3. Preparing for the interview
• Know the purpose of your interview:
– news,
– feature,
– investigation.
• Select your sources.
• Research your sources and topics.
• Prepare your questions.
4. For news story interviews
• Obtain the following:
– facts, specifics, details;
– chronology;
– relationships;
– context and perspective;
– anecdotes.
5. For feature story interviews
• Obtain the following:
– everything you get for a news story plus...
– description of environment;
– description of subject;
– mannerisms;
– smells, sounds, likenesses;
– vignettes.
6. For investigative story interviews
• Obtain the following
– everything you would seek for a new interview
or a feature interview plus …
– the source’s version of events;
– explanations of contradictions;
– replies to charges, allegations.
7. Selecting sources
• Review the presentation “Sources.”
• Interview the best available source.
• Interview sources who are relevant to the
central point.
8. Researching sources and topics
• Research helps you
– Save time by not asking old questions.
– Prepare questions that will interest the
source.
– Recognize newsworthy statements.
– Spot inconsistencies in a source’s story.
– Avoid having to reinterview a source.
– Encourage the source to speak freely.
9. Interview secondary sources first
• Secondary sources provide leads,
possible questions.
• Secondary sources provide context.
• You’re less likely to have to reinterview
your main source if you interview
secondary sources first.
10. Preparing questions
• Ask questions that will enable you to
develop the tentative central point of your
story.
• Don’t hesitate to change the central point
if something more newsworthy emerges.
• Write down questions in abbreviated form.
11. Open-end vs. closed-end
• Don't ask closed-end questions:
– Will the state's new lids on taxes and
spending hurt local schools?
• The source can answer just yes or no.
• Ask open-end questions:
– How will the state's new lids on taxes and
spending affect local schools?
• The source must provide explanation.
12. Prepare questions that…
• Allow sources to tell their stories.
• Elicit anecdotes and examples.
• Don’t make the source think you are
bringing preconceptions to the story.
• Are short.
13. Questions that elicit anecdotes
• What crime was the most difficult for
you to solve in your career as a police
officer?
• What television shows do you consider
most harmful for children to watch?
• (Always seek examples or anecdotes to
illustrate or support generalizations.)
14. Don’t ask questions that…
• Make statements.
• Are double-barreled and may have more
than one correct answer.
• Use loaded words, like “plot” or “scheme.”
• Imply you know what the answer should
be.
15. Conducting the interview
• Select a location for the interview.
• Organize the questions.
• Plan for dealing with reluctant sources.
• Consider special situations.
• Take notes.
• Tape record the interview.
16. Selecting a location
• Conduct the interview in a setting that
makes the source comfortable.
– The source’s office
– The source’s home
• Don’t interview the source at a restaurant.
• Don’t interview the source in your office.
17. Organizing the questions
• State the purpose of your interview (if
not already clear).
• Start with small talk, easy questions;
save the hard questions for the end.
• Group questions by topic and organize
topics for a logical flow.
• Ask questions in a logical order.
– Funnel or reverse funnel, for example.
18. Reluctant source
• Most sources want to tell their stories.
• Some sources fear being
misunderstood.
• Try to build rapport with the source.
• Explain the interview is an opportunity
for source to tell public her side of story.
19. • Maintain neutrality.
– Attribute harsh questions or points of view
to third parties.
– Sugar-coat questions.
– Ask sources to explain previous
statements.
– Ask sources to talk about others.
– Ask sources what others might say about
them.
20. Special situations
• Telephone interviews
– OK for news interviews, if they’re short.
– Avoid for long interviews.
• E-mail interviews
– Some sources may respond to e-mail but
not other methods of communication.
– E-mail creates a written record.
– But it can’t convey a source’s facial
expression or voice inflections.
21. • Interviews for broadcast.
– The interview is the story, not just a
component of the story.
– Interviews must be structured to produce a
pleasing narrative, not just answers to a
questionnaire.
22. Taking notes
• Take detailed notes, even if you also use
a tape recorder.
• Notes are easier to organize and use
when writing than are audio tapes.
• Jot down descriptions of the source and
her mannerisms as well as what is said.
23. Tape recording
• Creates a verbatim record of the interview,
which increases accuracy.
• But tape recorders sometimes fail, so be
sure you have written notes as a back up.
• Always ask permission before taping an
interview.
24. Writing the interview story
• Q-and-A format may be used, but it is
sometimes difficult to read.
• Most interview stories use a summary
lead or an alternative lead and nut
paragraph.
• The body of the story reports the most
newsworthy remarks in descending
order of importance.
26. Tools for gardening
• Which would you use to start your
garden?
– A sharp stick, or
– a hoe, a rake and a spade.
27. Tools for journalism
• Tool for better stories is better reporting –
that is the source of raw material.
• Better reporting comes from knowing
where and how to find the information you
need to tell the story.
28. Gathering news
• Reporters gather raw material by
– Observation.
– Interviewing sources.
– Reading.
• Computer-Assisted Reporting.
– Participant Journalism (out of favor).
• Reporters rely on interviewing sources
above all others, rightly or wrongly.
