I think the parent commenter is saying that it is unproductive for a journalist to ask questions that they know the CEO cannot answer because of the CEO's fiduciary responsibility to their enterprise. That isn't saying not to ask, but to pick up on cues from the interviewee that pursuing a particular line of questioning isn't going to be successful.
I'm saying that journalists can ask whatever they want - but companies, esp CEOs, are simply unlikely to answer a significant question that could be easily miss-interpreted by the media.
Thus assuming the objective isn't to "trip the CEO up" (which I don't think it was, it isn't a BBC style) then asking/rephrasing the question differently might have helped achieve the interview Rory was looking for.
In general, you don't learn a lot asking people (in positions of power) questions that they will have to respond to with an uninteresting, transparent evasion or lie.
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It sounds as though you are suggesting that journalists should not ask CEOs questions about issues that might affect PR or the stock price.
Am I misreading you?
I think the parent commenter is saying that it is unproductive for a journalist to ask questions that they know the CEO cannot answer because of the CEO's fiduciary responsibility to their enterprise. That isn't saying not to ask, but to pick up on cues from the interviewee that pursuing a particular line of questioning isn't going to be successful.
I'm saying that journalists can ask whatever they want - but companies, esp CEOs, are simply unlikely to answer a significant question that could be easily miss-interpreted by the media.
Thus assuming the objective isn't to "trip the CEO up" (which I don't think it was, it isn't a BBC style) then asking/rephrasing the question differently might have helped achieve the interview Rory was looking for.
In other words, Adolph's remark is spot on.
In general, you don't learn a lot asking people (in positions of power) questions that they will have to respond to with an uninteresting, transparent evasion or lie.