Was It Really An Interview?
Journalism provides real-time reports on current events through interviews with various sources and live coverage. Interviews are given with individuals that hold powerful knowledge and insight on situations being discussed, allowing for new information and perspectives to be learned. COVID-19 was heard about months before it made a big appearance. In March 2020, it took over our world and has overstayed its time. COVID-19 has provided several opportunities for news outlets to report on new findings, current restrictions, updates on individuals suffering from COVID-19, and businesses impacted. The interview on CNN between the Cuomo brothers provided an entertaining, light, friendly atmosphere between an anchor and source. It was a nice change from the traditional, common interviews viewed recently on news outlets. While I enjoyed the interview and the banter provided, I believe that Chris Cuomo interviewing his brother Governor Andrew Cuomo was unacceptable and inappropriate.
The interview lacked journalistic elements. It failed to grab a story and “the function or role of journalism, its telos, is to serve as a kind of conduit or portal that supplies citizens with reliable information about events and issues of the day, information they are not able to acquire (or easily acquire) themselves” (Pech & Leibel, p. 145–146, 2006). When a journalist is reporting on a news story they are “caring for” the people affected by the situation and allowing them to provide perspective to viewers. When a journalist demonstrates a “caring about” attitude they are providing care to the situation by reporting on it (Pech & Leibel, p. 144, 2006). Chris Cuomo did not demonstrate the act of “caring for” the people following the stories surrounding COVID-19. The goal is to provide a neutral standpoint in both the questions asked and in the responses given to the source interviewed (Pech & Leibel, p. 146, 2006). Chris Cuomo did not push for a better answer than “no” from his brother. He was not caring for or about the situation as well as he could have been and not fully diving into his journalist duties. By asking his brother to expand further on his first few answers, he could have provided more care for the people following the developments of COVID-19 and the presidential issues.
The fact that Chris Cuomo and Governor Andrew Cuomo are siblings affected the credibility and level of objectivity demonstrated. Elizabeth Jensen references Poynter in her article, describing the effects of being too close to a source. Developing a friendship with the individual being interviewed can create unconscious acts of leading the direction of the interview to the source’s perspective, or withholding crucial information, rather than remaining objective (Jensen, 2016). Journalists have the job of reporting on any and all information provided, regardless if it reflects the source in a positive or negative light (Lauricella, 2020). Journalists have the ethical duty to provide viewers with all information. Developing a friendship with the individuals interviewed creates complications, and in the case of Chris and Andrew Cuomo, a sibling connection creates a difficult situation. Governor Cuomo was very limited in his responses to his brother Chris. Yes, it provided a light, amusing tone to the interview with the knowledge they are siblings and it was harmless banter, but it appeared that Chris did not completely treat his brother as he would any other source. The interviews I have watched on CNN demonstrate the anchors pushing for further clarification on their responses from the sources interviewed. The journalists lightly criticize the responses and continue the discussion rather than continuously moving onto the next question. Would Chris have pushed harder if it was not his brother?
These interviews should have been passed to another anchor. There would have been no relation to the source, creating no question on the bias and objectivity level of the interview. Interviewing his brother may have created a difficult situation for Chris. He may have not felt like he could push for answers or criticize the way his brother responded (Lauricella, 2020). Siblings and friends often have a close connection where they can read between the lines and interpret the unspoken words behind the way the other person responds. While he may understand or be aware of the reasons why his brother would answer his questions the way he had, viewers outside of their family circle do not.
Overall, the interview provided some insight and news for viewers. While family banter is entertaining to watch and a change from the traditional interview format, it caused a lack of story to be told. Changing the anchor would result in the loss of the banter that some viewers enjoyed, but it would allow for the point to be made clearer. It would provide comfort for the journalist to dive deeper into the issues being discussed. More information may be given and it would seem to be more of an interview rather than a family disagreement.
References
Jensen, E. (2016, February 26), “When is a friendship a conflict of interest?” NPR Public Editor. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/publiceditor/2016/02/26/467813499/when-is-a-friendship-a-conflict-of-interest
Lauricella, S. (2020). Pandemic Prime Time for the Cuomo Brothers: Ethics, Objectivity, and Relationships in Journalism. Media Ethics Initiative. https://mediaengagement.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/80-Brothers-in-News-Case-Study.pdf
Pech, G. & Liebel, R. (2006). Writing in solidarity: Toward an ethic of care for Journalism. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 21(2&3), 141–155.
