Interviewing Being a reporter is great because you can ask people questions no one in their right mi

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InterviewingBeing a reporter is great because
you can ask people questions no one in their
right mind would ask a complete stranger.-
Diana Griego Erwin, Formerly of the Sacramento Bee
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Reporting and Writing

• Young journalists must learn 2 main skills
  reporting and writing.
• Reporting is more the difficult of the two.

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7 Coaching Tips

• Write your observations in your notebook.
• Mark the info that you plan to use.
• For frequently interviewed people, find a new
  angle.
• Check spelling of name and job title.
• Ask follow ups why and how.
• Gather details for graphics.
• Get info an artist would need makes your writing
  more vivid.

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Tough Questions

• Ask them at the end of the interview.
• Rephrase if necessary, but keep asking.
• Edna Buchanan, Police Reporter for
• The Miami Herald

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Sensitivity

• Public officials are more accustomed to dealing
  with the press.
• Be more sensitive with private individuals.
• Will they stand by the quote?
• Be aware of sources biases.
• Seek other points of view.

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Listening and Note Taking

• Sometimes the notebook and/or tape recorder can
  inhibit sources.
• But you must be accurate, and quotes must be
  exact.
• Tape recorders break and cant record your
  observations.
• Extra Pens.

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Listening Tips

• Slow pace.
• Request repetition.
• Eye contact.
• Margin notes.
• Verify vital info.
• Double-check.
• Be Open Minded.
• Symbols.
• Stand and deliver.
• Save your notes.
• Transcribing for major stories.

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Margin Notes

• Prompts another question.
• Fact to check.
• Name of another source.
• Dont depend on memory.
• Notes on observations.
• Might want to use cover.

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Open Minded

• Dont limit yourself to original concept.
• Could change during the interview.
• Cant always envision how you will write the
  story.
• Take good notes.

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Planning an Interview

• Research background.
• Identify Goals.
• Plan your questions.
• Request the interview.
• Dress appropriately.
• Arrive on time.

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Conducting an Interview Part 1

• Closed-ended and open-ended questions.
• Keep questions short.
• Icebreakers.
• Nonthreatening order.
• Ask the 5 Ws and H.
• Follow-up questions.
• Control the interview.
• Repeat questions.
• Background questions.

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Conducting an InterviewPart 2

• Past and Future.
• Chronology.
• Be the reader.
• Pros and Cons.
• Definitions.
• Verifyeven when you know the answers.
• Silent treatment.
• Blame others technique.

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Conducting an Interview Part 3

• Emotional Questions tact.
• Summary Questions.
• Matchmaker Technique.
• Free Choice Questions.
• End on a Positive note.

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E-mail Interviews

• Last resort.
• 5 questions or less.
• Tell them its for a story.
• Verify name and title.
• Limit follow-ups.
• Attribute to E-mail.

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GOAL Method

• Goals
• Obstacles
• Achievements
• Logistics

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Phone Interviews

• Preferable to E-mail usually not as good as in
  person.
• Identify yourself.
• Short Icebreakers.
• Short questions.
• Clarification.
• Specifics.
• Chronology.
• Two Question Lists.
• Control.
• Verify.