Interviewers

People are infinitely fascinated with other people, and therein lies the central appeal of being an interviewer on radio, television, or cable. Getting people to talk revealingly about themselves, their lives, interests, and motivations is the chief task facing any interviewer. Being able to accomplish that without getting a subject defensive or angry is something of an art. And doing it with important political or other news figures can be a tricky proposition.

Most of the interviewers noted here differ sharply from radio or television talk-show hosts of the present. The modern-day on-air figures take up most of their own air—they aggressively present their opinions and thoughts, rarely those of others (save for callers who usually agree)—and many go on for hours every day. The interviewers included here were far more interested in showcasing their guests, though they were often deferential and discreet in a way that would appear old-fashioned by the early twenty-first century. Still, many interviewers on commercial television appear reluctant to look or sound offensive to the viewer. That makes it harder to ask probing questions and almost impossible to demand quality responses. Insisting on specific answers to allegations makes any reporter look rude, perhaps insolent, certainly discourteous, and obviously disrespectful. Striking a balance between decorum and determination to get responses is a difficult thing to accomplish.

Most broadcast and cable interviewers tend to focus either on journalistic topics or the world of entertainment, though some meld the two. This entry emphasizes the former though many interviewers deal in both.