It's true that the best interviews are like good conversations. That is, in most cases the interview should be a comfortable give-and-take session where you and the person you interview talk with each other, not at each other. Of course, if the interviewee is hostile or defensive, this may not be the case. But the three best things you can do to have a good interview are:
1) Prepare thoroughly by researching the topic and/or the person and list questions.
2) Take good notes and record the interview if possible.
3) Listen very attentively.
Being a good listener is the most important thing you can do. One of the biggest mistakes many inexperienced reporters make is worrying so much about what question to ask next, that they don't realize something important or unexpected that the interviewee has just said.
Here are a couple of short videos I would like you to watch. The first is some good advice about interviewing from former network anchor Katie Couric. The second is from National Public Radio's Scott Simon.
The following information is taken directly from Journalism Toolbox:
"The Angle
The main idea of a news story and lead is called the "angle."
It is also referred to in newsrooms as the "hook" because the angle is used to grab, or hook, the reader's attention to make them want to read the rest of the student's story.
Simply, it is the main point a student learned from their reporting and that the rest of their story will try to support.
Finding the angle of a news story forces a newswriter to be critical of a story idea and the reporting. A news writer will discover if there's no angle in an idea or the facts that have been gathered before an editor, teacher or reader will.
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| Creative Commons photo by StuartPilbrow |
Then students must consider what form their story will take.
In sorting through a mass of material, Carman Cumming and Catherine McKercher of Carleton University tell reporters to think about "S-I-N" -- which stands for Significant, Interesting and New. Students should look for either of those three things from their research and interviews and they will be able to find a compelling angle for their lead.
"Whammy"
The late Walter Steigleman, a journalism teacher in Iowa, told his students to look for the WHAMMY. He explained that the whammy is the single fact that makes your story unique.
Consider the following example, based on a radio interview with Vern Walters of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia with CBC's As It Happens in early March 1996:
Vern Walters, a third-generation blacksmith from Lunenburg, has decided to retire and has put his shop up for sale, closing a 120-year-old family-owned business.That lead has all the required elements. But a "whammy" is provided when it is learned that Mr. Walters is probably Canada's only working maritime blacksmith -- a blacksmith trained to do special blacksmithing to build and repair boats:
Vern Walters, one of Canada's last remaining maritime blacksmiths, has put his shop in Lunenburg up for sale, closing a family- owned business begun 120 years ago by his grandfather.That story also illustrates the human interest story, which focuses on an interesting or unique person.
The only way to really understand leads and angles is to try writing one. News writing is like learning to play a musical instrument -- the more you practice, the easier it gets and the better you become."
It makes sense that interviewing people can be a difficult task, especislly when they don't want to be there, but I too away that you have to keep your composure and kind of lean on whatever they're saying to keep it moving along. You don't need to direct the person, unless they're not exactly answering the questions, but prompt them and let them give you the story.
ReplyDeleteI think it's definitely important not to go into an interview with an exact list of questions written out and strictly stick to them during the interview. It makes an interview awkward, uninteresting, and robotic sounding. As Katie Couric mentioned, truly listening to the interviewee is extremely important, it makes the interviewee more comfortable with you and leads to an actual conversation. i also thought it was interesting how Couric mentioned that with experience, you develop a skill in imagining and planning for what someone's response might be simultaneously as you ask them the question, which helps you develop better follow up questions. On another note, I thought Simon's description of good storytelling was also helpful, and applies to writing as well as speaking. When verbally telling a story it is important to use vivid language and descriptive words, much like you should do when writing a hook or lead for a feature story.
ReplyDeleteI really like what Caitlin said about "prompting" the person to give you a story. Katie Couric made a good point of making the person relaxed and feel comfortable. She said to predict what they could say and think of follow up questions. I think that is genius! It was hard for me to continue to ask question upon question when I was trying to prevent awkward pauses by waiting so long to think of a question to continue the topic. I also liked how Scott Simon said it is important to let the story breathe... Not to make it go on and on. Break it up! That is definitely something I need to work on.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Simone when she said you should try to predict what the subject will say so you can come up with follow-up questions so there are so awkward pauses and it will make the reader feel at ease. And like Katie Couric said sticking to a 'laundry list' of questions is not the way to go you bore the viewers, yourself, and the whoever you are interviewing. And I also really like how Scott Simon told us to use descriptive language when writing a story to make it come alive, and you should let the story breathe don't rush through it.
