The Interview
February 7, 2010 5:46 PM Subscribe
The Interview is a programme from the BBC World Service. Each episode is a 30 minute in-depth question and answer session between the journalist – usually Carrie Gracie or Owen Bennett-Jones – and the subject. Over the past few years it has covered everything from literature – for example, Martin Amis and Seamus Heaney – to the nexus between neurology and music, with Oliver Sacks, and what it's like to be a sprinter with no feet.
The older archives are well worth sifting through for gems such as Michael Palin and Vivienne Westwood.
In the more recent archives, some of the best Interview interviews are those with political figures: Shahubiddin Yakub Quraish talks about being an election commissioner in India; Tariq Hayat Khan discusses being the man in control of the notorious Khyber Pass; President of Ecuador Rafael Correa Delgado holds forth on economics, social justice and the environment, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame discusses the tragic last 20 years of Rwandan history, and his involvement in it.
The older archives are well worth sifting through for gems such as Michael Palin and Vivienne Westwood.
In the more recent archives, some of the best Interview interviews are those with political figures: Shahubiddin Yakub Quraish talks about being an election commissioner in India; Tariq Hayat Khan discusses being the man in control of the notorious Khyber Pass; President of Ecuador Rafael Correa Delgado holds forth on economics, social justice and the environment, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame discusses the tragic last 20 years of Rwandan history, and his involvement in it.
I really liked the Khandro Rinpoche one. "Khandro Rinpoche is a Buddhist teacher who is also a woman and the reincarnation of a renowned master."
posted by dhruva at 8:39 PM on February 7, 2010
posted by dhruva at 8:39 PM on February 7, 2010
I really like this program and they have some interesting guests - I especially like the ones with politicians from developing countries.
However, Owen Bennet-Jones really annoys me sometimes, he can be overly combative, dismissive and patronising. Often he seems to be asking questions more to appear controversial and hard-hitting rather than adding anythign to what's otherwise an interesting story.
posted by girlgenius at 9:07 PM on February 7, 2010
However, Owen Bennet-Jones really annoys me sometimes, he can be overly combative, dismissive and patronising. Often he seems to be asking questions more to appear controversial and hard-hitting rather than adding anythign to what's otherwise an interesting story.
posted by girlgenius at 9:07 PM on February 7, 2010
A much better option in my opinion for those interested in this is Hardtalk that has Stephen Sackur primarily at the helm. Here are 179 interviews from Sackur to kick off with. The previous incumbant was the superb Tim Sebastian.
posted by numberstation at 2:43 AM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by numberstation at 2:43 AM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
numberstation: A much better option in my opinion for those interested in this is Hardtalk
Wow, I've caught bits of Hardtalk on BBC News now and then – usually at about 4am when I can't sleep – and really liked it, but I'd no idea the website had such a great archive of past programmes. In fact, if I'd have known of said archive, I'd have probably posted that as well. Or instead.
posted by Len at 4:01 AM on February 8, 2010
Wow, I've caught bits of Hardtalk on BBC News now and then – usually at about 4am when I can't sleep – and really liked it, but I'd no idea the website had such a great archive of past programmes. In fact, if I'd have known of said archive, I'd have probably posted that as well. Or instead.
posted by Len at 4:01 AM on February 8, 2010
Len - I used to run a Hardtalk blog linking to past interviews but despite attempting to enter into correspondance with the BBC to get a full list of past interviews they never responded. It is only recently that the Hardtalk website has been updated and whilst the archive of past programmes with Stephen Sackur is now showing and this is a vast improvement on previous versions - there used to just be a search function and you had to know the name of the interviewee in order to find the link. This is primarily what the blog I ran was designed to overcome as it frustrated me that great interviews would get lost in the mists of time.
Anyway, whilst there is now a good directory of previous episodes with Stephen Sackur and an highlights from the archive section there is no ability to search the entire archive and access pre-Sackur interviews. Whilst 179 inteviews might seem great, Hardtalk has been running since 1997.
posted by numberstation at 6:12 AM on February 8, 2010
Anyway, whilst there is now a good directory of previous episodes with Stephen Sackur and an highlights from the archive section there is no ability to search the entire archive and access pre-Sackur interviews. Whilst 179 inteviews might seem great, Hardtalk has been running since 1997.
posted by numberstation at 6:12 AM on February 8, 2010
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For his appearance on The Interview, Michael Palin had a very special interviewer -- twelve-year-old Max Syed-Tollan.
You had me up until "twelve-year-old".
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:13 PM on February 7, 2010