Kingston Journalism students believe men are bad interviewees

Photo: krakenimages via Unsplash

Written by Purnoor Fatima

A recent student-led survey at Kingston University shows that a majority of Journalism students believe women give stronger interviews than men, highlighting interesting gender differences in student reporting experiences across campus.

Out of 11 respondents, 81.8% said they receive their best interviews from women compared to just 18.2% who favoured men, while 72% also felt that women appear more confident and willing to participate in interviews than their male counterparts.

Amaris Dagrou, a second-year journalism student, described her experiences by saying: “In my experience of interviewing men who I don't know, especially if it’s a group of them, they feel the need to appear cool and try and fluster me or be smartasses about the whole thing, if you know what I mean?”

The survey suggests that confidence and openness play a significant role in shaping the quality of interviews, with many students noting that women are often more expressive and willing to engage thoughtfully with questions.

Alisha Azeem, a third-year journalism student, highlighted how age can also influence interview quality: “Younger guys just want to act cool and nonchalant in front of their mates, is what I’ve seen. So, by pretending to be mysterious they give crappy answers and consider us journalists a joke.”

Some students were even more blunt in their assessments, with second-year Alice Pewter stating: “Young men have jackshit to say especially in groups of boys,” reflecting a frustration shared by several respondents when dealing with group interviews.

Despite the overall trend, not all students agreed with the majority view, as second-year journalism student Nimishka Saluja offered a different perspective: “I won’t say men only but, I feel whenever I have tried to get an interview, men are always open for it and they have always answered with energy.”

Industry insight also supported some of the survey’s findings, with former Kingston Courier editor Ben Kelsey suggesting: “Women are generally more emotionally attuned and can offer insight into things whilst remaining sensitive about it, not that men can't but it's generally believed that women are better at talking about emotional things.”

The survey also revealed that 10 out of 11 students feel more intimidated approaching men for interviews, which may influence both the interaction itself and the responses they receive.

However, some respondents suggested that interviewer identity could play a role, as journalism student Nikita Maslyayev noted that he often receives better interviews from men and recalled his most successful interview as being with a: “Male, math rock teacher. He was very passionate about what he does and the questions I had for him hit the spot for him for sure."

Beyond gender, location also appeared to influence interview experiences, with 81.8% of respondents agreeing that interviewees at Kingston’s Penrhyn Road campus are generally friendlier and more approachable than those at Knights Park.

While the sample size remains small, the findings offer an insightful glimpse into how gender dynamics, confidence, and context can shape the success of interviews for student journalists navigating real-world reporting situations.

While the sample size remains small, the findings offer an insightful glimpse into how gender dynamics, confidence, and context can shape the success of interviews for student journalists navigating real-world reporting situations.