Point Taken 11 p.m., WGBH 2

The national conversation is a mess.

We mostly follow media that we agree with, the selfie approach to news. When political and ethics arguments turn ugly, which is often, neither side listens and gains understanding. Productive dialogue between, say, members of Congress, is rare if not extinct.

The trolls are winning.

That’s the raison d’etre for a newish WGBH series called “Point Taken.’’ Each week, the show invites four guests to debate a hot-button issue, two against two, at a table. Is the United States doing more harm or good in the Middle East? Should the nation pay reparations to black Americans? Is college worth the price tag? Those are a few recent topics. On Tuesday night, the topic is whether or not America will become a post-gender society.

Host Carlos Watson directs the debates with grace, pitting the sides against each other while fostering civility and listening between them. Toward the end of each episode, he has the panelists name the best point their opposition made, thus the title of the show. He also tracks whether the audience has learned anything during the debate, polling them at the start and at the end of the half hour.

Is “Point Taken’’ going to change the national conversation? No, but it’s a nice model, a gesture toward mutual respect, an antidote to the more vitriolic comments sections out there, hanging off controversial news stories like kite tails.

Matthew Gilbert can be reached at gilbert@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewGilbert.