The good, the bad and the BBC's ugly Abhisit interview

MEDIA ETHICS

The good, the bad and the BBC's ugly Abhisit interview

Published: 14 Dec 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

A good interview raises more questions than it answers, while a bad one raises more questions about the interviewer than the interview. A mix of both was in play last week when former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was interviewed by BBC news presenter Mishal Husain about murder charges recently levelled against him.

Former prime minister and current opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks about the murder charges against him during an interview with BBC World News presenter Mishal Husain, in London.

Thailand's Department of Special Investigations chief Tarit Pengdith rocked the political world by charging Mr Abhisit with a murder for issuing orders that "caused the deaths of many people" in during the populist disturbances in Bangkok in April and May 2010.

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jimbly
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Discussion 41 : 21 Dec 2012 at 13.2241
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Disc #38
There's a difference between asking hard-hitting questions and putting words in someone's mouth. She was very rude, even by western standards, and very simplistic in her analysis. Mark is lucky to get an inexperienced interviewer, the really good ones are much more subtle with their "Have you stopped beating your wife?" approach.
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mrexpat
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Discussion 40 : 19 Dec 2012 at 19.2940
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have some of you posters not heard of this type of journalism??
Remember frost/nixon?
If an ex PM educated at eton and oxford cant deal with this type of questioning what hope does he have, maybe the bbc see abhisit say army using rubber bullets only ON BBC, then army use live ammo with live pictures of army shooting towards a temple???
Believe me the BBC would interview Thaksin in the same way
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faceless
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Discussion 39 : 17 Dec 2012 at 10.2039
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somchai d.18, "The BBC lost their integrity many years ago and nobody takes them seriously anymore."

Some people obviously do, when it suits them.

I agree with you, they've lost their way. Sadly, gone are the days when one could rely on their balanced impersonal reporting.
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ringmaster
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Discussion 38 : 16 Dec 2012 at 22.4638
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I think some people confuse hard-hitting questions with hostility; it is part of a reporter's job to ask the tough questions. I didn't see any hostility from Ms. Husain in the interview.
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thaibuzz
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Discussion 37 : 16 Dec 2012 at 19.5737
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Husain was obviously leading Abhisit with her questions. Trying to force him into a position of guilt. Calling this "impartial" is feeble.
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android
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Discussion 36 : 16 Dec 2012 at 19.0036
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BBC has an imparial political stance in the 2010 military crackdown on protestors. This is BBC's view against AV's ordering the army to shoot protestors with live bullets.
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bobby2000
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Discussion 35 : 16 Dec 2012 at 16.0235
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Wow, what a totally biased piece of journalism. The BBC reporter was doing her job, there was nothing wrong with her interview.
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yowi
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Discussion 34 : 15 Dec 2012 at 21.5234
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The interviewer kept asking if Mr. Abhisit felt sorry about the dead people or not and she expected only "Yes" or "No" answer without listening to related fact which Mr. Abhisit tried to tell her. If her house was robbed / burned and the robber was shot by the police, would she feel sorry about the death? Would she blame the police for the shooting?
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bsright
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Discussion 33 : 15 Dec 2012 at 14.3433
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I have ever been impressed with high standard performances of BBC.After watching the BBC program days ago on interviewing Mr.Abhisit, the former Thai PM, about controlling 2010 street crisis in Bangkok,I may change my mind.The BBC lady interviewer should have allowed him more time to answer completely for each question.
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stefmazz
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Discussion 32 : 15 Dec 2012 at 13.4732
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Husain asked whether people should be held accountable including himself, Abhisit agreed. She asked if he authorized live fire, he said yes. She pointed out that the majority of the deaths were caused by the military, this again cannot be contested and hasn't been by any report on the matter. He tries to dodge the question and she doesn't let him.
I am seriously confused by these reactions to this interview. The interview was specifically about his murder charges, what else should she focus on? Why should everything be about Thaksin? I say this was brave journalism, not the usual deference to authority.
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