They say what they want him to say, also he contradicts himself so much in every interview he has become unreliable as a source of information. Its pretty much take what he say and see how much it stinks of BS. Then start filtering through it.
It is the new tactic. They can't erase what was said so they try to make you believe that you mistook it.
Like you said, he contradicts himself all the time...but funny how they will take what he says when it suits.
"Kishimoto said Hinata was his favorite"
He also said Kiba was his favorite...Shikamaru was his favorite...and so on and so forth...
Yet, the story itself shows that Sasuke was his absolute favorite.
He just said Hinata was his favorite that one time because the movie was coming out.