Improving your interview skills Kenny Smith Samford University University of Alabama www.kennysmith.org www.twitter.com/kennysmith

The importance of interviews

How can we do that? Journalism's basic questions: Who What When Where Why How

Journalism's basic questions:

Who

What

When

Where

Why

How

How can we do that? Satisfying the questions of classic news values: Impact Timeliness Prominence Proximity Bizarreness Conflict Currency

Satisfying the questions of classic news values:

Impact

Timeliness

Prominence

Proximity

Bizarreness

Conflict

Currency

Impact The number of people whose lives will be influenced in some way by the subject of the story.

The number of people whose lives will be influenced in some way by the subject of the story.

Timeliness Recent events have higher news value than earlier happenings. News versus history.

Recent events have higher news value than earlier happenings.

News versus history.

Prominence For the same occurrence, people in the public eye have higher news value than obscure people.

For the same occurrence, people in the public eye have higher news value than obscure people.

Proximity Stories about events and situations in your community are more newsworthy than events that take place far away.

Stories about events and situations in your community are more newsworthy than events that take place far away.

Bizarreness Dog-bites-man is pretty routine. Man-bites-dog is bizarre. Going to school every day is the norm. School closings over swine flu is not the norm.

Dog-bites-man is pretty routine.

Man-bites-dog is bizarre.

Going to school every day is the norm.

School closings over swine flu is not the norm.

Conflict Strife is newsworthy.

Strife is newsworthy.

Currency More value is given to stories covering issues in the spotlight of public concern. Swine flu vs. the sniffles. Football vs. overdue library books. Removed vending machines vs. new cafeteria trays.

More value is given to stories covering issues in the spotlight of public concern.

Swine flu vs. the sniffles.

Football vs. overdue library books.

Removed vending machines vs. new cafeteria trays.

Preparing for your interview Study -- know your subject thoroughly. Script some questions. Practice. Know the type of story you are writing. (Is it an expose, biographical or investigative?) Shape your questions to produce needed results.

Study -- know your subject thoroughly.

Script some questions.

Practice.

Know the type of story you are writing. (Is it an expose, biographical or investigative?)

Shape your questions to produce needed results.

Things to ask in the interview Lots of questions. Even the basic ones. Ask a key question a few times in different ways. Persistence pays.

Lots of questions.

Even the basic ones.

Ask a key question a few times in different ways.

Persistence pays.

Things to ask in the interview “ How do you feel?” “ Why?” The nuclear bomb question.

“ How do you feel?”

“ Why?”

The nuclear bomb question.

Things to do in the interview Get names and titles. Take notes. Study body language. Ask people to repeat themselves if necessary. Stony silence. Get names and titles again. Confirm spellings.

Get names and titles.

Take notes.

Study body language.

Ask people to repeat themselves if necessary.

Stony silence.

Get names and titles again.

Confirm spellings.

Techniques to consider Ask questions that will help you build a story arc. “ How did you get started doing this?” “ What obstacles have you encountered along the way?” “ How did you overcome them?” “ What is your ultimate goal?”

Ask questions that will help you build a story arc.

“ How did you get started doing this?”

“ What obstacles have you encountered along the way?”

“ How did you overcome them?”

“ What is your ultimate goal?”

Techniques to consider "Why?" Often the heart of your story. A great follow-up. A great follow-up to the follow-up.

"Why?"

Often the heart of your story.

A great follow-up.

A great follow-up to the follow-up.

Techniques to consider Listen to responses. Don't rush to the next question. Be sure you have the clarification you need.

Listen to responses.

Don't rush to the next question.

Be sure you have the clarification you need.

Techniques to consider Short, direct questions. Get to the point. Shut up and let the subject speak. Get their story, don't tell yours. The best responses come after the subject has offered his pat response.

Short, direct questions. Get to the point.

Shut up and let the subject speak.

Get their story, don't tell yours.

The best responses come after the subject has offered his pat response.

Techniques to consider Avoid asking “yes” or “no” questions. Open ended questions allow your subject to elaborate. "Tell me about ..." "What is your opinion of ..."

Avoid asking “yes” or “no” questions.

Open ended questions allow your subject to elaborate.

"Tell me about ..."

"What is your opinion of ..."

Things to listen for in the interview THE quote. The soundbite. Definitive statements. Emotive statements. But don't get caught up in procedural matters.

THE quote.

The soundbite.

Definitive statements.

Emotive statements.

But don't get caught up in procedural matters.

Always keep in mind This doesn't have to be confrontational. Be polite and courteous. Don't be intimidated. “ What do my readers need to know from this person?”

This doesn't have to be confrontational.

Be polite and courteous.

Don't be intimidated.

“ What do my readers need to know from this person?”

Always keep in mind It's business, not personal. Journalism is an art, not a science. Educational and fun.

It's business, not personal.

Journalism is an art, not a science.

Educational and fun.

The last question of your interview What have I forgotten about that I should know?

Improving your interview skills Kenny Smith Samford University University of Alabama www.kennysmith.org www.twitter.com/kennysmith