Broadcast journalist Emily Maitlis discusses her childhood, high-profile interviews, and the transition to podcasting. They explore the pressure on politicians, childhood passions, journalistic challenges, and contrasting perspectives on Trump. Delving into identity, familial influences, and navigating cultural complexities.
Recognizing the vulnerability of interviewees and the pressure to respond to tough questions.
Importance of challenging interviewees without putting them in difficult positions for honest answers.
Deep dives
The power of vulnerability in interviews
Emily Maitless discusses the vulnerability of being an interviewee and the assumption that leaders or authorities are bulletproof. She highlights the importance of recognizing this vulnerability and understanding the pressure interviewees face to respond to difficult questions. Maitless also reflects on the dynamic of timing during interviews and the significance of giving respondents enough space to answer. The shift from traditional television shows to podcasts has allowed for more expansive and discursive conversations, providing a different tone and approach to interviews.
Challenging interview premises
Maitless and Craig Oliver discuss the strategy of not accepting the premise of a question during interviews. They explore how questions can be loaded and framed in a way that can pigeonhole the interviewee. Maitless shares the importance of finding a balance between challenging interviewees and avoiding putting them in difficult positions. This tactic allows for more meaningful and honest answers that go beyond simple yes or no responses.
The influence of personal background and upbringing
Maitless opens up about her childhood and how her mother's career as a psychotherapist influenced her upbringing. She discusses her Jewish identity, the cultural aspects of her childhood, and her family's connections to the Holocaust and World War II. Maitless shares her observations on Jewish identity and how it can evoke a sense of connection and belonging, despite logical disassociation from certain political or geographical aspects.
The evolving perception of public figures
Oliver and Maitless delve into the nature of interviews by reflecting on past interviews with figures such as Donald Trump, Russell Brand, and Bill Clinton. They acknowledge how perceptions of these individuals have shifted over time, with certain traits and behaviors being more evident in hindsight. They discuss the challenge of navigating interviews with charismatic personalities while balancing critical analysis and the complexity of personal growth and public image.
Emily Maitlis is one of the most well-known and successful broadcast journalists in Britain. She’s covered the biggest stories of our times – and interviewed some of the most famous and powerful people, including Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Russell Brand and Prince Andrew.
More recently she’s become one of the lead presenters of the highly rated podcast, The News Agents.
During our conversation in this part, we discuss Emily's choldhood, how she became a journalist and how it feels to have witnessed first hand some of the biggest moments of recnt history.
This is part one of our conversation, part two will be released on Thursday 8th February.
This episode was produced by Red Bicycle.
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