InterviewingInterviewingChapter 11Chapter 11

Interviewing– Interviewing– an underappreciated skill!an underappreciated skill!

Why am I interviewing?Why am I interviewing?

Whom should I interview?Whom should I interview?

When and where should I interview?When and where should I interview?

What questions should I ask?What questions should I ask?

How should I conduct the interview?How should I conduct the interview?

How many interviews should I do? How many interviews should I do?

Writing the interview storyWriting the interview story

A Journalist’s Basic ToolA Journalist’s Basic Tool

Successful interviews do not just happenSuccessful interviews do not just happenThey are the product of thought and planning by They are the product of thought and planning by reportersreportersReporters planning to interview a source should Reporters planning to interview a source should ask themselves: “Why am I conducting this ask themselves: “Why am I conducting this interview? What kind of story will I write from interview? What kind of story will I write from this information?”this information?”The answers will determine what kinds of The answers will determine what kinds of questions will be asked, what kind of sources will questions will be asked, what kind of sources will be sought and how reporters conduct be sought and how reporters conduct themselves during interviewsthemselves during interviews

Details Sought in Types of StoriesDetails Sought in Types of Stories

News Story (crime or city News Story (crime or city council action)council action)– Facts and details such as Facts and details such as

dates, names, locations and dates, names, locations and costscosts

– A chronology showing the A chronology showing the unfolding eventsunfolding events

– Context and perspective, Context and perspective, including the significance of including the significance of events or issues and their events or issues and their relationships to other issuesrelationships to other issues

– Anecdotes to illuminate events Anecdotes to illuminate events of issues and make them of issues and make them more dramatic and more dramatic and understandable for readers understandable for readers

Feature Story (personality Feature Story (personality profile for example)profile for example)– Need everything needed to Need everything needed to

write a news story plus write a news story plus descriptions of the following:descriptions of the following:

– The environment in which the The environment in which the subject lives or workssubject lives or works

– How the subject appears and How the subject appears and dressesdresses

– The subject’s mannerismsThe subject’s mannerisms– Smells, sounds and textures Smells, sounds and textures

associated with the subject’s associated with the subject’s home or work, using every home or work, using every sense to create an image of sense to create an image of the interview subjectthe interview subject

Investigative Story QuestionsInvestigative Story Questions

The purpose of such a story is to expose wrongdoing, The purpose of such a story is to expose wrongdoing, and sources may fear losing their jobs and reputations. and sources may fear losing their jobs and reputations. Atmosphere can be tenseAtmosphere can be tenseNeed to get basic news information, plus:Need to get basic news information, plus:The subject’s versions of events, which may differ from The subject’s versions of events, which may differ from that of other sources and recordsthat of other sources and recordsExplanations of contradictions if subject of a story tells a Explanations of contradictions if subject of a story tells a version of events that differs markedly from that of other version of events that differs markedly from that of other sourcessourcesReplies to charges and allegations—during an Replies to charges and allegations—during an investigation, reporters may gather charges/allegations investigation, reporters may gather charges/allegations against a story subject. These should be presented to against a story subject. These should be presented to the subject, who should have the opportunity to replythe subject, who should have the opportunity to reply

Steps in Preparing for an InterviewSteps in Preparing for an Interview

Define the purpose– is this a news, feature or Define the purpose– is this a news, feature or investigative interview? What information is necessary investigative interview? What information is necessary for the story?for the story?Decide whom to interview– obvious in many cases, but Decide whom to interview– obvious in many cases, but in others research needed to decide the best sourcesin others research needed to decide the best sourcesAssess the character of the interviewee– is it in this Assess the character of the interviewee– is it in this person’s best interest to talk to you? What will he or she person’s best interest to talk to you? What will he or she get out of the interview, the article?get out of the interview, the article?Identify the areas of inquiry– what topics will the Identify the areas of inquiry– what topics will the interview focus on? What questions will enable the interview focus on? What questions will enable the reporter to gather the needed info to write on the topic?reporter to gather the needed info to write on the topic?Anticipate possible answers to questions– advance Anticipate possible answers to questions– advance research can help reporters anticipate responses and research can help reporters anticipate responses and thus prepare possible follow-up questionsthus prepare possible follow-up questions

Selecting SourcesSelecting Sources

Personality profile- the Personality profile- the subject, his/her friends, subject, his/her friends, enemies, co-workersenemies, co-workersIssue story- who has the Issue story- who has the info necessary to write info necessary to write the story? the story? Reporters on a deadline Reporters on a deadline must be selectivemust be selectiveThe basic principle is to The basic principle is to seek the best available seek the best available sourcesourceSources should possess Sources should possess relevant knowledge, relevant knowledge, expertise or insightexpertise or insight

