Magna's first takeaway: Putting on a persona is kind of like putting on a mask. So your best choice is to show up as yourself, which is way easier said than done. Sometimes I feel like there is a model for this, how a journalist is supposed to be, especially when doing quote unquote tough interviews with politicians. And that way is very aggressive, and it's unflinching and relentless. But that is not what most viewers and listeners want.
Yuzuha has been interviewing people for six years. She’s a journalist based in Japan who writes about business and technology but has dreamed of working in broadcast, interviewing people for an audience. Her first challenge is coming sooner than she expected. Yuzuha was asked to moderate a panel at a big conference in Tokyo. She wants to know how to speak with confidence, capture an audience, and ensure her questions get answered without putting on a fake persona. On this episode of How To!, Amanda Ripley brings on journalist Meghna Chakrabarti. Meghna is the host of On Point, a public radio show, where she is known for her artful live interviews that help her audience make sense of the world. Meghna has some wonderful advice for Yuzuha (and all of us) on how to harness your voice and ensure you’re advocating for your audience.
If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Speak Up So Others Listen.”
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