So, let’s start with the concept of “PBS Late Night.” It doesn’t really conjure up much at all–even Carlos Watson, host of the upcoming PBS late night show Point Taken concedes in a promo “I’m surprised, too.”
The show, set to debut next Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET, promises to be “an entertaining multiplatform weekly dialogue and debate series with humor, and incorporate audience input, with polling & social media elements.”
The polling will involve national surveys conducted ahead of broadcast by The Marist Institute for Public Opinion, and votes will also be taken online and in the studio. “Americans trust public media to explore issues that matter,” said Denise Dilanni, the series creator, in a statement. “By tapping into social media we will involve citizens across the country in these important conversations.”
Watson, who has anchored shows for CNN and MSNBC, said the 2016 election makes it the perfect time “to create a wide-open arena for curious people to come together and debate the critical issues facing this country.”