Getting the Facts and the Feelings

 Unique strengths of broadcast news  Its ability to transmit  The experience of what happens at the scene of an event to members of your audience.  The people interviewed and what they say are key parts of the process

 You are given the job of setting up an interview  It’s for a local television broadcast  What do you do first?

 Thinking Ahead  When deciding to interview, ask yourself  How do I tell this story in a clear and compelling way  Be thoughtful and creative in choosing interviewee  Try to get  5 W’s of Journalism

 Who could you interview if:  Water rates go up  A house burns down  A child is abducted  What could you ask them?  Interviews with affected individuals  Humanize your story

 Being Prepared - Video ClipVideo Clip  Learn as much about your subject as possible ▪ Research ▪ Applies for planned interviews ▪ Not so much for impromptu  Prepare questions ahead of time ▪ Jot them down for reference ▪ New questions may arise during interview

 When conducting an interview in the field  Identify your self to the subject ▪ Use “people” skills to comfort the person  Don’t tell subject questions beforehand ▪ This helps avoid rehearsed answers  Ask open ended questions ▪ To get short answers and avoid “yes” or “no” responses

 The Mechanics of interviewing  Good eye contact during the interview ▪ Helps prevent equipment from distracting them  Avoid fidgeting ▪ With microphone, hair, notes, etc  Be aware of microphone placement ▪ Helps to get good audio  Conduct interviews at the scene of event ▪ If possible

 Get full name of subject  How to spell it  How to pronounce it ▪ Use phonetic spelling for this (if necessary)  Get contact number in case you need to follow up  Be direct, clear and courteous to subject  Ask precise questions one at a time  Get clarification if answers are “broad” or “Vague”

 Present a variety of questions that will ▪ Require subject to think ▪ Make subject respond to varying viewpoints  Use strategies to keep them on track ▪ Ask ramblers to summarize statements ▪ Interject and re-ask question if they go off track

 Stay in control of the interview ▪ Hold the mic ▪ Anticipate challenges ▪ Re-ask dodged questions ▪ Ask why it’s being dodged if it continues  Match eye level of interviewee ▪ Sit in a chair ▪ Kneel ▪ Stand on a stool

 Dressing Appropriately ▪ Dress modestly and appropriately ▪ No logos, except station or network ▪ Safe and traditional styles ▪ Wear situation appropriate clothing for planned interviews ▪ Businessmen, Texas rancher, in the snow, etc ▪ Keep jewelry to a minimum ▪ If it is flashy or gaudy it can be distracting

 Managing the interviewee – ▪ Be personable ▪ Ask tough questions later in interview ▪ But not too long ▪ Remember, not everyone wants to be interviewed ▪ Be prepared for unexpected responses- Video ClipVideo Clip ▪ Use camera interview for sound bites ▪ More info can be gathered through note taking ▪ Avoid “yes” or “no” questions

 Telling Their Stories ▪ Often reporters are telling the stories of people or the community ▪ Be aware of that as you prepare the interview and content for broadcast

 Be sensitive to people and their situation ▪ Sometimes you may have to interview a person ▪ Who has lost a loved one ▪ That lost their job ▪ Who is depressed ▪ Be thoughtful in your questions and avoid asking ▪ Questions that are too emotional ▪ Questions that can be viewed as insensitive ▪ Don’t ask a person whose son was murdered ▪ “How does it feel to have your son murdered”

 Know the power of listening ▪ If you are a good listener ▪ You will hear things that many may miss ▪ Don’t rush to next question ▪ Pause to see if interviewee will continue

 Checking your Bias  Develop questions without assumptions  Each person is different ▪ Go into the interview without bias ▪ Helps prevent surprised or inappropriate remarks

 Reading between the lines  Sometimes what a person doesn’t say ▪ Is just as important as what they do say