This House Would Crack Down on Protestors
Presenter(s): Gordon Mitchell, Dan Bradley, Andrew Tuffin, John Rief, Joseph Sery
Status: Available
Air Date: 9/30/2009
Air Time: 2:30 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 15 Minutes 45 Seconds
Pitt's Department of Communication will host an international public debate between the William Pitt Debating Union (WPDU) and the British National Champion Debating Team
The debate will be moderated by Dr. Gordon Mitchell of Pitt Department of Communications
Participants include:
Pro: British National Champion Debaters Dan Bradley and Andrew Tuffin
Con: William Pitt Debating Union John Jasso and Joe Sery

Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit
Presenter(s): Gordon Mitchell, Amie Downs, Joseph Henchman, Brett Powers, Matt Schultz, Jennifer Sweeney, Michael Mangus, Richard Pittman, Matthew Gill
Status: Available
Air Date: 4/13/2009
Air Time: 6:30 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 21 Minutes 8 Seconds
Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit is sponsored by the William Pitt Debating Union
The moderator of the debate is Dr. Gordon Mitchell of Pitt Department of Communications
Participants include:
Expert Speakers:
PRO tax credit extension: Amie Downs, Chief of Staff for Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana (D-Brookline)
CON tax credit extension: Joseph Henchman, Tax Counsel and Director of State Projects, Tax Foundation (Washington, D.C.)
University of Pittsburgh Student Debaters:
Brett Powers, A&S senior
Matt Schultz, A&S senior
Jennifer Sweeney, A&S junior
Michael Mangus, A&S sophomore
Richard Pittman, A&S sophomore
Matthew Gill, A&S Junoir

For this year's debate, the film production tax credit was selected as a specific topic that is timely, salient, and ripe for public deliberation.
Pennsylvania offers a 25% tax credit to films that spend at least 60% of their total budget in the Commonwealth. The program is capped at $75 million for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009, and extension of the tax credit is currently being considered in the Harrisburg state legislature.

This House Supports the Unlimited Development of Offshore Oil Drilling
Presenter(s): Brent Saindon, Derek Doyle, John Jasso, Ed James, Joseph Sery
Status: Available
Air Date: 10/9/2008
Air Time: 4:00 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 5 Minutes 10 Seconds
Pitt's Department of Communication will host an international public debate between the William Pitt Debating Union (WPDU) and the British National Debating Team
The debate will be moderated by Brent Saindon, doctoral candidate in communication and graduate debate assistant for the public debate division of the WPDU
Pitt Communication doctoral students John Jasso and Joseph Sery will debate the motion, “This House Supports the Unlimited Development of Offshore Oil Drilling,” with visiting British national champion debaters Ed James and Derek Doyle.

Public Debate on the Future of Transportation in Pittsburgh: Should the Mon-Fayette Expressway Be Completed?
Presenter(s): Andrea Boykowycz, Colin Esgro, Richard Pittman
Status: Available
Air Date: 4/14/2008
Air Time: 6:00 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 28 Minutes 42 Seconds
The moderator of the debate is Gordon Mitchell
Guest Speakers include:

* Lynn Heckman Director of Planning, Allegheny County Department of Economic Development
* Andrea Boykowycz PennFuture Outreach Coordinator

University of Pittsburgh undergraduate debaters
Colin Esgro and Richard Pittman

Socially Responsible Investing
Presenter(s): Catherine Morrison, Michael Goodhart, Jay W. Sukits, Paul Masters, Lissa Geiger
Status: Available
Air Date: 2/21/2008
Air Time: 6:30 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 14 Minutes 50 Seconds
The moderator of the debate is Catherine Morrison
Guest Speakers include:
* Michael Goodhart, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh
* Jay Sukits, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, University of Pittsburgh

WPDU student debaters Paul Masters (SAS sophomore) and Lissa Geiger (SAS
junior) will join professors Goodhart and Sukits in the forum, while Brett Powers (SAS sophomore) will lead a panel of student questioners. Department of Communication doctoral student and WPDU assistant coach Cate Morrison will serve as moderator for the event.

This House Would Give Ahmadinejad a Forum
Presenter(s): Gordon Mitchell, Matthew Brigham, Alex Just, Catherine Morrison, Alistair Cormack
Status: Available
Air Date: 10/5/2007
Air Time: 5:00 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 5 Minutes 15 Seconds
The moderator of the debate is Dr. Gordon Mitchell of Pitt Department of Communications
Participants include:
Pitt Communication doctoral students Matthew Brigham and Catherine Morrison will defend the motion, while visiting British national champion debaters Alex Just and Alistair Cormack will provide loyal opposition.

Public Debate on the Future of Pittsburgh: Should Pittsburgh Merge its City and County Governments?
Presenter(s): Gordon Mitchell
Status: Available
Air Date: 4/18/2007
Air Time: 6:00 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 37 Minutes 17 Seconds
Public Debate on the Future of Pittsburgh: Should Pittsburgh Merge its City and County Governments? is sponsored by the William Pitt Debating Union
The moderator of the debate is Dr. Gordon Mitchell of Pitt Department of Communications
Participants include:
Expert Speakers:
Joan Riehm, Alliance for Regional Stewardship and former Deputy Mayor, Louisville Metro
Frank Gamrat, Allegheny Institute
Sala Udin, Coro Center for Civic Leadership
David Miller, University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh Student Debaters:
Colin Esgro
Melissa Mistretta

Is the End of Free Internet Near? A Public Debate on Network Neutrality Shortcut
Presenter(s): Gordon Mitchell
Status: Available
Air Date: 2/23/2007
Air Time: 2:00 PM EST
Length: 1 Hour 13 Minutes 26 Seconds
Is the End of Free Internet Near? A Public Debate on Network Neutrality is sponsored by the Department of Computer Science and the William Pitt Debating Union
The moderator of the debate is Dr. Gordon Mitchell of Pitt's Department of Communications
Participants include:
Art Brodsky, Communications Director of Public Knowledge,
Hal Singer, President of Criterion Economics, and
Guy Risko and Michael Mangus, University of Pittsburgh Junior Debaters