The key role of the moderator is to facilitate and ensure a smooth flow and balance in the process and conduct of the debate.
The moderator shall function by the agreed upon production procedures (guided by the producer and director) given before and during the debates.
At the beginning of each debate the moderator will explain all relevant and salient issues related to the conduct of the debate to the listening and viewing public.
The moderator is required to be in sync with colleague questioners and have a sense of when questions are not answered in order to facilitate follow up if necessary.
Follow up is also to be facilitated when new and important matters have been raised or if a question is not answered by the candidate at the discretion of the moderator within the time format.
Opening statements and breaks that are scripted must be adhered to.
The moderator is not generally allowed to ask questions, but is permitted to ask follow up questions for the purpose of clarification only.
The moderator can allow the questioners to ask follow up questions. There shall however be no more than one follow up question per primary question.
Questions can be placed in a context but speeches are not allowed. For guidance, primary questions must not exceed 30 seconds in duration and follow up questions should not exceed 15 seconds in duration.
Questioners must ask questions. Therefore, statements are not to be made followed by a request to react to the statement.
The moderator and the questioners are encouraged to write down their questions to better ensure that clarity is established
It is best not to read the questions verbatim, as this could appear overly formal or stiff.
If quotations are used, ensure that (a) the quote is accurate (b) it is stated where the quote starts and where it ends and (c) dates and location (publication) of the quote are identified.
Refrain from any reaction (facial or otherwise) to anything that happens in the conduct of the debate.
Do not wear striped clothing (including ties), distracting or dark glasses, white clothing unless the white clothing is under jackets.
Refer to the debaters by name as Mr., Ms. or Mrs. Do not use the terms Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Minister or Spokesperson. They all appear as candidates.
Do not use Honourable or Most Honourable, etc., even where O.J., O.M or O.N. has been awarded.