Journalistic Interviewing

Courtesy of the free site Slideshare: JOURN 305, adapted by Carol A. Smith

Interviewing

Your goal is to get accurate and interesting information for your story; for the journalistic interview, both are equally important.

The trick of course is to make them talk…

…and hope you won’t need to make them squirm!

Building Trust

A source that trusts you will be more likely to open up

To establish trust, you may need to spend some time with the subjects. Interviews cannot be rushed.

If appropriate, you may want to socially network with your most important recurring sources

Building Trust

Remember that your sources are human beings

They’ll respond better to you if you have a good track record with them

Honesty and empathy always work!

Funnel Interview

Save your toughest questions for last

This enables time to build trust with your interview subject

“Burning” a source with bad ink Misquoting a source Identifying an anonymous source Misrepresenting your intentions Failure to answer any concerns/questions

that the source may have before the interview

Trustbusters

Trustbusters

Your first encounter with the source is critical since the first impression is made

In most cases, you will want to put the source at ease

However, in some serious interviews,

you will deliberately want to use

the tension to your advantage

Tension Strategy

When you know a subject is being deceitful, it might be good to keep the tension so that the subject’s true motives are more transparent

Inverted Funnel

Tough, specific questions first– Use if you have little

time– Use if you need to nail

down an answer

Preparing for the Interview

Preparation strategies for the interview will vary

What kind of interview are you doing?– News– Profile/Feature– Investigative– Broadcast TV/radio

The News Story

Use all available resources to

research the history of the subject covered Go direct to the source – but don’t

expect them to tell you the whole story An “off the record” insider may help you get a

fresh perspective

“Off the Record”

Hotly debated topic Is it ethical to gather info “off the record”? Should everything be fair game? Can you use information

gained “off the record”

without directly quoting the

information or source?

Sources

Some sources will want to remain anonymous

If you agree to keep their identity private, it is unethical to reveal their names to anyone

– Exceptions: Government subpoena

– If it is determined to jeopardize the national security or is essential is solving a crime

Publication policy– Due to some problems with reporter

integrity, some publications are now requiring reporters to share the identity of the anonymous reporter with their supervising editor

Use Caution

Be aware of sources that have an axe to grind Do they have an agenda? Are they telling the truth? Are they reliable?

– Substance abuse = suspicion Do they really have a direct connection to the

news event?– Be careful of “hearsay”

Off the Record

If a subject tries to go “off the record,” you should try to get them to stay “on the record”

Usually they will still talk Tell them you need the attribution for the

sake of credibility Or…you can return to the topic in an “on the

record” question later in the interview to get your quote

Common Problems for Beginners

Beginning reporters often are afraid to ask probing questions that might anger the subject– You are there to get the story right above all else

They also get manipulated by the subjects who give a lot of sanitized, “canned” responses– Style but no substance

Dealing with Jerks

It will happen…often. Don’t take it personally. If they question your motives, then let

reassure them that you intend to be fair and accurate in your reporting

Keep calm Explain why the answer is necessary for the

story

Uncomfortable Interviews

You may encounter an interview that is difficult to conduct due to the sensitivity of the subject

While personally uncomfortable, these often make for some of the best interviews

Example:– Interviewing someone who has just been laid off– Interviewing someone who has just had a death in the

family– Interviewing someone who has been accused of a crime– Interviewing someone who is defensive or hostile

Uncomfortable Interviews

Remember that they are human, too Behave appropriately There is a fine line between being aggressive

and obnoxious

The Rambling Interview

Some subjects ramble off subject This may be unintentional, but sometimes it is a

deliberate attempt to dodge a difficult question Don’t be afraid to

steer them back on track

When conducting an interview, make sure that your key questions are answered

If the subject does not know an answer, ask them who in the organization is available to respond

Many subjects will try to escape accountability through “double speak” and “passing the buck”

Persistence Pays

No Stone Left Unturned

When you write your story, you should have answers to the key questions

If you don’t, then you should include an explanation for the absence of clear information

– Example: “A spokesperson declined to comment on…”– Example: “The cause of the fire was still undetermined,

according to…”– Example: “The company isn’t disclosing the amount paid for

the acquisition. However, the financial terms are expected to be revealed in tomorrow’s filing with the SEC.”

Expert Jargon

Sometimes you will interview industry experts that use jargon that is unfamiliar to the general public

Try to get the expert to rephrase the information in clearer terms

At a minimum, make sure that you fully understand the jargon so that you can paraphrase correctly

Don’t be afraid to admit your ignorance!

