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Interviewing 101. What to do (and what not to do) in the information collection process. Why people WON’T talk to you – It’s important to know this. TIME: Public figures will give this answer more than private citizens. Sometimes you are competing for a share of an already crowded day.
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Interviewing 101 What to do (and what not to do) in the information collection process
Why people WON’T talk to you – It’s important to know this TIME: Public figures will give this answer more than private citizens. Sometimes you are competing for a share of an already crowded day. GUILT: People understand the dynamics of conversation enough to know that they may say something they didn’t expect to say. ANXIETY: A shy person may be afraid of the actual experience of being interviewed. PROTECTION: A person may be shielding a loved one or someone who is guilty of wrongdoing. An interviewee also may be afraid of being connected with an incident or a comment that will embarrass or condemn someone else. IGNORANCE: An interviewee may not want to admit that he or she knows very little about the subject you want to discuss. EMBARRASSMENT: A person may feel that the experience you want to discuss is humiliating, tasteless, or too intimate. TRAGEDY: A distraught person often does not want to share a personal catastrophe with the public.
Preparing for the interview Choose someone to interview: This sounds pretty routine, but you will want to interview the best possible sources for your stories. Any source is not necessarily the right source. The right ones might include professionals, politicians, parents and/or students. Set up an appointment: Never assume that you will be able to speak with a source at your own convenience. At the same time, try to be prepared when they catch you off-guard. Identify yourself: By not identifying who you are, where you’re from, or what information you are seeking, you lessen the likelihood of getting the information you need. Research the source: You not only want to conduct the interview on an intelligent level, you don’t want to waste time looking for answers you could have easily obtained through basic research. Research the topic: Sources will lose patience if you are not informed on the basics of the issue/situation you are researching. Prepare questions in advance: Be sure of what you want to ask, but also be ready to bring up other questions as they occur to you. You need a script, but you also need to be able to improvise.
The interview scene Be a bit formal: No chewing gum, picking your teeth, slouching in chair, etc. You are a professional. Act like one. Dress appropriately: Consider the audience. In speaking with a politician at the White House, you probably wouldn’t go in with torn jeans and a stained t-shirt. Likewise, in interviewing a high school student, you probably wouldn’t throw on the $1000 suit. Introduce yourself: Your name, employer and reason you’re there. This was probably already established over the phone, but you can never be too thorough. Ask permission to tape record: It makes people nervous. Make sure you get permission first. Take notes conspicuously: Sources don’t like being misquoted. Make sure you get it right. Take notes quickly: Your source doesn’t have all day. Observe the scene: This isn’t always important, but you should be aware of your surroundings. Role play if you need to: Adjust your questioning style to the source. Different strategies will work better for different age groups, genders, etc. Conclude with thanks: It opens the door for further interviews with this individual, should you need them.
Levels of Attribution ON-THE-RECORD: Whatever the source says may be used in the story, including as direct quotes. The source, who is identified by name and title, understands that he or she will be on-the-record before the interview begins. He or she also understands that the reporter controls how much of the interview will go into the story. OFF-THE-RECORD: The source says something that he or she does not want to go into the story. Both the source and the reporter understand this before the information is given, not afterward. Some reporters will not even listen to this kind of information, where others will use it to find someone else who will go on the record for it. ON BACKGROUND: The reporter may use material from an interview, but may not identify the name of the source that provided it. They may, however, make reference to the source’s profession or some other descriptor that doesn’t reveal identity. ON DEEP BACKGROUND (A.K.A. anonymity): The reporter may use material from an interview, but no indication may be given of where it came from.
