Journal Writing #3- NPR Radio Interview Analysis

Terry Gross for Fresh Air: Writer Aram Roston, Parsing Ahmad Chalabi's Past

Investigative journalist's book is "The Man Who Pushed America to War"

What did the interviewer know about the subject before the interview? It seems that she had read the book before the interview or had extensive notes on it to refer to. She also seemed to have done research of Ahmad Chalabi.

What kinds of questions did they ask? She asked how the C.I.A funded Chalabi and if it was laundered money. Why the C.I.A trusted Chalabi when he was known to take money? Why did they cut him off?

How did they build up to questions? How did they follow up to questions? She repeated Aram Roston's previous answers and then asked another question related to it. She did the same with following up.

Did the interviewer appear to have a strategy? She wanted to get down to how the project was funded and to show what false information the American people were given because of Chalabi.

How were inadequate or evasive answers (if any) handled? She asked the question she had previously asked in a different way.

What was the apparent relationship between the interviewer and interviewee? They are both journalists, one who is learned in a topic that the other is interested in telling the listeners.

What did you learn about interviewing from this interview? That interviews can run smoothly if you listen and ask questions based off of answers you are given.