ReplyDeleteInterviewing someone is nerve-racking for both the interviewer and the interviewee. Like Caitlin said above, it is important to prompt the interviewee and let them tell their own in story. In the Katie Couric video, Couric made a good point that you have to be a "gracious host" and make the person you are interviewing feel comfortable. Making someone feel comfortable will give you a better interview because then the conversation won't be tense and awkward sounding. I also like the points Scott Simon made about telling stories. Beginning a story correctly can make or break it. Basically you have to draw the reader/listener in immediately or else they will just change the channel or flip to the next page in the paper. I like what Simone said about breaking up the story and letting it breathe. It really is important to not rush through the story and let the reader or listener digest what the story is saying.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zaynah and Simone in that fact that predicting what the person will say can help the interview greatly. By being prepared, more information can be gotten out of the interview. But I also agree and think over preparation can be bad for an interview. If someone says something interesting in an interview, but the person asking questions is too prepared and doesn't catch it, the interview can become useless and uninteresting. I think interviewers need to find a balance of being prepared. They should be prepared so they know what to ask, but not too prepared. They need to be able to change their questions according to what the person says. Also, I agree that interviewers need to be able to listen and not think ahead. Thinking ahead can also lead to the interviewer missing important information.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has made good points about interviewing. Katie Couric gave some great tips on how to make the interviewee comfortable. She also said that listening is a very important skill because you can shape your questions to what the person says. Scott Simon says that telling a story is different if you are reporting about a war or you are reporting about the weather. A story has to have a point, and you need to have good details, so when people tell others about the news story, they will easily remember what it is about. I know that we all still need exercise with writing leads, but the more we practice the better we will become.
ReplyDeleteI think the interviewing process is definitely one of the most important parts of journalism, and it is very important to work on interviewing skills when becoming a journalist. Personally, I've always really looked up to Katie Couric a lot and thought the tips that she gave in the video were very helpful. For example, I thought that it was a good point that she made about having set questions ready and anticipating the interviewee's answers was helpful. I also thought it was a good point that interviews should be flexible and somewhat spontaneous too, because I think those aspects are what make some of the most succesful interviews. I think overall, it's most important to be prepared for an interview, but to also let yourself relax and sort of "go with the flow" in order to make the interviewee comfortable and walk away with a great finished interview.
ReplyDeleteI think approaching the interview like a conversation is very important because like Bridgette said, interviewing someone can be difficult for both parties. Katie Couric talked about being warm and gracious with the interviewee, and I think that is great advice. If you are stiff and robotic with the questions, odds are the other person will feel uncomfortable and respond the same way. People are much more likely to give you interesting information if they feel comfortable talking to you. Getting that interesting information can be vital to creating that perfect "hook" that will draw the readers in. Like Scott Simon said, you need to give the readers something to tell others when they repeat the story. So, the interviewer has to be careful to not control the interviewee and what they say, but rather guide them and listen to their answers.
ReplyDeleteInterviewing is a critical part of the journalistic process and if not done right could be disastrous. Agreeing with several others, I liked how Katie Couric mentioned that when she interviews someone she keeps the questions flowing and she thinks of follow up questions beforehand. I also agreed with what Caitlyn said about how she prompts the interviewee so there are never any awkward pauses. Personally, I found it a bit difficult to hold the interview as if it were a conversation. Also, Couric mentioned how close ended questions, are things that she likes to avoid because with the basic yes or no answer, the interview can tend to get boring and repetitive. Moreover, Scott Simon talked about the way you start a story can make or break the entire thing, which is such a great point because the opening is what draws people in and gets their attention. If you begin with a plain, non-exciting intro no one will continue to read your article even if it later become very interesting. In addition, I loved how Simon said that giving vivid descriptions can bring the story to life and that you should take your time letting the story breathe.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Simone when she stated it is important to let the story breathe from the video with Scott Simon. A story that does not breathe can be robotic and hard to keep up with. When the story is more entertaining then it keeps the audience interested. When a story is interesting then its easier to understand and relate to. When interviewing its best to come up with questions that are relevant to what they're answers are to keep it more conversational. It is also good to keep certain questions you want answered in mind. These will help the interviewer get a more complete understanding of what they are interviewing the person about.
