Good Polling Techniques Apply to Questioning Politicians

[LiberalFighter]

Good Polling Techniques Apply to Questioning Politicians

Polling experience teaches much about media interviewing. Mainstream news media interviewers ask good questions covering the subject thoroughly, but never directly disputing anything the interviewee says. Questions are always open-ended, no "choices" offered. U.S. journalism schools teach that this is close to the proper "objective" way to interview. Any questions or interviewer statements that publicly challenge the factually presented statements of well-known people or experts is deemed tantamount to interviewers intruding with their own views. Such an interview becomes not about the interviewee but about a journalist interviewer, who may be blacklisted for such behavior.

Many U.S. media news program hosts ignore these journalism rules and blithely say whatever they think they can get away with that fits their story and their politics. Interviewees with differing politics are not asked questions, just given a few opportunities to speak, subject to immediate interruption. Lies never catch up to most of the huge, loyal audiences for many such personalities (mostly conservatives) on media networks, such as FOX and the 1,200-plus radio stations owned by Clear Channel Inc. — a media conglomerate.

One of the few interviewers on U.S. TV who speaks the truth about politics, although it is often wrapped in outrageous funny statements and skits, is Jon Stewart of the Comedy Channel's "Daily Show." Top political and media people feel compelled to appear on the show with Stewart. Politics is treated as a "serious" joke, so controversial views can be dismissed as clowning. Many a true word that cannot be heard on the mainstream news channels is said in jest by Stewart and his interviewees on the Daily Show.