29. Fact gathering
• Levels of Reporting
– Passive: Passing along source-originated
material
– Active: Covering spontaneous events,
engaging in reportorial enterprise
– Probing: Investigating and interpreting
situations and events.
30. Passive level
• Rely on source-originated material.
– Press releases, speeches, press conferences,
photo ops.
• The materials are generated by a source
who is seeking publicity.
• Reporting at this level becomes
dependent upon the source.
• There is a danger of manipulation of news.
31. Active level
• Examples are spot news, reportorial
enterprise.
• The reporters is covering events that are
beyond a source’s control.
• The reporter uses her own initiative to
– check information,
– supply missing facts,
– explain complex matters,
– clarify vague ideas.
32. Probing level
• This includes interpretation and
investigation
• It is the most difficult and least
“objective.”
– News analysis.
– Investigative journalism.
– Precision journalism.
– Expert journalism.
• Donald Barlett and James Steele of Vanity Fair.
34. Sources should be...
• Appropriate to the story.
• Knowledgeable and have expertise or
insight.
• Articulate.
• Accessible.
35. Finding sources
• Public officials
• League of Women Voters directories of
local officials
• State blue books
• U.S. Government Manual
36. Government sources
• Other federal agencies
– http://www.usa.gov/
• Federal and state courts
– fatty.law.cornell.edu/
– http://public.findlaw.com/
• State and local governments
– The Web site State and Local
Government on the Net,
http://www.statelocalgov.net/, has links to
governments across the country.
37. Involved individuals
• Identify affected parts of the public and
find individuals.
– Public and private agencies sometimes help.
• Public records.
41. Information subsidies
• Rich organizations subsidize the
dissemination of information.
– Press releases, pseudo-events, photo ops,
junkets.
• Such information is often biased.
• Subsidized information may drown out
other information.
42. How many sources?
• Three factors affect how many sources
you need for a story:
– Expertise.
– Controversy.
– Complexity.
43. Expertise
• The individual’s breadth of knowledge.
• The more individual sources know about
the subject, the fewer you will need to talk
to.
– For a story about economic conditions, you
might have to interview dozens of individual
business men and women to get as much
information as you might get from a few
economists.
44. Controversy
• The degree of controversy or room for
bias.
• When a topic is controversial or driven by
ideology, talk to more sources to make
sure you have all points of view.
– Example: There’s little controversy
surrounding the cause of polio but a lot
about the benefits of the war in Iraq.
45. Complexity
• As your story becomes more complex
or ambitious you need to talk to many
sources, get many kinds of information,
get many points of view.
– Example: A story about teenage crime
rates is more complicated than a story
about a particular crime committed by a
particular teenager.
46. Evaluating your sources
• Two questions you should ask about your
sources:
– 1. What is the basis of their knowledge?
– 2. How credible or reliable is the source?
47. Bases of knowledge
• Eyewitness.
• Hearsay.
• Documents.
• Empirical study.
• Extensive reading.
• General personal experience.
• Surveys or polls.
– How were they conducted?
48. Credibility
• Credentials.
• Bias.
• Internal consistency of information.
• Consistency with other sources.
49. Additional checking
• Check and cross-check sources as
extensively as possible.
• Use public records other sources.
– Don’t place excessive faith in public
records; they may be wrong, too.
50. • When you have doubts about a
source, tell the reader.
• Reporting of this nature is an
intellectual exercise of the highest
order.
52. Three steps to speech and
meeting coverage
• Writing the advance story.
• Covering the speech or meeting.
• Writing the follow story.
53. Advance stories
• Advance stories alert readers to
speeches and meetings they may want to
attend.
• Stories should report ...
– what will happen,
– when it will happen,
– where it will happen
– and who will be involved.
• Keep stories short ─ four paragraphs or
fewer.
54. Covering speeches or meetings
• Get background on the group or
speaker.
– Meeting agenda
– Advance text of speech
• Learn the names of all participants.
55. • Find out whether you will be able to
interview the speaker or participants.
• Arrive early; find a seat where you can see
and hear as much as possible.
• Introduce yourself to the speaker or
participants if they do not know you.
56. • Take detailed notes; include colorful
quotes, information about the setting,
responses of participants and
observers.
• Identify people who may be affected by
what happens at a speech or meeting
or who may have other points of view
and seek responses from them.
57. Follow stories (in general)
• Follow stories report what happened at
the speech or meeting.
• Organize stories in inverted-pyramid
fashion, not in chronological order.
• Vary the location of the attribution in
direct and indirect quotations so that the
story does not become monotonous.
58. • Provide transitions from one topic to the
next.
• Eliminate jargon or technical terms.
• Check controversial facts; give any
person or group who has been attacked
in a speech or meeting a chance to
respond.
• Include color through quotations and
descriptions of speakers, participants,
audience and setting.
59. Follow stories (meetings)
• Ignore routine events (Pledge of
Allegiance, reading of the minutes).
• News stories are NOT minutes of
meetings.
• First few paragraphs should identify all
major topics (which are developed in
detail later).
60. • Take up topics in the order of their
newsworthiness, not in the order in
which they were discussed.
