Ask the hard questions

Fortune contributor David A. Kaplan’s profile of Charlie Rose offers a lively look at the interviewer.

At Table No. 1 at Michael's, the best seats on the silly power-lunch circuit in Midtown Manhattan, Charlie Rose is holding forth in fabulousness. America's tallest, handsomest, best-connected, most inquisitive, most talkative late-night TV interviewer is greeting media princess Tina Brown and her husband, Sir Harold Evans.
There's Christie Hefner, resplendent in all white, who waves as she arrives, as does Jeff Greenfield of CBS. Charlie barely has time to enjoy his $34 roasted free-range chicken (with natural jus).

But the article isn’t afraid explore the issue of the show’s sponsors. The story even says Fortune contacted all of the show’s underwriters.

The fundraising produces a web of peculiar interconnections between Rose and the people he covers. The foundation of media mogul Barry Diller and fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg is a longtime supporter of the program, most recently in the amount of $200,000. Both Diller and von Fürstenberg have been on the show. So has Rupert Murdoch, overlord of News Corp., which is a Charlie Rose underwriter.

Today’s Tip: Don’t be afraid to tackle the delicate issues in business profiles.

Business profiles require the same balance as other stories. You have to cover the tough questions even if the person is well liked. Start off by being upfront about your intentions to produce a balanced piece. Do your research before your interview and schedule a follow-up conversation to be sure you’ve covered all of the angles.