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Mastering the Art of Interviewing: A Journalist's Guide to Effective Information Gathering

Interviews are crucial for journalists to gather information and craft compelling stories. Preparation is key: research your topic, know your source, and establish a tentative central point. Conduct interviews in person whenever possible to build rapport and observe non-verbal cues. Listen actively, ask open-ended questions, and save tough inquiries for the end. Take effective notes or use recording devices, ensuring the source is aware of the recording. Evaluate multiple sources to ensure credibility and capture unique direct quotes to enhance your narrative.

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Mastering the Art of Interviewing: A Journalist's Guide to Effective Information Gathering

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Interviewing

  2. Obtaining information • Interviews are one of the main sources we have to obtain information, which is the raw material a journalist works with. • Other sources – documents, observation. These other sources also often require interviews to produce a complete story.

  3. Preparation • Research the topic or person so you have some familiarity and background. Helps you ask better questions and shows respect for your source. • You won’t waste time asking about things that are widely known. • Easier to ask productive, interesting questions. • You won’t embarrass yourself by appearing ignorant.

  4. Preparation, cont. • More likely to recognize when source says something interesting/newsworthy. • Less likely to have to go back and re-interview. • Some sources try to manipulate reporters or avoid difficult topics. Research can help a reporter avoid that.

  5. Where? • In-person is best. Seeing you helps put source at ease, and you can notice things – gestures, etc. • More normal way of conversing. • In-person is even more important if the source doesn’t deal with the media very often. Can calm the source’s nerves. • Phone OK if you have to, or if it’s a source you commonly talk to on your beat. • Email interview only as a last, worst resort.

  6. Who? • Best possible source for the story you are working on. • Looking for a source with knowledge, expertise and insight relevant to your story. • Actual person working on a project is better than a PR rep.

  7. What to ask • Interviewers should have a tentative central point in mind as they plan a story – the “what.” • Once you figure that out, and have done your background research, think about what you need to find out from the source. • Jot down a few questions. Don’t think of those as a script, though. LISTEN to the answers and ask other questions accordingly. Your story may change. • Save difficult or potentially embarrassing questions for the end of the interview.

  8. Conducting the interview • Conversational approach. • Small talk at the start to put the source at ease. • LISTEN. Very important. • Sources don’t like to be badgered/pushed. Hostile source? Try to find out why. • Keep interview on track. • Don’t ever deceive source about purpose of interview. It’s unethical. • At the end, ask if there’s anything they have to add or you may have forgotten to ask about.

  9. Taking notes • Figure out a way to write quickly. Abbreviate? • People speak faster than you can write – focus on getting down important direct quotes, jot down other facts. Ask a “throwaway” question if you have to. • Two pens. • Review your notes immediately when you get back to your office, while interview is fresh on your mind.

  10. Taking notes, cont. • Voice recorders – good to use, but can fail. Still take notes. Also, don’t over quote. Make sure source knows they are being recorded. • Email interviews – generally discouraged. Doesn’t allow for candid answers, can lead source to carefully script response and leave it lifeless. • Phone interview – if you are going to type your notes while doing a phone interview, tell the source. Can sound strange on the phone.

  11. How many sources? • Depends on the story, deadline pressure, expertise of sources, controversy of topic, complexity of topic. • As many as it takes to prepare a complete report. • No matter how many sources you talk to, you must evaluate the sources – are they credible? Are they knowledgeable? Do they have an ax to grind?

  12. Direct quotes • Use them when someone says something unique. • Or they say something in a unique way. • Important, significant information. • Can provide color and spice for a story. • Accuracy is quite important. If you aren’t sure you’ve got the quote down accurately, don’t use it.

  13. Listen • Did I mention listening? It’s very important when it comes to conducting interviews. • Pay attention. You aren’t sure what the source is going to say. What they say may change your approach/line of questioning.

  14. Questions?

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