Why C-SPAN Is the Only Place I’ll Watch the Harris-Trump Presidential Debate
The least-watched channel on your TV is also the only place I’ve ever watched a presidential debate. And I’ve seen a lot of them – I’ve watched virtually every presidential debate, both primaries and general elections, from about 2012 to now. My secret is deep masochism and the inability to look away from the dysfunctional political process in our country. And also C-SPAN.
What is C-SPAN?
C-SPAN is a nonprofit public television network founded in 1979 and primarily funded by cable and satellite services. Many of them have teamed up to bring unbiased, ad-free news coverage to nearly every home in the United States to improve public education and understanding. It covers both political and non-political topics (history programs, book coverage, author interviews) and has expanded to C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN 3, radio shows and live webcasts. It operates completely independently: the government has nothing to do with what it covers and never asks for donations. In fact, it is a miracle that is usually taken for granted. C-SPAN is a gift .
Isn’t C-SPAN boring?
C-SPAN is one of the most boring programs you can find on television. But if you have a compelling reason to watch, the lack of entertainment is its biggest strength (more on that later). Think of it this way: if you spend a lot of time online, you might want to use an ad blocker to stop all the pop-ups and trackers from distracting you. Likewise, C-SPAN is a television news ad blocker that operates without the criticism, sensationalism, and despair of modern media. Comedian Larry Wilmore once said, “C-SPAN is the number one network for people who died watching TV and no one has found them yet,” and that C-SPAN’s only competing network is “HDMI-1 without an input.” He’s right, and you can find Wilmore’s joke (where else) on C-SPAN , showing that while the network is boring, it’s also aware of what it has to offer.
Should you watch the Harris-Trump presidential debate?
As someone who will be watching the Harris-Trump presidential debate, I don’t recommend others do the same. There are better things to do than engage in political theater under the guise of influencing a decision that we all undoubtedly made a long time ago. Cleaning the house would be a better option than watching what happens between 9:00 pm and 10:30 pm in Philadelphia on September 10th. Others are carrying the cross so you don’t have to, and the highlights will flood our social media feeds. subsequent days. But if you choose to watch, you should do it on C-SPAN.
Why You Should Watch C-SPAN Over Other Networks
Nobody watches C-SPAN except me and maybe three other people, but behind that tedium lies a simple truth for those who want information without the showmanship and criticism of cable news: C-SPAN is television news at its purest and purest. direct form. form. It’s “boring” in the same way that Google searches can be “boring” without sponsored posts and other advertisements vying for your attention. Debates can be an infuriating and frustrating spectacle, and the last thing many of us need is the addition of online pundits, sports chyrons, flashy animations and advertising. Instead, consider looking through the lens of dry, balanced, non-reactionary information.
How to watch the Harris-Trump presidential debate on C-SPAN
The 2024 Harris-Trump presidential debate will air on ABC News and be simulcast on C-SPAN2 at 9:00 pm ET on Tuesday, September 10th. You can find a local C-SPAN2 channel through your cable provider or stream the debate live. live on C-SPAN . You can also search through the archives of past debates (although you won’t) and find plenty of other content that can cure your insomnia.
The debate will be moderated by David Muir, anchor of World News Tonight , as well as ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis. There will be no live audience at the event and microphones will be muted when the opposition candidate speaks. C-SPAN’s reporting will begin at 8 pm ET, most likely with the camera turned up looking into an audience of people doing literally nothing.