// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the ABC National Forum say to the alphabet? You're always so basic.
| ABC National Forum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Talk show |
| Presented by | David Speers |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 2 |
| Production | |
| Production location | Ultimo |
| Running time | 65 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC TV |
| Release | 9 March 2026 – present |
| Related | |
| Q+A Insight | |
ABC National Forum is an Australian television talk program that was first broadcast on 9 March 2026. It is hosted by journalist David Speers and filmed in front of a live studio audience. It airs on an irregular schedule, only when issues arise that necessitate a national conversation.
Background
[edit]ABC National Forum has been described as taking a similar format or acting as a replacement to former discussion program Q+A which was cancelled in 2025.[1][2][3][4][5]
Format
[edit]ABC National Forum will be broadcast on an irregular basis, with its future schedule being unconfirmed. The program is filmed in the ABC's Ultimo studios in Sydney. Two tables of subject-matter experts will be included in each episode. The show is to be hosted by Insiders host David Speers.[6] The program runs for about one hour and five minutes.[7]
At Senate Estimates, ABC managing director Hugh Marks stated that "it will be a public square, healthily pluralistic, which aims to elevate discussion on important issues affecting Australia."[8]
Episodes
[edit]The first discussion aired at 8:30 pm on 9 March 2026 and was based around Jewish identity in the aftermath of the 2025 Bondi shooting.[9] The episode had guests including: former editor of The Age Michael Gawenda, member of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin, executive director of the New Israel Fund Kate Rosenberg, social entrepreneur Ronni Kahn, and principal of Bialik College in Melbourne Jeremy Stowe-Linder.[6] The first episode received a rating of 342,000 viewers upon broadcast.[3]
The second discussion was broadcast at 8:30 pm on 14 September 2026 and is based around the topic of immigration to Australia.[10] The broadcast of the second episode was viewed by 535,000 people.[11]
Reception
[edit]Louise Rugendyke from The Sydney Morning Herald stated that the program "was fine" and Speers "walked on eggshells for most of it", she is also sceptical of what the program adds to the ABC's broad programming agenda.[2]
References
[edit]- ↑ Meade, Amanda (28 January 2026). "David Speers to host new ABC panel show with first episode to explore Jewish Australian experiences". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- 1 2 Rugendyke, Louise (10 March 2026). "How did the ABC's Q+A successor stack up?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 10 March 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- 1 2 Knox, David (10 March 2026). "A polite if modest start for ABC National Forum". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 10 March 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ Saeed, Daanyal (28 January 2026). "ABC introduces Q+A replacement 'National Forum', begins with antisemitism debate". Crikey. Archived from the original on 17 February 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ Jaspan, Calum (28 January 2026). "More Insight than Q+A: David Speers to host ABC's new town hall show". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 18 February 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- 1 2 Rugendyke, Louise (5 March 2026). "It's not political and it's not Q+A, so what is the ABC's new National Forum?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ Truffier, Cochon (10 March 2026). "The true meaning of AUKUS, the ABC's new Q+A is a turn off, and news.com's TikTok mystery". Crikey. Archived from the original on 10 March 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ Knox, David (12 February 2026). "Airdate: ABC National Forum". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 15 February 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ Clark, Sam and Kozaki, Danuta (9 March 2026). "Defiant and proud — Australian Jews speak out in first ABC National Forum". ABC News. Archived from the original on 8 March 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ Knox, David (27 August 2026). "ABC National Forum: Sept 14". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 31 August 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
- ↑ Knox, David (15 September 2026). "National Forum lifts for ABC". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 15 September 2026. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
Further reading
[edit]- "New from ABC NEWS in 2026: ABC National Forum". About the ABC. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 2 February 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.