Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Chapter 5: Interviewing Journalism
27
Individual Interviews—
1 on 1 Follow-Up Questions:
Preparing for Questions:
Phrasing Clear Questions
Do not ask for too much info. at one time
If 2-3 quest. at once, often only get ans. to final question.
Can give background info. to quest. (so person knows why you’re asking) but make quest. clear.
A quest. that follows a source’s response to another quest.; intended to get the source to add to or continue w/ an answer.
Usually begin w/ “Why, How or What”
They cannot be planned ahead of time.
Ask quests. to clarify confusing answers &/or to follow new direction if topic “shifts” (demonstrates interest to keep person talking)
Must listen closely to formulate these questions
Sources for Interviews
Preparing for Questions:
News Cue Questions=5Ws and and H
Primary source—a person or document essential to the meaning of a story. (ex. the author of new controversial book or the book itself.)
Secondary source—a person or document that adds information and interest to the story but is not essential to the story. (ex. readers of controversial book, the publisher who turned it down)
Questions based on classic news questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?
Used to help organize questions
Prepare more quest. than you think you need—easier to edit than add.
Individual Interviews—
1 on 1 Before:
Set up appt. at interviewee’s convenience
Always identify yourself as reporter
Be polite
Set meeting place for subject’s comfort
Have quests. ready
Some might say “Now’s good. . .”
Preparing for Questions:
Open-ended Questions
Researching
Question worded to encourage the source to give an opinion or interpretation or to expand on basic info.
More likely to provide good quotations
Yes-no questions—too simple and make the interview boring; provide little info; do not explain
Definitions
Reporter must prepare for an interview by gathering facts and background info. to help create questions/focus on direct interview.
One interview is not usually enough for a story
Interview—a formal conversation between a reporter and a source for the purpose of gathering information and opinion. Interviews need
Human element—quotations and personal interpretations gathered in an interview that make stories interesting.
Individual Interviews—1 on 1 Taking Notes:
Must be able to question, listen, respond and record—difficult to do!
Must record responses quickly and accurately
Should develop your own note taking language—set of symbols and abbreviations used by reporter to speed up note taking during interviews and news conferences (ex. pg. 97)
Researching
Good news story usually has five to ten sources
Even a feature on one person should include quotes from others, etc.