David Dimbleby on Curiosity & Asking the Right Questions | Story Islands S2E2

As our very special second episode of Story Islands (season 2), we welcome one of the most recognisable voices in British broadcasting — journalist, documentary-maker and broadcaster David Dimbleby.

A conversation about curiosity, questioning, public trust and why asking the right questions has never mattered more — especially in a world saturated with certainty, data and noise.

This episode is also available as an interactive podcast in Stornaway, where you can choose which Story Island to visit in any order.

🎥 Watch the interactive podcast version here:
https://player.stornaway.io/embed/1d99a292

From BBC election nights and Question Time to long-form documentaries on democracy, monarchy and power, David Dimbleby’s career spans more than five decades of British media history.

In this episode, he shares seven Story Islands — moments, places and turning points rather than neat chapters — as we explore how empathy, listening and discomfort shape meaningful journalism and storytelling.

We talk about:

• Why good interviewing is about listening, not performance
• How empathy helps uncover uncomfortable truths
• What live audiences bring to political debate
• How trust between media and the public has shifted
• Why curiosity — even about unpopular ideas — still matters

 

🎵 Featured song
Béla Bartók — Unaccompanied Violin Sonata
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3KWq1RIXAGe8avaGBwBngr?si=6b2b6629e32f4065

 

About Stornaway.io

Stornaway is the way to build interactive experiences that are smart and personalised – whether you’re in marketing, learning, communications or content production. Stornaway’s modular “Story Map” flowchart editor is an interactive video builder that enables you to:

• Guide your audiences down different routes with personalised content
• Track engagement and insight, without tech headaches
• Get up and running in minutes

Find out more and get started now at ⁠www.stornaway.io

 

Why this podcast is interactive

Story Islands is designed as a non-linear podcast experience. Instead of listening from start to finish, you can explore ideas as places — jumping between themes, revisiting moments, and choosing your own route through the conversation.

This episode uses interactive video to turn a long-form interview into something closer to a landscape of ideas — reflecting how creative thinking actually works: associative, exploratory and personal.

 

Who this episode is for

If you’re interested in:

• Journalism, media trust and public discourse
• How to ask better questions — professionally or personally
• Long-form storytelling and documentary practice
• New formats for podcasts, interviews and conversation
…this episode — and its interactive version — is designed for you.

 

About interactive podcasts

Interactive podcasts combine video, structure and choice to let audiences explore conversations in their own way. Rather than a single linear narrative, they offer multiple entry points and paths — making complex ideas easier to navigate and revisit.

Story Islands is built using Stornaway’s interactive content tools, allowing creators to design conversations as experiences, not just recordings.

 

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