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Imperious Interviews

KMT chair’s Russia remarks spark debate, but the interviewer’s confrontational style draws criticism from veteran Taiwan journalists.
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New KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) claim in an October 31 Deutsche Welle interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is not a dictator” because he was elected has sparked controversy in Taiwan in recent days. But another source of controversy has been the confrontational approach of DW interviewer Tsou Tzung-han (鄒宗翰). Lee Chih-te (李志德), a seasoned Taiwan journalist, compared Tsou unfavorably to former Al Jazeera host Mehdi Hasan, known for his cool yet “pointed questions,” and suggested Tsou lacked the preparation and strategic questioning that makes for effective interviewing.

DW journalist Tsou Tzung-han’s (鄒宗翰).

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