Why the executive interview is a fraud

Of all business media practices, the most dreadful, the most decayed, the most hotly embarrassing, the most palpably offensive to the nostrils of God, is the executive message in the form of an “interview” with the company president or Chief Executive Officer.

You know the kind of thing I mean.

Q. “Mr. Huffnpuff, how would you rate our company’s performance profitwise for the year just ended?”

A. “Well, Jim, as you know, it was a very difficult year for our industry. But on balance, I think I can say …” and so on.

I have seen answers beginning “That’s a very good question” or even “I’m glad you asked me that.”