Monday, February 15, 2016
On Radio: If you can't answer, don't answer.
I was speaking on radio about the marriage in Nepal, having explained that I hadn't met the couple just seen the preparations on the buildings. The interview was live.
The interviewer's last question, "Was what does she look like - when you met her?"
I stammered that I hadn't met her.
I was upset.
So when I went for another radio interview about a book on Shopping By Post, interviewed by Sue McGregor on Woman's Hour, I carefully went through all the questions, assured that I wouldn't be asked surprise questions which I couldn't answer.
At the end she had a few seconds to spare and she asked me, 'What will the next legislation be?'
I refused to answer, shook my head and waved my hand.
After a moment's pause, she ended, "That is a question we must all ask ourselves."
When I got home, my family had recorded my great moment on Radio.
I asked them, 'Did you hear that awful fluff at the end when I couldn't, didn't answer the question?'
They said 'no'.
Unconvinced, I played it back.
To my amazement, the interviewer's question sounded like a rhetorical question!
Two lessons here:
If your interviewee can't or won't answer, pretend it's a rhetorical questions.
If you don't want to answer, just say silent. Let the interviewer deal with the silence.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, researcher, author speaker.
The interviewer's last question, "Was what does she look like - when you met her?"
I stammered that I hadn't met her.
I was upset.
So when I went for another radio interview about a book on Shopping By Post, interviewed by Sue McGregor on Woman's Hour, I carefully went through all the questions, assured that I wouldn't be asked surprise questions which I couldn't answer.
At the end she had a few seconds to spare and she asked me, 'What will the next legislation be?'
I refused to answer, shook my head and waved my hand.
After a moment's pause, she ended, "That is a question we must all ask ourselves."
When I got home, my family had recorded my great moment on Radio.
I asked them, 'Did you hear that awful fluff at the end when I couldn't, didn't answer the question?'
They said 'no'.
Unconvinced, I played it back.
To my amazement, the interviewer's question sounded like a rhetorical question!
Two lessons here:
If your interviewee can't or won't answer, pretend it's a rhetorical questions.
If you don't want to answer, just say silent. Let the interviewer deal with the silence.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, researcher, author speaker.
Labels: can't answer, marriage, Nepal, questions, rhetorical questions, Shopping By Post, Sue McGregor, Woman's House
