Abstract

Talk is a fundamental activity of broadcasters, but the gradual erosion of public service broadcasting has left the critical relationship between media, public opinion and public knowledge susceptible to lack of trust (Lowe and Bardoel, 2007). Interviews occupy a prominent place in broadcast journalism and as Atkinson and Silverman (1997) argue, we live in an 'interview culture', which is our anchor to world events and people's lives.
This thesis assumes an interpretivist epistemological approach to illustrate and critically reflect through media discourse analysis, using the frameworks of Scannell (2007) and Montgomery (2007), a selection of radio interviews broadcast live on the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation’s Channel 4 between 2018 - 2021. Using my process as a case study and exploring the concepts of power, audience and performance, I demonstrate how emerging broadcasters can conduct live, in-depth interviews while contributing towards public sector knowledge. This is presented as the 7-Step Interview Framework for Emerging Broadcasters.
Change in the public sector does not come rapidly and requires considerable reflexivity, persistence and resistance. I elucidate through a professional narrative, the importance of gatekeeping and how my interview praxis can be utilised to relate to overhearing audiences in specific, inclusive and cooperative ways. Furthermore, I elaborate on the importance of ethically transporting the interviewees' personal experiences, work, culture and values into the public domain. Collaborative forms of communication can make learning and change possible both in self and others.
Silence exacerbates issues. When public servants cannot speak out, they suffer psychologically, physically and emotionally. This thesis illustrates my utilization of ‘power’ as an interviewer to raise awareness of contemporary issues for my audience. Although emotions have been considered unsuitable for rigorous research (Ashkanasy, 2002), public administration scholars realise unhappiness diminishes health (Jung, Bozeman and Guaghan, 2018). By making my research and experience public, broadcasters can reflect on how they can substantially contribute to state broadcasting.