Someone related to me this description of Malaysian journalists. In the first few years of their career, they will be faithfully taking down notes in an interview. As the career wore on, both reporter and respondent would talk as much. By the third stage of an exhaustive career, the reporter would have stored up a reservoir of wisdom and views.

So when he or she goes out for an interview, the respondent whose thoughts are supposed to be sought, would hardly be able to speak. The reporter will do all the talking. This is the point when they start writing analyses and commentaries. This does not make them any less disillusioned, I am told, because reporters are desperately disappointed at being paid too little money to do too much work throughout their careers.