remote links. 'I much prefer having as many people in the room as possible. both panellists and audience. Conversations flow more naturally and not nearly as much is lost in translation. 'There's nothing quite like the ability for an audience member to look a politician in the eye and ask them a question directly about...
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