From adversarialism to antagonism : challenges to the norms of the broadcast accountability interview in an age of conflict

The accountability interview in which a public figure is held to account for their statements or actions is a well-established armature in the delivery of broadcast news. In its broadcast canonical form it relies on questioning as an instrument for addressing issues of knowledge, responsibility, and the rightness of actions of those with public standing. However, shifts in questioning techniques have accelerated a movement towards argument in the context of the broadcast accountability interview and a corresponding loosening of its interview structure. Indeed, there are signs of a growing tendency for the interview framework itself to be questioned by interviewees. This article examines what is at stake in these changes and asks if the accountability interview in an era of heightened conflict remains fit for purpose or is facing a kind of legitimation crisis.