Talk show moderator Louis Klamroth: Expand horizons, do not change!

Talk show moderator Louis Klamroth: Expand horizons, do not change!

Am Hart, Deutschland - in the world of political talk shows Louis Klamroth, moderator of "hard but fair", established itself as a fresh wind. In an interview with Zeit Campus, Klamroth emphasizes that his goal is not to change the opinions of the audience, but to expand their horizons. The aspect is important to him that not every discussion has to lead to a uniform consensus. "In the end, unity is not everything," he says, adding that a successful debate should provide new perspectives. This attitude has his roots in an early childhood fascination for talk shows, which he already had as a boy and who put him in size with greats like Anne and Günther Jauch.

Klamroth, who completed an internship at Jauch during his studies in Amsterdam, emphasizes the importance of respectful handling and the ability to deal with pressure. Jauch's calm being still inspires him in his work. Klamroth is convinced that the audience should have the opportunity to hear and reflect on various arguments instead of just following the latest headlines. He emphasizes that a talk show should be a forum in which different perspectives can be illuminated.

The role of talk shows in society

But how do talk shows generally in the social context? A recent study by the progressive center has examined the representation and the topic of the best -known talk shows in Germany. There are some interesting trends among the "Big 4" of the Politian Talks, which include "hard but fair" programs such as "Anne Will" and "Maischberger". These studies examine that the majority of guests come from political and economic life, while voices are often missing from social and educational policy areas. This could be an important gap that leads to a one -sided discussion within these formats.

The study authors Paulina Fröhlich and Johannes Hillje point out that over two thirds of the invited politicians act nationwide and that the representation of local politicians or European representatives in the talk shows is dramatically low. Only 2.4% of the guests come from this level, which questions the diversity of the discourses. In particular on the Corona crisis, the proportion of scientists among the guest lists rose, which shows how important it is to make expert opinions audible.

a new era of discussions?

Overall, it shows that Klamroth's approach, paired with the critical insights from the study, could drive the urgently needed discourse on the formats and its content. The question remains: How much space for diversification does the political talk show landscape still have?