Structural analysis of an interview series

Abstract

The current emphasis placed by the television industry on the development and production of public affairs programing has led to increased reliance upon perhaps the oldest, most simple, and least costly form of informative programing: the interview. This recent attention should not be allowed to obscure two facts: 1) the average interview program, valuable as it may be, rarely attracts audiences (and sponsors) to the same extent as does an “entertainment” program; and 2) some programs are exceptions. For eight years the “Paul Coates Show” has fascinated a loyal audience that has amply repaid the program's sponsors. Why has this particular program done so well? Mr. Coates, a widely‐read newspaper columnist, does not fit the stereotype of a television “personality,” neither are his questions so probing as those of some other television interviewers. In an attempt to uncover the factors underlying the popularity of the “Paul Coates Show,” Dr. Borgers has analyzed the structure of a number of programs and has arrived at some useful conclusions.