Press Release

Streaming live from the Oslo Freedom Forum, May 26   On May 26, veteran debate forum Open to Debate and the Human Rights Foundation partner on a live debate held at the Oslo Freedom Forum, their flagship conference in Norway, debating the question “Are Sanctions an Effective Policy Tool?” The debate will be held in front of an audience of dissidents, journalists, artists, philanthropists, technologists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, academics, and world leaders at the event. The Economist has called it the…

  The new episode of Open to Debate interviews someone who usually remains behind-the-scenes: The program's founder Robert Rosenkranz. He's written a new book titled The Stoic Capitalist: Advice for the Exceptionally Ambitious. Michael Bloomberg called it "an inspiring story of a life well lived."In the episode, Rosenkranz tells Open to Debate host John Donvan about practicing Stoicism—the practice of living according to the philosophical framework that came out of Greece and Rome around 2000 years ago—throughout his business and philanthropic career. They also discuss,…

Debaters include former Congressman and CIA officer Will Hurd and State Department veteran Susan Thornton Live in Baltimore, Wednesday, May 14th On May 14 in Baltimore, Open to Debate and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University will host the second debate in their ongoing “Hopkins Forum” partnership. The event will explore the high-stakes U.S.-China A.I. arms race with a debate on the question “Can the U.S. Outpace China in A.I. Through Chip Controls?” Arguing YES are Will…

Three back-to-back debates, live at the Council on Foreign Relations, under the rubric “The Trump Doctrine: A Global Reckoning?” On May 6, the veteran nonpartisan media organization Open to Debate is hosting its first-ever Debate Summit. Over the course of a single afternoon and evening, the organization will hold three full debates, all under the umbrella of “The Trump Doctrine: A Global Reckoning?” The event will take place from 4-8pm at the Council on Foreign Relations in NYC (58 E 68th St).…

  For decades, China has been a central node in global supply chains and a primary trade partner for the U.S. However, with retaliatory tariffs and the rise of China’s geopolitical and technological influence, concerns have emerged that economic interdependence may be empowering a regime increasingly hostile to U.S. interests On Monday, April 21, nonpartisan debate series Open to Debate in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is taping a live debate in New York City on the…

Moderator Nayeema Raza Recognized for Gender Wage Gap Episode   This week, the nonprofit media program Open to Debate and moderator Nayeema Raza won a Gracie Award for the March 2024 debate “Should We Address the Gender Wage Gap?” in the category of “Radio Host - Nationally Syndicated Non-Commercial.” Named after the late Gracie Allen, an influential comedian and businesswoman, the Gracies and its supporting Alliance for Women in Media Foundation honor Allen’s legacy of challenging gender norms and inspiring women in the entertainment…

Live virtual taping of the Open to Debate weekly episode Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have taken on a contentious role in the new Trump administration, which has affected federal agencies and thousands of workers. But are DOGE’s actions legal? Those arguing they aren’t worry it is overstepping and violating the Constitution. Those supporting DOGE’s actions say it is fulfilling its mandate and doing exactly what it was created for. On March 4, nonpartisan debate series…

Live Debate in DC 2/18 ft. Stephen Moore, Scott Paul, Jennifer Hillman, Rana Mitter President Trump recently enacted a ten percent additional tariff on Chinese imports, citing the need to curb the flow of fentanyl into the United States and to address the substantial trade imbalance between the two nations. In response, China announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports. Those affirming the tariffs are necessary argue they will help American manufacturers by encouraging citizens to buy more domestically produced products…

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, a live Open to Debate podcast taping at the Comedy Cellar’s Village Underground, February 5 Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have revolutionized how people find love, but is their heyday over? Those swiping left say that despite good intentions, dating apps aren’t doing enough to offer authentic connections. Those swiping right argue they’re still an essential tool for meeting people, providing more options and opportunities than IRL. On Wednesday, February 5, in preparation for…

First debate in DC on January 29: “The Future of the Supreme Court” at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center with Jeff Sessions, Jeff Flake, Cristina Rodriguez, Jamal Greene   Open to Debate, the leading nonpartisan media platform steering the national conversation around the art of debate and the importance of free speech, has partnered with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University to hold a flagship series of eight live debates over the next two years in…

In a year where presidential “debates” made headlines—and caused the President himself to drop out of the race— Open to Debate proved that there is a hunger for true debate to combat the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. In 2024, the veteran nonpartisan media platform saw digital growth skyrocket across metrics, with its website engagement up 40% and YouTube engagement up fivefold. Open to Debate steered the national conversation around the art of debate and the importance of free speech, partnering…

Five debates broadcast today from the FII8 conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia via public radio, digital streaming and the Open to Debate podcast   Artificial Intelligence in the arts. Europe’s economic outlook. These are among the topics on which nonpartisan media organization Open to Debate presented debates at the Future Investment Initiative (FII8) conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October. Today, they are all available to listen to in the new episode of Open to Debate. This new knowledge partnership…