"In a recent feature by Niamh Horan in this paper, Sarah McInerney said that as an ­interviewer, "holding back gets you so much more than going in studs first". Coming from the latest Morning Ireland (RTÉ1, weekdays, 7am) co-host, this was a tad troubling for fans who had for long regarded her adversarial approach as an outstanding feature."
""Studs" McInerney seemed to have a heightened awareness that politicians are now over-protected by "special ­advisers", equipped with many new-­fangled tools in their ­determination to say absolutely nothing of any interest to anyone. She knew - in sporting parlance - that "you have to let them know you're there"."
Holding back during interviews can produce more substantive responses than launching immediately into aggressive questioning. Longstanding adversarial techniques have been prized for their forceful exposure of evasions, but measured probing can unsettle carefully managed political spokespeople. Politicians are increasingly shielded by special advisers who deploy modern tactics to avoid providing interesting or substantive content. These intermediaries can limit the public value of interviews. A tactical approach that signals presence while allowing space can prompt more revealing answers and combine journalistic scrutiny with strategic restraint to expose evasions.
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