ambush interview
Unannounced confrontational journalism
An ambush interview is a confrontational journalistic technique where a reporter surprises someone with questions, typically in public or at their home, without prior arrangement.
The subject often faces accusations of wrongdoing and has no chance to prepare: The politician was caught off guard by an ambush interview outside the courthouse.
The tactic is associated with investigative journalism and tabloid shows.
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
- gotchaExclamation upon catching someone
- gotcha journalismSensationalist adversarial reporting tactics
- journalistNews profession practitioner
- reporterOne who gathers news
microphone · camera · hidden camera · surprise · caught off guard · on the spot · doorstep · door knock · expose · cornered · uncomfortable · no comment · running away · tabloid · paparazzi · media scrum · investigative · accusation
- journalismreporters, editors, student editors, school paper, news
- tabloid mediasensationalism, tabloids, yellow journalism, tabloidization, gossip columns
ambush, interview, ambushed, ambushing, ambushes, interviewed, interviewing, interviews, interviewer