How would you like political interviews to be done?

[muriel_volestrangler]

As a preamble to Paxo's interviews with party leaders, Mosey describes the problem as stemming from the mid-1990s at the BBC when the director general, John Birt, and a handful of governors asked him to lead a project into "courtesy in interviewing".

The Birtian project involved a swath of research which revealed: "Our audiences thought we were too soft on politicians, and Paxman and Humphrys were among the BBC's most respected broadcasters. The courtesy in interviewing project was quietly dropped."
...
If the BBC polled people on: "Would you watch Jeremy Paxman slap Tony Blair repeatedly round the face with a large, wet haddock?", I imagine the overwhelming response would be "Yes", and the ratings would be fantastic. The impotent rage many feel about the unaccountable Blair leadership getting away without a credible opposition is summed up in their delight at watching him squirm under heavy artillery from Paxo. It might be great showbiz telly, but is it helpful political journalism?

Channel 4's Jon Snow said this week he thought Paxman had helped eradicate deference in political interviewing, but added: "Perhaps we could do with a bit more deference." Mosey thinks not: "There was gratifying proof of what the audience prefers; 2,400,000 watched Paxman and Kennedy on BBC1 while one third of that figure watched the more deferential Channel 4."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1466129,00.html

[non sociopath skin]

1. Could we take a haddock to both Blair and Howard?

Charlie K. looks like he's already been haddocked.

The Skin

[T_i_B]

2. Haddock wins for me!

Every single time! :bounce:

[TyeDye75]

3. I like the Style of Tim Sebastian

from Hard Talk..... he dont take no shit offa nobody

[Guy_Montag]

4. Did anyone hear Jack Straw being a weasle on Today this morning

the little turd just wouldn't answer the question, damn his eyes.

I mean everyone knows that pols won't answer a question straight (see Channel 4 tonight), but it was almost as bad as the famous Paxo/Howard interview. I kind of wish that interviewers would turn into teachers:

"We're not going to let you leave until you answer the question."
{equivocation}
"Nope, we're all going to sit here all day if that's what it takes... SIT DOWN MR STRAW, you're not going anywhere, now answer the question"
{rest of the days programmes get put back several hours}