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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