Interview Exercise
by Gila Ansell Brauner
(April 16, 2002)

The average Israel supporter has watched several, possibly dozens of interviews and press conferences with Palestinian and Arab figures and wondered why the questions never seem to be challenging their fundamental thesis of the legitimizing terror and the underlying causes of the deteriorating situation, the escalating violence. This is especially apparent when interviews are conducted in PA controlled areas!

While we cannot directly impact on media events, we can learn from them, empower others using them - and improve our media skills.

1. Tape a few CNN, CBS, BBC, Sky News, or other interviews.
   Pick one or two which made you feel uncomfortable and show them. Analyze them quickly and list the main items.
   Have pairs of participants practice creating and answering their own questions, all questions are to be more searching, but framed and set in the same polite mdoe. Write up your questions.
2. Collect all the questions and discuss:
   What kind of responses were given?
   How important is the purpose behind the questions, if the journalist wants real information?
   Did you feel that these questions would have produced a more substantial interview in real circumstances?
   How important is the journalist's knowledge of the background?
   Were there any issues on which the participants required more background to interview, or to respond?
3. In groups of 4-5, create fictional interviews and responses for a panel of named "Israeli figures", totalling no more than 5 minutes in length.
   Write up the questions.
4. Collect all the questions and play out the responses, noting where groups have responded to the same questions with different ideas.
   Discuss:
   Which ideas worked best, and in what circumstances?
   In what way did your ideas improve on the kind of Israeli response you have heard?
   Were there any issues on which participants required more background to interview, or to respond?
5. Conclusion:
   What has the group learned about the interview setting and its rules?
   What have they learned about the act of interviewing and that of being interviewed?
   What are the recommendations, in terms of Israel Advocacy?
   Outline a programme which best meets the group's needs, in terms of the main issues to be covered (content and methodology) over several weekly meetings, with short assignments.