Winston Churchill interviewed by Kingsley Martin for New Statesman paper

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

Jeremy Paxman interviews Michael Howard, “Did you threaten to overrule him?”

Interviewer Approach

Jeremy Paxman approaches Michael Howard in his normal serious and direct tone. Paxman uses quotes in order to try to gain honest answers from Howard. Twelve times Paxman asked Mr Howard “Did you threaten to overrule him?” and every time Michael Howard avoided answering the question.

Jeremy Paxman doesn’t begin interviews with lighter questions in order to build trust between himself and the interviewee, instead he begins with serious questions in a direct manner which sets the tone for the duration of the interview.

Question Types

The questions Jeremy Paxman asks Michael Howard are very serious questions, “Mr Howard, have you ever lied in a public statement?”. This helps set the tone for the interview, which, when Paxman is concerned, is always very serious and direct. Jeremy Paxman uses quotes in order to back up his questions, and try to get a direct answer from Michael Howard. Paxman asks closed questions in order to get Michael Howard to answer purely the question, but Michael Howard is good at avoiding the question and is obviously reluctant to give a direct answer.

Interview Style

Jeremy Paxman’s interview with Home Secretary Michael Howard is a hard-news style of interview. The questions Paxman asks are rather closed types of questions in order to gain an answer from Howard to the question, although Michael Howard is very good during the interview of giving direct answers to the questions.

Interview Structuring

The interview with Home Secretary Michael Howard is only eight minutes long, but is rather fast-paced throughout the duration of the interview. There is no light questions at the beginning as this is a hard-news style of interview, so all of the questions Paxman asks Michael Howard are very serious and direct, and although Paxman tries to get an answer to the question from Michael Howard, the Home Secretary is very good at avoiding the question.

The interview ends with Paxman saying “Michael Howard, thank you”, with Michael Howard simply responding “Thank you”.

Purpose of the interview

The purpose of the interview was for Michael Howard to respond to some of the stories which has been published in the newspapers, like The Daily Mail, because it was damaging towards his reputation and his party.

Type of media and the target audience

The interview with Home Secretary Michael Howard was televised on BBC’s ‘Newsnight’ program. The target audience for this interview is viewers of the ‘Newsnight’ program, people who have an interest in politics, and people who want to hear Michael Howard’s response to the stories in the papers, surrounding himself and his party.

Newsnight: Jeremy Paxman grills Tony Plair

Interviewer Approach

Jeremy Paxman approaches Tony Blair, at the time of the interview Blair was prime minister, in a very direct manner. Paxman sometimes even interrupts Mr Blair in order to withdraw a certain answer when he is avoiding giving a direct answer.
Paxman grills Tony Blair with a serious tone, and almost argues with Blair in some cases when it seems like Blair is trying to avoid the question.

Jeremy Paxman doesn’t start with lighter questions at the beginning of the interview with Tony Blair, usually this happens to build up trust between the interviewer and interviewee, because Paxman is well known for his direct and serious manner towards his interviewee in order to gain incisive answers. Jeremy Paxman is very tough in the interview, in order to back Tony Blair into a corner.

Question Types

Jeremy Paxman asks Tony Blair very tough questions on his thoughts and views about benefits, and what Tony Blair thinks about the Labour party being funded by a pornographer. The questions Paxman asks Blair are closed types of questions, with the intention of getting an answer only to the tough question.

The flow of the interview is rather fast paced because Paxman often interrupts Blair if he begins to avoid giving a direct answer to the question. Jeremy Paxman also asks his questions with a rather suggestive tone, which is a different approach to his usual direct and tough tone.

Interview Style

The interview type would be ‘hard-news’ because Jeremy Paxman is grilling Prime Minister Tony Blair on very sensitive topics which Mr Blair has to answer carefully in order not to damage his party or his own reputation. The show which the interview was broadcast on, ‘Newsnight’, always contained ‘hard-news’ types of interviews where Paxman would interview politicians or public figures.

Structuring

At the beginning of interviews usually the interviewer would ask very light questions in order to gain trust between himself/herself and the interviewee. This may entice the interviewee to share more information later in the interview when the tougher questions come along. However, when Paxman interviews Tony Blair the interview is started off on a serious note, which sets the tone for the rest of the interview.

At the very beginning of the interview, Paxman says “Prime Minister, there aren’t enough doctors or nurses. There aren’t enough teachers. There are more cars on the road than when you came to power. The train service doesn’t work. Violent crime is rising. Is this what you meant by the new Britain?“. This quote (not included in the clip) proves Paxman wants to set the tone for the interview, and it remains this intense and thorough throughout the full interview. The interview ends with Paxman saying ‘Prime Minister thank you’ and Tony Blair replying ‘Thank you’, after Paxman had tried to find out how long Blair wanted to remain as Prime Minister.

The purpose of the interview

The purpose of this interview is to question Tony Blair thoroughly with intensity about his manifesto, and his thoughts and views on other topics which affects his decision-making. Tony Blair doesn’t use the interview to promote his party or himself, but purely to answer the direct questions that Jeremy Paxman will throw at him.

Type of media and target audience

The interview was televised and broadcast on the BBC’s ‘Newsnight’ program, when Tony Blair was Prime Minister. The target audience is anyone who has an interest in politics, the Labour party, and obviously for the viewers of the ‘Newsnight’ program.