Parliamentary Debating or Radio Newscast

 

Parliamentary Debating:

 

The debates will be impromptu, coordinate debates in parliamentary style. The length and order of speeches are as follows:

 

Prime Minister: 5 minutes 

First Opposition: Speaker 8 minutes 

Minister of the Crown: 8 minutes 

Leader of the Opposition: 8 minutes 

Prime Minister’s Rebuttal: 3 minutes 

 

Fifteen seconds grace will be allowed for each debater, after which the Speaker shall terminate his speech. There is no minimum time for speeches, nor are there any time penalties. Since different parts of the world have different debating traditions, quibbling over rules is not encouraged. Debaters are advised to debate the resolutions and not the rules. The results of the debate will be based entirely upon speaker’s points. Win/loss records are irrelevant. Debaters will have a different partner for each of the two preliminary rounds. 

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News Podcast

 

Each competitor will be assigned a time to report to the Radio Newscast Lockup Room. They should check the draw provided on the tournament page for their allotted time. When they enter the lockup room, the moderator will share a digital copy of the newspaper to be used for the round. Competitors will need to show the moderator that their note paper is blank and contains no prepared notes.

 

Competitors then have 45 minutes to prepare an original four (4) minute ‘top of the hour’ radio news broadcast using the material they have been provided with. They may make notes on paper but must NOT use any prepared material. After the 45 minutes of preparation time, competitors will move themselves to their assigned competition room for the round, which will be found on the draw. 

 

Judging will be on the basis of the selection of news, clarity of presentation, originality, use of voice, credibility and adherence to time. All competitors in a given round are furnished with identical material. The judges in each room will also be given a digital copy of the newspaper that the students have been given. A focus of this category is the synthesis of news presented with an appropriately modulated voice or voices. It should not just be a comedy routine, although speakers may choose to present multiple voices for effect or humour. No part of the manuscript may be prepared in advance, and the competitor may not cut and paste sections of the newspaper into his or her manuscript. Weather reports, sports news, interviews and editorials are acceptable, at the student’s discretion and provided that they are based on the material found in the paper. No advertisements are permitted. 

 

The competitor may elect to deliver the news in one or several voices, provided that a full and appropriate selection of news is delivered. Radio stations must be plausible but need not actually exist. The newscast should be appropriate for the station selected. No eye contact is expected between the competitor and the judges, since this is a radio newscast. The judges may choose to sit with their backs to the competitor. Each competitor must speak for 4 minutes. There will be a time penalty of 10 points for speeches under 3 minutes and 45 seconds or over 4 minutes and 15 seconds. There will be a time penalty of 25 points for speeches under 3 minutes and 30 seconds or over 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Salutation is optional. 

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