tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post5535544283753273055..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: How to Deal With an Obnoxious InterviewerIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-85141037391721437832007-03-26T09:46:00.000+01:002007-03-26T09:46:00.000+01:00So you've watched Yes Prime Minister. Well done yo...So you've watched Yes Prime Minister. Well done you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-88269965165420189292007-03-26T09:15:00.000+01:002007-03-26T09:15:00.000+01:00By and large the political interview has been ruin...By and large the political interview has been ruined by Spin and its antidote - The Rottweiller Interviewer Technique (TRIT). In my book Spin and TRIT are the two sides of the same coin.<BR/><BR/>Spin at its worst takes the form of "That's a good question. Here is my prepared statement".(see neil h 8.03 above) <BR/><BR/>TRIT's worst aspect is "Here is a question with an embedded fact hidden in it. However you answer it you will be seen to have agreed with the embedded fact" - for instance "Have you stopped beating your wife?". The embedded fact is that you beat your wife.<BR/><BR/>How nice it would be if interviewers and politicians could agree to forgo these worst aspects in a similar spirit to the way they treat 'off the record' statements - one of the few Gentleman's Agreements left in Westminster?<BR/><BR/>If a politician were to break the spinning 'agreement' journalists should cut off the oxygen of publicity and refuse to have him back in the studio.<BR/><BR/>Conversely if a politician were subjected to a "Have you stopped beating your wife?" question he should be able to 'call' the interviewer and coals of fire should then descend onto the interviewers head.<BR/><BR/>In the spirit of Private Eye's obn column may I say that Doughty Street interviewees and interviewers manage to avoid Spin and TRIT. <BR/><BR/>It's time for Paxman and his wanabees to learn from the new kid on the block.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-88966044473420622782007-03-26T08:36:00.000+01:002007-03-26T08:36:00.000+01:00David Trimble did just this too.....though I prefe...David Trimble did just this too.....though I prefer the use of silence on radio (Brian Redhead was good with Nigel Lawson)....and the use of backstory secrets on TV....like "we were thinking of abolishing the licence fee" skipped into the conversation.........or with a Dimbleby...."how's the ex-wife, David....er Jonathan.....er both of you ?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-66540078277916385892007-03-25T21:53:00.000+01:002007-03-25T21:53:00.000+01:00I have always found that one word answers are quit...I have always found that one word answers are quite good for unsettling would-be PaxmansGlyn Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17344589217554138315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-73752826150000766862007-03-25T20:55:00.000+01:002007-03-25T20:55:00.000+01:00In interviews, virtually every politician talks to...In interviews, virtually every politician talks too much.<BR/><BR/>Giving a short, brisk answer wrongfoots the hostile interviewer, because they are worrying that they will use up all the questions they have been provided with.<BR/><BR/>As a Party Officer, I was once interviewed live by R5 when IDS was in his final throes as Leader. A relative was working for the BBC at the time, and he and his dept listened to the interview - someone asked if I was a media professional (no) because the interviewer was left floundering, because I followed the short answer rule.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-16628313207587677122007-03-25T20:13:00.000+01:002007-03-25T20:13:00.000+01:00We get the politicians we deserve. At the last ele...We get the politicians we deserve. At the last election Blair was pressed by Paxman (I think) on how many immigrants had come in. He said he did not know. Nobody believed him and it all blew over. If he had said tens and tens of thousands it would have caused a sensation in the papers and damaged his re-election. The last person our electorate will vote for is an honest politician.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-72082410705632342512007-03-25T20:12:00.000+01:002007-03-25T20:12:00.000+01:00I think it is fair enough for Selection Committees...I think it is fair enough for Selection Committees to be very tough in seats like East Hampshire. The seat represents a job for life and a good politician will hold it for ever, whereas a poor politician can lose it for the party.<BR/><BR/>Our association has a 6 figure annual income, a similar amount of cash sitting in the bank and at CCO and 1200 members. If any PPC's think they are going to take that over when our 65 year old MP retires without a grilling worthy of the Spanish inquisition, then they needn't apply.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-30051725698253508982007-03-25T20:05:00.000+01:002007-03-25T20:05:00.000+01:00I think what he means by that ... is that some thi...I think what he means by that ... is that some things should remain untold.David Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08240242801763405583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-12651573050585094062007-03-25T20:03:00.000+01:002007-03-25T20:03:00.000+01:00The thing that really bugs me is when interviewees...The thing that really bugs me is when interviewees simply will not answer a straight question, and pretend that they have been asked a different question instead. If you are not going to answer, then explain why, even if it is only to say that you don't know the answer.<BR/><BR/>Saying "That's a very good question and I'm glad you asked me that" before launching into a prepared speech fools nobody. Equally, if the interviewer is being abusive then don't put up with it but explain why you don't want to continue the interview/thermalsatsumahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05779925171712284416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-71313500754553667302007-03-25T19:35:00.000+01:002007-03-25T19:35:00.000+01:00What do you mean by that ?What do you mean by that ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-31066537437295811592007-03-25T19:28:00.000+01:002007-03-25T19:28:00.000+01:00The chairman thought he was Paxman.The chairman thought he was Paxman.Iain Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10110280396548056042007-03-25T19:20:00.000+01:002007-03-25T19:20:00.000+01:00Do Tell...Do Tell...David Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08240242801763405583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-72000732016057430962007-03-25T18:51:00.000+01:002007-03-25T18:51:00.000+01:00I didn't know you were at the East Hampshire selec...I didn't know you were at the East Hampshire selection David? LOLIain Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-39131609341165811132007-03-25T18:45:00.000+01:002007-03-25T18:45:00.000+01:00Does that include Selection Committes?Does that include Selection Committes?David Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08240242801763405583noreply@blogger.com