Watch this Week's Episode of '282', and Each Monday at 6:30 p.m. on WTVI

You might recall, back in December, me telling you about a new, local news roundup television show called 282 that was coming to WTVI, that I'd become a part of. At that time, we were in pilot/beta mode and over the course of a month and a half we taped four online-only episodes. On January 30, the first broadcast episode of 282 aired and the show began its weekly run, so you can now watch new episodes each Monday, 6:30 p.m. on WTVI (channel 42 on broadcast television, DirecTV, Dish Network, and AT&T U-verse; channel 5 on Time Warner Cable).

Set your DVRs to record 282 so you can watch each week as host Carlton Hargro moderates a panel of guests who discuss topics important to and prevalent in Charlotte. I have a role similar to that of Tony Reali on Pardon the Interruption, in that I moderate conversation of the show's topics in the social media world (follow @282tv on Twitter; tweet your comments using #282tv), and I chime in with (hopefully) beneficial facts and stats corresponding to what the panel is discussing.

During the first topic, when we discussed the role the Internet and social media are playing in news today, I flexed my old-school journalist muscle by rocking a trench coat and fedora--the hat was used to hold my press badge. My wardrobe--the button-down shirt, blazer, trench coat, and fedora--were provided by Revolve Upscale Men's Consignment in Dilworth, www.revolvecharlotte.com.

On this week's show, which aired this evening, the topics discussed are: the overload of news content these days thanks to websites, blogs, and social media but does that mean people are being more informed; accessing achievement and dropout rates at Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools and whether the district gets an unfairly bad rap; and the effects of people staying single longer/getting married later in life (special nod to Valentine's Day).

Adding substance and perspective to those topics are this week's guests: Bill Anderson, MeckEd executive director; Shameika R., a Charlotte-based blogger and writer; and the venerable Mark Washburn, columnist for The Charlotte Observer. You can watch the full episode below.

282 is a partnership between CLT Blog and WTVI, and you can watch a live stream of the show while it is being produced each Monday at noon at www.cltblog.com/live; then the finished product airs that evening at 6:30 p.m. on WTVI (repeats at 11 p.m.). We hope you'll interact with us on Twitter because we read some tweets/comments on the show. And if you have suggestions for topics you'd like us to cover or local people you'd like to see appear on the show, tweet those suggestions to @282tv or email to info@cltblog.com with 282 in the subject line.