London ? Is beach volleyball better in Central Park or beside the Eiffel Tower? Are Olympic venues more scenic alongside the Moscow River or the Thames? Would the world’s best athletes rather eat bagels on the Upper West Side or tapas in Madrid?

Those and other questions might be addressed if the first TV debate in Olympic bid history comes off, featuring senior figures from the five cities vying for the 2012 Summer Games. The debate would be broadcast by BBC World.

The date, site and guests for the proposed debate have not yet been decided, BBC World spokesman Kevin Young said Friday. The format most likely would involve each bid leader presenting his case, with a panel later asking questions.

“It’s obviously a good thing for all of the cities,” New York 2012 spokesman Michael Moran said in a telephone interview.

The BBC World channel is shown in more than 200 countries, and the debate would give each city a chance to make a very public pitch for playing host to the Olympics. While the format would be different from the presentations made to the International Olympic Committee, the debate would also allow each city to, as Moran says, “highlight their positives.”

“It’s a fair opportunity for everyone to state their arguments,” Paris 2012 spokesman Jerome Lenfant said.

The 2012 host will be selected by the International Olympic Committee on July 6 in Singapore. The IOC said it would have no problem with the debate, as long as the bidding process rules applied. Under those regulations, candidate cities are forbidden from attacking each other; IOC president Jacques Rogge recently told the candidates to stop sniping at each other.

The IOC’s 11-member evaluation commission will visit Madrid on Feb. 3-6, London on Feb. 16-19, New York on Feb. 21-24, Paris on March 9-12 and Moscow on March 14-17.