Christiane Amanpour. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Christiane Amanpour doesn’t hedge. For years, she’s rejected the notion that journalists should play it safe by staying “neutral,” arguing instead for a higher standard: being truthful. That ethos has guided her reporting from Bosnia to Gaza—and it hasn’t wavered in today’s chaotic information environment.
In this Q&A with Status, Amanpour critiqued the Western media’s limited access to Gaza, the American right’s embrace of Kremlin talking points, and the growing indifference to factual reporting. She also weighed in on TikTok-era news habits, her new podcast series, and what she recently told graduating students at Harvard University.
Below is our conversation, lightly edited for style.
Throughout your career, you've emphasized being "truthful, not neutral." In today's information environment, which is rife with disinformation, how do you fend off against being called a partisan for simply adhering to the facts?
To be honest Oliver, I never hear myself being called “partisan.” I am not an American, I don’t cover U.S. elections or domestic politics. I tell the truth and the stories from around the world, including what everyone over here thinks of America at any given time. Oh I’m sure there are a chorus of complainers on social media. But I don’t pay attention at all. My bars are “truthful not neutral” and “get it right.”
In the age of TikTok and Instagram, do you think the facts alone are compelling enough to grab attention in this information economy? People often say they want straight, down-the-middle news. But their consumption habits indicate something else entirely.
Yes, people’s consumption habits are getting quite worrisome! Of course I would prefer if people would do their own “Good Housekeeping” check on what they are consuming. Make sure they go to platforms and news organizations that always properly fact check, and have a legacy of credibility and integrity. I never think dry facts alone are enough to tell a whole news story. Even in stats-driven stories like financials, science, etc, there is ALWAYS the human connection. And that’s what makes compelling, attention grabbing stories.
When it comes to Ukraine, how effective has Russian propaganda been in shaping the global narrative? And have you been surprised to see some American media figures—especially on the right—start echoing Kremlin talking points? As you know, Tucker Carlson even traveled to Moscow and produced what can only be described as pro-Putin propaganda.
YES. I am not just surprised, but horrified…
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