Richard Fidler is regarded as one of the best interviewers in the world - standing alongside the likes of Ira Glass and Michael Parkinson. His ABC radio show, Conversations, is one of the most popular podcasts in Australia, with millions of downloads a month. In its 17 years on air, he has conducted around 3000 interviews, making him something of a dab hand.
Fidler is also the author of four acclaimed books blending travel and history, and will be appearing at the Auckland Writers Festival this month.
Famously, the broadcaster hates being interviewed himself and starts our phone call by flipping the script. "Are you in Derby, are you in WA?" he chimes, his voice lively and animated, almost musical. "What an amazing place that is." We go on to discuss my background, my reasons for living in the remote Kimberley region, and my experience of the landscape and history. Like the interview pro he is, Fidler has taken gentle control of this chat.
He inherited Conversations in 2005 but completely overhauled the format, ignoring his then boss' advice that no radio segment should last longer than seven minutes. He tends to avoid celebrity guests - his adage being that famous people often make boring interviewees, particularly when spruiking their latest output.
At the heart of the programme are curiosity and intimacy. For an entire hour, Fidler and a guest he has (usually) not met sit alone in a room together, deep within the bowels of the ABC in Sydney.
Denne historien er fra May 06 - 12 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra May 06 - 12 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
