Frost on Interviews Review

300 word review for a Broadsheet Newspaper

Frost on Interviews explores fundamental aspects of the modern interview, and how this has transformed over the last six decades.

Since it was first established as an emerging form of journalism in the nineteen fifties, the interview has become one of the most popular practices of gathering information in the public eye, and has since adapted into a form of providing entertainment to the public. Frost encounters many of his interview counterparts and colleagues, to form a programme that follows through the very transformations that the interview as a concept, has undertaken to be known as what it is today.

Appearances are made from the former politician Tony Benn, fellow interviewers Michael Parkinson and Melvin Bragg, and Tony Blair’s former spin doctor, Alistair Campbell. The programme follows a structure of interviews with these figures amongst others, based upon their own experiences, and what they justify good interview techniques, as well as commenting on how the interview has changed and adapted over the years.

Short snippets of interviews are shown frequently, to emphasise the changes in how in particular, politicians became savvy to the interview, and therefore adapted their attitude, and behaviour as a result. A particular instance with Margaret Thatcher, saw her undermine and verbally retaliate to an interviewer, of which has since latterly become common place in the modern day. What the documentary does however produce, is an insight into the former ways in which interviews where broadcast. Frost expresses how interviews in the early days, where a form of political broadcasting, rather than an inquisitive conversation.

What was also acknowledged is the transformation and transferring of interviews into the entertainment business. This type of interview is now more commonly known, through people such as Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, and as shown in the programme, Clive Anderson.

The historical context of the interview is encapsulated in how Frost, along with fellow television practitioners, discuss and recite the modern practises in which we have become accustomed to as an audience today. The former days of interviewing where not partaken in such a way that entertains or informs as its primary objective; but instead, they were a form of promoting for politicians, and exploiting the truth for journalists.

The programme was aired on the BBC in March 2012.