Brian Lamb, the low-key founder and CEO of C-SPAN, prides himself on allowing the subject of his interviews to be the focal point. And his new book, "Life Stories," reflects his peculiar lack of ego.
During a telephone interview with the Deseret News from his Washington, D.C., office, Lamb, best known as host of "Booknotes," Sunday Evening's hourlong interview show with recent authors, spoke candidly:"My interviewing style is the antithesis of what you get on television. It's meant to allow you to make up your own mind. A lot of times, interviewers tell you how they think. It's a tricky part of our business. I don't take a position on whether the book is good or bad. I like to get out of the way."
Nor will he name a favorite author.
Lamb notices only one problem with his style. "Authors are sometimes intimidated. They are used to having words put in their mouths. If they talk, I just let them run. One person went on for 20 minutes in answer to one question, and I just didn't interrupt him."
Lamb is rarely criticized for his style. "People see there is room for different approaches. I'm comfortable with my style. The authors don't intimidate me anymore. I respect authors and their products as much as anything else in society. I'm not in awe of them, but I like what they do."
Lamb finds that authors "get so far into their subjects that they come to life." He finds spending a full hour with an author to be very valuable.
"We all read biography to find out what we're all about. You get a double whammy in this book, a biography inside a biography. Learning about these people shows my personal weaknesses are similar to famous people in history."
For example, at the age of 57, Lamb finds himself looking at their personal problems and their deaths. "I find it interesting that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both 57 when they became president. When you learn this, it helps you get a sense of what your energy level is. Are you as creative as you once were? James K. Polk died of natural causes at 53, you know -- four years ago. Lincoln was shot at 56, a year ago. You see where you fit in the human spectrum."
Lamb has found that a journalist takes a very different approach to biography than a historian. "Journalists look for anything new. Historians approach things more deliberately. They have to be factual, to back up their facts. A historian is more laid back and a journalist is a faster talker."
Lamb hesitates to ascribe an increasing popularity in society, however. "I wasn't reading biographies 20 years ago. Now I'm into it, but I would hate to extrapolate for the rest of the world. I think A&E (the Arts & Entertainment cable channel) in its 'Biography' series is finding the people who like it."
Lamb plans to tour the country to promote "Life Stories." So far, Salt Lake City is not on the schedule. "If someone wanted me to come to Salt Lake City, I would consider it.
"I'll be doing it for a year, and this book will be as relevant in a year as it is today. You know, Paul Revere is Paul Revere. Dwight Eisenhower is Dwight Eisenhower. Nothing will change that."
Although he has run a business for 20 years, Lamb sees himself primarily as a journalist, "an information junkie." He had at least 10 different jobs on the way to C-CPAN, including radio announcer, being in the Navy, press secretary to a U.S. senator, UPI reporter and a telecommunications policy "wonk" in the White House.
"I've been all over the lot, and then I finally found the spot where I belong. I've never needed much money, so I've not been driven to do anything because of money."
Which is not to say C-SPAN is not successful. Celebrating its 20th year as a public affairs cable channel this month, it has become a household word for many viewers who value a softer, non-combative approach to issues.
The channel began with four employees and a $450,000 budget, and the staff has grown to 250, with a budget of $33 million.
Although C-SPAN can reach 74.6 million households, an estimated 22 million people actually watch it each week, 94 percent of them registered voters who are more likely to contact lawmakers, volunteer in campaigns and make political donations.
Lamb thinks it is "sad" that Salt Lake City and environs is currently deprived of C-SPAN programming in the evenings on cable. Lamb says he has been promised by the new leadership at TCI that by the year 2000, C-SPAN will be available full time in every market, including Salt Lake City.