Be Provocative

Aim for a provocative interview without being confrontational

You are there to get the story – not start a fight!

Feature/Profile Story

Go beyond the main subject interview to get the “full story”

Talk to friends and family members to help get a diverse perspective on the subject interviewed

Your writing style will likely include observations and details that would not be appropriate in a “news” report/article

Investigative Reporting

Be prepared to spend a longer amount of time preparing this piece

You must strategize in how you ask your questions, as well as WHO to ask questions and WHEN to ask them

Example: At a certain point, your inquiries can result in actions that impede or prevent further investigation

Broadcast Interviews

When you conduct an interview for TV or radio, the goal is to get a sound bite that can be extracted and edited into a larger news piece

Types of Broadcast Interviews

News Interviews– Gather info on a news event– Usually quick and to-the-point

Feature Interviews– Designed to entertain– May be more in-depth

Interview Editing

While some interviews are done live, many are pre-recorded and edited

In the editing room, the actual interview may be chopped down considerably to include only significant soundbites

Sound Bite

– Sometimes unintentional but often strategized– Memorable and catchy quote– Quick, focused – Captures the essence of your point– May be funny “one liner”

Infamous Sound Bites

“I never had sex with that woman” “Can’t we all just get along?” “Read my lips: no new taxes!”

Pre-Interview

Not all announcers use the pre-interview It can serve as a good rehearsal for both

host and guest Can help to focus topic of discussion Danger of losing spontaneity

Altered States

There are some things that will alter the “mood” of the interview subject

Example:– The physical presence of a camera or tape

recorder may cause the subject to “perform” or be more careful in considering what they reveal

Your Secret Weapon

Here is one of the best kept secrets for interviewing:– Some of the best information comes in the casual

conversation that follows the “interview”– After the camera or tape has stopped and the pen

is put away, the subject may begin to converse casually and reveal better information than given previously

Interview Skills

Don’t talk too much if the interview is for broadcast media

Keep the guest and topic on focus Don’t ask overly complex questions

– If necessary, then make sure that you explain complexities in easy to understand language

Listen!– Adjust questions when necessary

Interview Skills

Ask Follow-up Questions Offer non-verbal feedback to responses Ask for clarification, if necessary

Types of Questions

Closed ended questions– Answered with simple “yes” or “no”– Example: “Do you like your job?”– Generally makes a bad interview

Open ended questions– Provides opportunity for broad answers– Example: “What do you like about your job?”

Interview Tips

Avoid leading questions– “You don’t like George Bush, do you?”

Avoid obvious questions– “Were you unhappy when your movie

flopped?” If the interview is being broadcast, plan

your transitions from topic to topic ahead of time

Keep Your Cool

Maintain control of the interview Know when and how to interrupt to keep

guest from rambling Maintain a neutral/objective view

Build to the Point

Save your most volatile questions for the end of the interview

Begin with easier questions to establish a connection and trust with your guest

Prepare Your Questions

Troubleshoot your interview before it occurs Plan questions ahead of time You probably won’t use all of your questions,

but the process is helpful in establishing a focus to your actual interview

Accuracy Check

Inevitably, you will encounter a need to clarify a quote or note that you have taken during the interview

It is not uncommon to “fact check” with the subject by following up directly with them after the conclusion of the interview

In some cases, a quote is read back to confirm that it is accurate …or to ask for clarification

Fact Checking

Be cautious when a subject presents a statistic as if it is fact

Be prepared to confirm all statistics with an independent source

Statistics are often manipulated

Using Quotes

Only use a quote if it conveys something that can’t be communicated better in your own words

Often a better strategy is paraphrasing what the subject has told you

Using Quotes

Use quote if it is particularly articulate or powerful in the wording

Most people do not speak in a way that translates well into a quote

Using Quotes

The more significant the interviewee is, the more likely a reader will be interested

Make sure that the quote is used to add a unique angle or credibility to the story

Quoting Accurately

If the grammar is poor, then some reporters will “clean up” the quote

This practice varies by publication HOWEVER, if the interview was witnessed

by multiple media outlets (example: press conference) then you should leave the quotes alone

(sic)

If you want to be cautious, then you can use the “(sic)” notation in your printed quote to notate a grammatical error made by your subject

Observation

Sometimes a key part of the story lies in what is observed, rather than spoken

Pay attention to the body language or non-verbal cues from your subject