Interviewer Approach
The interview is very serious and Kingsley Martin approaches it in this way. Germany and Russia were rearming at this time so the interview is of a very serious manner and both the interviewer and interviewee approach it in a very serious way. Martin doesn’t waste time by asking lighter questions at the beginning of the interview to build trust between himself and Churchill, instead he begins with serious questions, which really sets the tone for the reminder of the interview.
Question Types
Kingsley Martin begins the interview with a very serious question, which can be classified as an open and inquisitive question. “In view of the strength and character of the totalitarian states, is it possible to combine the reality of democratic freedom with efficient military organisation?”. This question sets the tone as a serious one for the rest of the interview.
Martin seemingly asks his questions in a very direct manner, “From a purely military point of view, should we have been more efficient if employers and employees had both been more regimented and less able to bargain?”.
Interview Style
The interview is an investigative one, and also a hard-news one. It is an investigative one because Kingsley Martin wants to find out Winston Churchill’s views and opinions on the current situation at the time, which was Germany and Russia rearming for war. It is a hard-news interview because it is a very serious topic about the prospect of war and how Britain should prepare for war, also because Churchill was the former Chancellor and war secretary at the time the interview took place.
Structuring
Kingsley Martin didn’t waste time asking Churchill lighter questions. Instead, Martin began the interview with a very direct question which helped set the tone for the duration of the interview. Martin ended the interview with a conclusion question which suggests the idea of defense rather than attack. “Do you think it possible to concentrate mainly on defence with the idea that we should be less afraid of attack and therefore able to stand up for ourselves without preparing to bomb other people?”.
Purpose of the interview
The purpose of the interview is to get Winston Churchill, the former Chancellor and war secretary, views and opinions about the prospect of the war. Kingsley Martin also tries to get Churchill’s suggestions on how Britain could prepare if war does break out. Tensions were high between the major countries at the time of the interview in 1939, because Germany and Russia were rearming for war.
Type of media and the target audience
The interview was published in the New Statesman paper on 7 January 1939. The target audience was the readers of the New Statesman paper, or the Great British public who listened and respected Winston Churchill so greatly.
Interview: http://www.newstatesman.com/archive/2013/12/british-people-would-rather-go-down-fighting
Analysing Interviews 