Journalists
The press room of the State Council Information Office is always an interesting place for observing journalists. Before the press conference even starts, the place is already swamped with these vulturine, inquisitive journalists and their entourage of photographers. Front-row seats are occupied in no time; notebooks falling into place, videorecorders set up; questions rehearsed and mikes neatly tucked behind the bouquets on the podium.
Then the ministers are ushered onto the podium. Time for the journalists to reveal their teeth and prey on any weakness they spot in the "lambs on the podium".
The moderator would kick off the conference with a few housekeeping rules like please identify yourself and please ask one question only.
Rules are meant to be broken, right?
You see, journalists really know the trick of the trade. They are so good at cramming mini-questions into their 5 minutes of mike-holding in the spotlight. They always give the moderator the brush-off.. To hell with your "only one question per journalist rule". See, I know how to ask multiple questions in one go. Your quota system can kiss my bottom.
And sometimes, the journalists would precede their questions with a small speech to show that they are knowledgeable on this topic. On the surface, they seem to be fishing for the "you asked a very good question" compliment. But under the surface, this small trick only serves to bring the lambs' guard down. It sells the lambs the false impression that these journalists are easy and the questions are no-brainers. Beware, the trap is set!
When the lambs start to feel comfortable, the journalists would take advantage of the time and close in on them. They get provocative, flagging tough, controversial questions and they wait for their preys to make mistakes. Their intention is to enrage or shame these poor victims into saying something inappropriate or stupid which they can then quote and dramatize in their articles.
The tension will escalate, and if without the moderator/shepherd's intervention, the situation will probably spin out of control. Lucky for the lambs, a good shepherd would sense the danger and waste no time in wrapping up the conference. But if less fortunately the shepherd is not cut out for his job or is enjoying the moderatorship too much, he will probably let the journalists go on with "last question" after "last question". In that case, the lambs are toast, dead meat. Panic-stricken, they would switch into diplomatic mode: "Sorry, I'm afraid I'm not the best person to answer that", "I'm not in a position to comment", "It's best that you take this question somewhere else." But this is the answer of last resort. They can use it on the audience once, but if attempted twice, they will get bashed in the press and discredited in the public eye.
Yes, journalists are hunters on a good day and vultures on a bad day. And every day is a bad day for the lambs.
Then the ministers are ushered onto the podium. Time for the journalists to reveal their teeth and prey on any weakness they spot in the "lambs on the podium".
The moderator would kick off the conference with a few housekeeping rules like please identify yourself and please ask one question only.
Rules are meant to be broken, right?
You see, journalists really know the trick of the trade. They are so good at cramming mini-questions into their 5 minutes of mike-holding in the spotlight. They always give the moderator the brush-off.. To hell with your "only one question per journalist rule". See, I know how to ask multiple questions in one go. Your quota system can kiss my bottom.
And sometimes, the journalists would precede their questions with a small speech to show that they are knowledgeable on this topic. On the surface, they seem to be fishing for the "you asked a very good question" compliment. But under the surface, this small trick only serves to bring the lambs' guard down. It sells the lambs the false impression that these journalists are easy and the questions are no-brainers. Beware, the trap is set!
When the lambs start to feel comfortable, the journalists would take advantage of the time and close in on them. They get provocative, flagging tough, controversial questions and they wait for their preys to make mistakes. Their intention is to enrage or shame these poor victims into saying something inappropriate or stupid which they can then quote and dramatize in their articles.
The tension will escalate, and if without the moderator/shepherd's intervention, the situation will probably spin out of control. Lucky for the lambs, a good shepherd would sense the danger and waste no time in wrapping up the conference. But if less fortunately the shepherd is not cut out for his job or is enjoying the moderatorship too much, he will probably let the journalists go on with "last question" after "last question". In that case, the lambs are toast, dead meat. Panic-stricken, they would switch into diplomatic mode: "Sorry, I'm afraid I'm not the best person to answer that", "I'm not in a position to comment", "It's best that you take this question somewhere else." But this is the answer of last resort. They can use it on the audience once, but if attempted twice, they will get bashed in the press and discredited in the public eye.
Yes, journalists are hunters on a good day and vultures on a bad day. And every day is a bad day for the lambs.
