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Laschet in the children's interview on "Late Night Berlin" (click here for the broadcast)
Photo: Screenshot / Late Night Berlin / ProSieben
I recently attended a children's interview with the President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster. In the editorial office, we had already thought about the direction in which the conversation could go. We asked Mr. Schuster because the number of anti-Semitic attacks in Germany is increasing. Our child reporters Johann, 11, and Alma, 13, should come up with a few questions about anti-Semitism. As always, we also said that you can ask anything that interests you.
Alma asked Mr. Schuster a question that puzzled him: When was the last time you enjoyed your position?
Mr. Schuster had to think for a long time.
Obviously he had never heard that question before.
Alma had succeeded in something that many experienced journalists fail because of: she did not serve the small and small things of daily reporting, but asked a more fundamental question.
Similar moments have been observed several times over the past few days.
Annalena Baerbock had to summarize her election program in one sentence when speaking to a school class.
Tino Chrupalla revealed insufficient knowledge of German.
And when talking to two 11-year-olds, Armin Laschet stumbled even more than he did with Markus Lanz a few months ago.
It's funny: those who are not allowed to vote in the upcoming federal election are currently saving the election reporting.
Children manage to challenge politicians in a way that the moderators of previous TV duels have barely managed to do so far.
It seems like children are better journalists.
But it's not that simple - I can say that after having attended many interviews with children.
It is true: children ask questions that no adult dares to ask because experienced journalists are too vain to admit ignorance.
Who is asking now, the child or the editorial team?
Children also look at the world differently.
While many adults have apparently got used to the fact that fleeing people drown off Europe's coasts because the entry rules are as strict as they are, children see the individual who needs help.
When Olaf Scholz tried to convey his realpolitical view of migration policy in conversation with two child reporters from the ProSieben show “Late Night Berlin”, he looked into two incredulous children's eyes.
“Late Night Berlin” has also shown that children's interviews are only as good as the preparation by the accompanying editorial staff.
And the editors of “Late Night Berlin” apparently meant it particularly well during the interviews with Laschet and Scholz.
Sure, Laschet's role in clearing the Hamburg Forest should be questioned hard.
And what Hans-Georg Maaßen has lost in the CDU is just as debatable.
But the fact that an eleven-year-old even knows Mr Maassen and asks for the exact definition of whether he is a Nazi or a right-wing man makes me wonder: Who is asking now - the child reporter or the editorial team through the child reporter?
Yes, as the editor of "Dein SPIEGEL" I also intervene in interview situations.
For example, when our child reporters have understood the answer of a conversation partner, but I have the feeling that younger readers may have difficulties with it.
Then I ask: Can you explain that more simply?
How much preparation is too much preparation
Sometimes our child reporters are too shy to ask again if they have not understood something.
That happens more often.
Because not all child reporters have as much camera experience as Pauline and Romeo from “Late Night Berlin” or Alexander from “logo!”.
So when a child can barely get a word out, perhaps because they are sitting across from their favorite football player, I also intervene to loosen up the situation.
And in the end, it's me who will write the interview down.
So it's not as if children were asking straight away.
The format of the children's interview goes through an editorial process.
That is why we mark our interviews with the information that an editor was involved in the creation.
As a children's magazine, we have a great responsibility towards children's reporters and our readers. We weigh up the following: The child reporters should have a good time during the interview. But if the children's reporters ask too specific or too banal questions, we as the editorial team have to steer the conversation in a certain direction so that it remains exciting and understandable for other children.
But we also have a responsibility to the person interviewed.
Because this goes into a situation in which it is more or less defenseless.
You can't just iron out children's questions with a "no comment" without losing face.
That's great because surprising moments can arise, as in the case of Chrupalla.
The case is different, however, when children are pushed forward to convey foreign messages.
We at »Dein SPIEGEL» always give our child reporters the opportunity to develop questions from their everyday lives.
During the “Late Night Berlin” conversation with Laschet, for example, I would have been more interested in whether Pauline and Romeo have an air filter in their class and what Mr. Laschet would have said about it.