TVO’s current affairs programs explain critical issues and provide in-depth coverage of important news and events that are relevant to Ontarians today.

The Agenda with Steve Paikin – Fifth season begins Tuesday September 7, 2010
Weeknights at 8 pm ET and repeated at 11 pm and 5 am the following day

Returning for its fifth exciting season, The Agenda with Steve Paikin offers the kind of thoughtful, free-flowing exchange of ideas and valuable information Ontarians have come to rely on. The combination of Steve Paikin's one-on-one conversations with newsmakers, lively debates on the big issues of the day, and unparalleled coverage of key events impacting every citizen of Ontario provide a depth and scope of knowledge and understanding available nowhere else in our hectic, sound bite-driven world.

New this season, The Agenda with Steve Paikin welcomes guest essayists on Thursdays (excluding the last Thursday of the month when The Agenda broadcasts live from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs). Three essayists will offer different perspectives on critical issues and ideas to further explore topics that are important in Ontario today:

- Akaash Maharaj, CEO of Equine Canada, the national governing body for Olympic, international and national equestrianism. An active participant in the political process, his past work includes roles as National Policy Chair and National Executive Member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Maharaj is also a committed volunteer who contributes to a number of philanthropic and community organizations in various capacities, including UNICEF.

- Tony Keller, journalist and editor. As the former Managing Editor, Special Projects at Maclean’s, he oversaw the publication’s annual University Rankings issue and the Maclean’s Guide to Canadian Universities. He was also the founding editor of the Financial Post magazine and previously worked at The Globe and Mail as an editorial writer, columnist and editorial page editor. He is currently a visiting fellow at the Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation.

- Carla Lucchetta, a Toronto-based freelance writer, journalist and television producer. Her writing has appeared in publications including The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, National Post, More magazine and various online publications.

Also new this fall, on the last Tuesday of every month, the program will examine important stories in science as a regular monthly feature.

Returning this year with some of the most penetrating topics covered to date, “Your Agenda” will get to the core of issues that matter to viewers and online users. Every Thursday, The Agenda with Steve Paikin will select a topic that has been suggested by the public.

The Agenda with Steve Paikin online
tvo.org/theagenda

Starting this fall, look for more original content online as The Agenda with Steve Paikin gives audiences added opportunities to get engaged and continue the conversation online.

Watch also for updates to popular blogs such as The Inside Agenda, a behind-the-scenes take on each night’s program; producer Mike Miner’s Fifth Column on the internet, media and culture; and Steve Paikin’s own blog where Ontarians can share their thoughts with him on topics raised on the program. The site will also host more live chats, guest blogs and Q&A sessions with program guests.

Users can also download videos of past episodes or subscribe to podcasts on any given topic.

The Agenda with Steve Paikin: On the Road
Stay tuned for dates for this year’s Agenda with Steve Paikin: On the Road tour, which travels to cities across the province later this season. Each two-day, interactive event will feature a daylong workshop on Sunday called AgendaCamp, where communities across the province will have the opportunity to discuss important local issues in-depth, and an AgendaCamp-inspired, live on-location broadcast of The Agenda with Steve Paikin will air the following Monday at 8 pm.

Allan Gregg in Conversation
Fridays at 10 pm ET
New season begins Friday September 17, 2010
Produced by TVO

Allan Gregg in Conversation features host Allan Gregg in engaging discussion with some of the world's foremost thinkers on social, cultural, political and economic issues.

Annie Leonard (Friday September 17)

Activist turned filmmaker Annie Leonard talks about her book, The Story of Stuff, based on her travels around the globe, tracking what happens to the stuff we produce, consume and throw away.

Fatima Bhutto (Friday September 24)

Fatima Bhutto, niece of the assassinated former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, talks about her memoir, Songs of Blood and Sword. It’s about the Bhutto family dynasty whose tragic and violent story mirrors the history of modern Pakistan.

Allan Gregg in Conversation Special  (Friday October 1)

In a one-hour special celebrating TVO’s 40th anniversary, Allan Gregg reflects on his conversations over the years with some of Canada’s – and the world’s – most influential and interesting people. From politics and culture to science and spirituality, it’s a revealing and sometimes amusing look at how much things have changed, and how much they stay the same.

The program features a montage of excerpts from some of Allan Gregg’s most memorable interviews, including: Jean Chrétien, Jimmy Carter, David Suzuki, Germaine Greer, Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Toni Morrison, Conrad Black, Naomi Klein, Richard Dawkins, Margaret MacMillan, Jane Goodall and Malcolm Gladwell.