• Don’t forget the “why.” Include
discussion and background that would
explain why a group acted as it did.
Voters need this.
• Items that are discussed but not acted
upon may be newsworthy, too.
• Seek missing viewpoints.
61. Follow stories (speeches)
• Usually, the lead should state the
speaker’s central point.
• The speaker’s central point may be
stated in the middle or near the end of
the speech.
• Organize the speaker’s remarks in a
way that explains and amplifies the
central point.
62. • Listen for anecdotes, examples the
speaker uses to illustrate her points.
Include these in your stories.
• Capture enough detail to recreate the
speaker’s argument or line of
reasoning.
• Seek other points of view. The more
controversial the speaker’s message,
the greater the need for other
viewpoints.
64. Covering government
• Providing readers with timely
information about government is one of
the primary jobs of news organizations.
• Three government beats are of
particular importance to new reporters:
– police;
– local government and education;
– courts.
65. Police beat
• The source of much of the news in a
daily paper or news broadcast.
• Crimes, accidents are staples of news
business.
• Police reporters also must cover the
bureaucracy: budgets, promotions and
public service programs among other
things.
66. Police sources
• Police officers often are suspicious of
reporters.
• Successful reporters develop sources
over time by proving their
trustworthiness and learning about
police officers and their work.
• Policies on releasing information vary
from city to city.
67. Documentary sources
• The police blotter records all calls for
assistance.
• The incident report gives a more
complete description of a crime; parts of
the report may be confidential.
• Arrest and search warrant affidavits are
filed with the court; they are public and
often contain key facts.
68. • Autopsy reports describe the cause and
manner of death. Some states withhold
them from the public.
• Arrest reports describe the persons
arrested, offense, witnesses, outcome of
case.
• Criminal history records disclose all prior
arrests and convictions for a person.
69. • Police misconduct reports describe
complaints against officers and resolution.
• Accident reports describe traffic accidents,
injuries and damages.
70. Elements of crime stories
• Deaths and injuries, if any.
• Nature and value of any stolen property.
• As complete identification of suspect as is
possible.
• Identification of victims and witnesses.
• Whether weapons were used.
• Exact charges filed.
• A narrative of the crime.
71. Elements of accident stories
• Any deaths or injuries.
• Property damage.
• Identities of people involved.
• Types of vehicles involved.
• Citations given to any of the drivers.
• Any unusual conditions at the time of
the accident.
• A narrative of the accident.
72. Local government beats
• Local governments provide police, fire,
education, ambulance, street repair,
water and sewer services among other
things.
• And they perform these tasks with
money raised from taxes.
• Local taxes and local government
functions affect citizens daily.
73. Taxes and budgets
• Budgets tell what government officials
want to accomplish and what they are
doing.
• Understanding budgets and taxes is a
key to understanding government and
assessing the performance of public
officials
• See the presentation “Taxing Matters.”
74. City or county documents
• Purchase orders show what products and
services have been purchased.
• Payroll.
• Bids and specifications.
• Licenses.
• Inspection reports.
• Zoning maps, reports and petitions.
75. County documents
• Real estate assessment records show the
estimated value of land and buildings.
• Tax records show taxes assessed on
property and how much has been paid.
• Deeds record transfers of real estate.
76. School districts
• The largest part of local taxes in most
communities goes to schools.
• Schools are also a major concern of
citizens, especially parents.
• Individual student records are closed, but
schools file many reports that are public,
as are district budgets.
77. Courts
• Only a few sensational cases – mostly
criminal cases – draw substantial news
coverage.
• But less notable cases, including civil
cases, may have a more profound
affect on the general public.
• Reporters who cover the courts must
understand the legal system.
78. Criminal and civil cases
• In criminal cases, the state, through a
prosecuting attorney, accuses someone of
violating a criminal law – homicide,
robbery, larceny are examples.
• Civil cases are between private
individuals. Someone who has been
harmed sues another person believed
responsible for the harm. Personal injury,
contract disputes are examples.
79. Pretrial stages – criminal cases
• A complaint is filed at the suspect’s initial
court appearance.
• A preliminary hearing determines whether
there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.
• In federal cases, a grand jury must indict
the suspect.
80. • Often the defense attorney files motions to
suppress evidence or statements.
• The judge considers these motions at the
preliminary hearing or at separate pretrial
hearings.
81. Trials – criminal cases
• The trial begins with jury selection, the
step many lawyers consider most
important.
• Court proceedings, except the jury’s
deliberations, are almost always open
to the public.
• Stories should emphasize what’s new
each day.
82. Post-trial – criminal cases
• If the defendant is acquitted, the
reporter should interview the defendant
and family, lawyers, jurors, and victim
and family.
• If the defendant is convicted, reporters
will interview many of the same
sources, but the final step will be
sentencing, which may be weeks later.
83. Court proceedings – civil cases
• The process is very similar, but cases
begin when one party files a
complaint.
• Much of the reporter’s information
comes from reading complaints and
responses.
84. • The complaint may ask for large
sums of money. Reporters should be
skeptical of these amounts.
• In some civil cases, courts have
sealed documents, but this is
unusual.
