Date: 29/01/2014
The below incisive comments comments are from a public relations groups.
For the first time, Congress Vice President & Congress Poll Campaign Chief Rahul Gandhi opens up to an elaborate sit-down interview with TIMES NOW Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami. For the first time after his political debut in 2004, Rahul Gandhi takes direct questions on wide range of subjects on Frankly Speaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB_eWW5ttaM
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Hope many of our members might have watched the interview with Rahul Gandhi in Times Now last night. When a major political party goes to national poll, such interviews raise some serious communication issues.
1. The questions asked by Arnab were only simple and basic questions, which are debated on a daily basis. (like 1984 Delhi massacre, 2002 Gujarat riots, corruption issue, Support to AAP, etc.). Arnab has not asked any complicated questions, involving international relations, intra party or inter party matters, etc. In spite of this, Rahul was often repeating only few words like women empowerment, opening the systems, etc, without directly answering to the questions. A question on Gujarat riot was asked 5 times and Rahul was only repeating the same unconnected answers. He was blaming as if somebody else is ruling the nation.
2. Rahul seems to be giving interview on a major TV for the first time in his political career. His body language exhibited fear and tension. Even he was not comfortably seated. Some of the close up shots of Rahul indicated sweating also.
3. Within 30 minutes of the start of the interview, lot of status messages were circulated in facebook and twitter making fun of Rahul.
4. Some senior person might have accompanied Rahul to the studios or somebody might have been seated nearby outside the view of camera. Often Rahul was seen looking at something. It is like children when they participate in the school functions on stage, used to look at their parents. It looked as though, he may start weeping if the interview continued for some more time.
5. On the other hand, Arnab, was cool with sarcastic smile. He wanted to expose Rahul.
When the Congress party is going to national poll under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, how is that their PR Managers exposed him badly in a much publicised TV interview. Though the questions were too basic and answered daily by the Congress spokespersons, why their PR team could not train Rahul properly, before facing the camera.
One of the senior leaders of Congress told me in the morning that they are now forced to repair the image damage caused by Rahul.
I request the communication experts to analyse this issue in the communication and PR angle, beyond politics.
2014 General Elections is going to be played on communication strategies.
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A very well done analysis.
Throughout the interview, Rahul appeared as if he is looking for, Is Mummy there?
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Good analysis. Btw, have you heard a rumor circulating that the interview was a plot to grab attention from Modi's Mumbai visit. This is pretty convincing theory.... that media strategist in Congress are using all the tactics they can to consistently keep BJP out of prime time news...even if it requires that they use Rahul as bait.
What is your opinion on that?
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Wonderful analysis. In fact, I watched the programme for most part of it. He was talking about Gujarat almost out of context. Words like women empowerment etc were used many times. This was one of the review points which was also telecast in the same channel, imdtly after the interview in a panel of 5 or 6 eminent men, who were talking about the interview. Absolutely there was nothing new, no path-breaking views or no serious expression of opinion in a national issue (like atomic energy, centre-state relationship, foreign policy, relationship with neighbours, our judicial system, economic situation etc). The only special point was that it was the first one to one interview to a TV channel by Rahul after almost 10 years, as claimed by the channel.
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