They should be articulateThey should be articulateAnd be able to make And be able to make complicated matters clear complicated matters clear and interestingand interestingSometimes the best Sometimes the best source is a document or source is a document or record rather than a record rather than a person (for needed person (for needed factual background factual background information) information) Seek out useful Seek out useful directories, publicationsdirectories, publicationsLocal college faculties Local college faculties can be excellent sourcescan be excellent sources

The Advantages of ResearchThe Advantages of Research

Reporter won’t waste Reporter won’t waste time by asking about time by asking about issues that have already issues that have already been widely publicizedbeen widely publicizedResearch can lead to Research can lead to more interesting more interesting questionsquestionsYou will not embarrass You will not embarrass yourself by appearing yourself by appearing ignorantignorantSources are more likely Sources are more likely to trust reporters who to trust reporters who seem knowledgeableseem knowledgeable

With research you are With research you are more likely to recognize more likely to recognize newsworthy statements newsworthy statements and ask intelligent follow-and ask intelligent follow-up questions about themup questions about themYou are more likely to You are more likely to spot inconsistencies and spot inconsistencies and evasionsevasionsResearch helps identify Research helps identify secondary sources, other secondary sources, other people who may have people who may have insights into a topic insights into a topic

Conducting the Interview--Conducting the Interview--TelephoneTelephone

Many interviews are conducted by phoneMany interviews are conducted by phoneWhen they do, reporters always identify themselves and When they do, reporters always identify themselves and their news organizations at the start of the conversationtheir news organizations at the start of the conversationIf you are recording, ask permission firstIf you are recording, ask permission firstExperience reporters wear phone headsets, keeping Experience reporters wear phone headsets, keeping hands free to type notes into a computer during the hands free to type notes into a computer during the interviewinterviewAdvantages of phone interviews are that they can save Advantages of phone interviews are that they can save timetimeDisadvantage are that you cannot see how someone Disadvantage are that you cannot see how someone reacts to the questions, tend to be brief and superficialreacts to the questions, tend to be brief and superficialBetter to conduct in-depth interviews in personBetter to conduct in-depth interviews in person

E-mail InterviewsE-mail Interviews

Good for hard-to-reach or reluctant sourcesGood for hard-to-reach or reluctant sources

Sources who dodge phone calls or hesitate to Sources who dodge phone calls or hesitate to return them may answer a reporter’s e-mailreturn them may answer a reporter’s e-mail

Sources can provide more in-depth, thorough Sources can provide more in-depth, thorough and thoughtful e-mailed answersand thoughtful e-mailed answers

Disadvantage: The response may not be from Disadvantage: The response may not be from the intended source; no voice, facial expressions the intended source; no voice, facial expressions to gauge comfort with questions; less to gauge comfort with questions; less spontaneous; possibility of deception greaterspontaneous; possibility of deception greater

Taking NotesTaking Notes

Try to record longer interviewsTry to record longer interviewsIn writing notes, reporters develop shorthand In writing notes, reporters develop shorthand and shortcuts– may leave out some words, and shortcuts– may leave out some words, abbreviate others, and only jot down names, abbreviate others, and only jot down names, numbers, good quotations and key ideasnumbers, good quotations and key ideasOK to ask someone to speak more slowly and to OK to ask someone to speak more slowly and to repeat statementsrepeat statementsReview notes immediately while still fresh in the Review notes immediately while still fresh in the mind– the longer you wait, more likely to forget mind– the longer you wait, more likely to forget some key facts or distort others some key facts or distort others

Writing the Interview StoryWriting the Interview Story

Most reporters begin Most reporters begin interview stories with a interview stories with a summary lead that presents summary lead that presents the story’s central pointthe story’s central pointReporters then present the Reporters then present the highlights in the following highlights in the following paragraphsparagraphsYou can also use an You can also use an alternative lead, such as an alternative lead, such as an anecdote or description that anecdote or description that introduces a nut paragraph introduces a nut paragraph containing the central pointcontaining the central point

Information in the body of the Information in the body of the story is usually organized by story is usually organized by topic, and facts and quotes are topic, and facts and quotes are organized in the order of their organized in the order of their importance, not in the order in importance, not in the order in which the source provided which the source provided them them Be sure to keep every direct Be sure to keep every direct and indirect quotation in proper and indirect quotation in proper contextcontext