The news interview has become an important medium for presenting radio and television news and political commentary, as well as a key interface between the institutions of journalism and government. This particularly necessary text examines the position of the news interview in Anglo-American society and studies its historical evolution in the United States and Britain.

The main part of the book deals with the fundamental rules and conventions that shape conversational behavior in contemporary news interviews. It explores the specific recurring practices through which journalists balance competitive professional rules, which encourage both objective and combative treatment of public figures. It also explores how politicians and other public figures, when faced with aggressive questions, strive to stay "on topic" and pursue their own agenda.

Through analyses of well-known interviews, the book illuminates the simultaneously conciliatory and confrontational nature of the relationship between journalists and public figures and reveals the tensions that lie beneath the surface of evening news. This comprehensive and inclusive book will be essential reading for students and researchers in the fields of sociolinguistics, media studies, and communication.