First hour: Are the Olympics still relevant?
Second hour: Are sitcoms dying?
The Olympic and Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang are now in the books, and like after many Olympics, a number of think pieces have cropped up online asking the question, “Do the Games still matter?” Between the inflated costs of bidding to become a host city, to constructing venues that often become white elephants after competition, to dwindling ratings on television, many people say the Olympics are more trouble than they're worth. But others point to more positive effects: the surge of interest in sports following the games, boosts in national pride, and the potential to introduce new parts of the world to those who may not otherwise see them. What do you think? Are the Olympics still relevant? Our guests weigh in:
- Cathy Turner, two-time Olympic gold medalist
- Iris Zimmerman, 200 Olympian in fencing, co-owner of the Rochester Fencing Club, and vice president of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Alumni Association
- Scott Pitoniak, longtime Rochester sports columnist and author who covered five Olympics
- Dick Fosbury, Olympic gold medalist in 1968 in the high jump, and president of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Alumni Association
Then in our second hour, we ask, are sitcoms dying? As TV habits continue to change, viewers are moving further away from appointment viewing and the days of “Must-See TV.” But with the return of shows like Will & Grace, Roseanne, and others, could the sitcom be making a comeback? Or is the format back, but are we watching it in different ways? We’ll discuss the future of TV viewing with our guests:
- Todd Sodano, associate professor of media and communication, and director of the Film and Television Studies Program at St. John Fisher College
- Katie Libby, freelance writer and pop culture enthusiast
- Juan Vazquez, digital engagement facilitator for WXXI News
- Joy Press, author of Stealing the Show
