Interviewing for Reporting

Reporting Basics: Interviewing

The Nature and Variety of Interviews

  • Interviews are diverse, ranging from quick 5-minute calls to extensive, 9-month interrogations.

    • (e.g., senator's opinion on tax, 1977 Playboy interview with Barbra Streisand).

  • Interviewing is a social skill, requiring reporters to be friendly yet aggressive, polite yet probing, sympathetic yet skeptical.

    • Good listening is crucial.

Types of Interviews

  • Interview approach varies by time, facts needed, and interviewee accessibility.

  • Common types:

    • A long, formal interview: Private, probing questions for revealing answers.

    • A quick phoner: Gathers fast facts.

    • A walkaround: Reporter accompanies interviewee during a newsworthy activity.

    • An on-the-fly chat: Questions to a newsmaker in public.

      • Example: Greg Esposito getting a flood victim's number and interviewing him by phone.

    • A backgrounder: Informal session to pick an expert's brain.

Deciding on the Interview Method: In Person, By Phone, or By Email
In Person

  • Advantages:

    • Builds rapport, promotes cooperation.

    • Provides physical context and body language cues.

    • Taken more seriously.

  • Disadvantages:

    • Time-consuming (travel, waiting, small talk).

    • Prone to distractions.

    • Effectiveness depends on reporter's comfort/likability.

By Phone

  • Advantages:

    • Fast, efficient for answers.

    • Less intimidating for some sources (no visible note-taking).

    • Flexible, usable anywhere, anytime.

  • Disadvantages:

    • Impersonal, lacks visual cues.

    • Hard to record without special equipment.

    • Risk of mishearing/misquoting.

By Email

  • Advantages:

    • Gives interviewees time for thoughtful responses.

    • Flexible for both parties.

    • Provides a clear, typed record, easy to copy/paste.

  • Disadvantages:

    • No personal interaction.

    • Lag time, difficult immediate follow-up.

    • Can be slower for some to type.

    • Identity verification concerns.

Tips for Successful Interviews: Before, During, and After
Setting Up the Interview

  • Do Your Homework: Research the topic (old news, online, organizations, editors).

  • Think Through Your Story: Identify best sources (experts, leaders, affected, opinionated), and determine how many are needed.

  • Be Persuasive and Polite: Be nice, ask for help, clearly state your objective to encourage assistance.

  • Decide When and Where to Meet: Choose a quiet, convenient location, or meet in the subject's environment to observe them naturally and make them comfortable.