I think in giving an interview you have to conduct it as if it is just a casual conversation. You don't want the interviewee to feel nervous or like they have to concoct fancy answers. Oprah has done many interviews and people do so many interviews with her because, she is friendly yet to the point. In interviewing being prepared is key because, it shows the person you're interviewing that you're serious about your job. Another point about interviewing is not to act like the robot in the video we saw in class. You want the interviewee to feel as comfortable as possible sharing with you and make them feel that you're interested in what they have to say. Being a good listener is absolutely necessary so that your notes are good and the person feels relaxed. The best interviewing skills come with practice.
ReplyDeleteLike most things in life, interviewing takes practice. No journalist starts off as an excellent interviewer. Katie Couric mentioned her bumps on the road and she mentioned how she didn't know much about a man who was loud during an interview. I found that interesting and it made me think that your should research your interviewee before the interview. I found Couric and Simon's tips about making the interview conversational and letting the story breathe helpful. I also think that you should have the questions planned exactly but to predict what the interviewee will say next to plan follow up questions. I also agree with Caitlin that you should prompt your interviewee for more information. That makes the interview more comfortable. Hopefully on my next interview I can use these skills to get more information.
ReplyDeleteI agree that preparing, taking good notes, and listening are the main keys for a good interview. I think that researching the interviewee and the topic will help you to come up with appropriate open ended questions that will make the interview flow. Katie Couric's statement about making the interviewee comfortable during an interview is another key. When you make someone feel comfortable, it's easier for them to be at ease and completely answer questions. Another important point Couric mentioned was listening. Listening is the key to a great interview and could help on recognizing someone's mistake or come up with more interesting questions to ask.
ReplyDeleteI believe that interviewing is like an art. It takes skill, time, and most importantly effort to be great at it. They key aspect to a successful interview, previously mentioned earlier are, researching, planning, great questions, but most importantly, the ability to "go with the flow". You should be able to walk out of the interview with full confidence that you know that person 60% better than you know before. Every interview should feel like a conversation that the interviewee should somewhat enjoy. When you are able to make that person comfortable and relaxed it is easier to conduct an interview. The information should start to flow. Aside from all the skills I listed, I think that a person should also be confident and stable enough to hold an interview that is organized and persistent. If someone were to follow these basic guidelines, they should be able to have a goof interview.
ReplyDeleteI agree with mostly everyone about the fact that it is important to go in with questions but to pay attention to the answers you receive so that it does not become robotic and scripted. I think that it is important to be loose when you go into an interview. You want to be able to just have a conversation with someone rather than interrogating them. an interview is meant for you to get to know someone well enough to the point where you can write a good story about them. Most people love to talk about themselves and it is your job as the interviewer to make them open and really get into the interview. Interviews can be awkward for both people if you do not show a genuine interest in the person's answers. You need to be able to carry on a conversation with someone about who they are and how they feel. You need to do research prior to the interviewer so that you may be able to predict the answers and be prepared enough to have another question ready. Interviews don't have to be difficult. We carry on converations with people all day long, an interview should be the same thing except you aren't answering any questions. Though you almost want to become friends with your interviewee, you need to be pressing enough to get the information you need. everyone isn't going ot open up right away and you need to be prepared enough to know what to ask. Both people in an interview often feel very awkward and it is up to you to open them up and to ease their nerves. If you go into an interview prepared and ready to listen, you can, without a doubt, get the information you need to write a quality story.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how Caitlin said to "prompt them and let them give you the story." I think that is very true in many ways. It's not always about planning your story before the interview and sticking to your script and your questions. Instead, let your conversation between you and the interviewee create your story. After the interview, build on to your story. Until then, it's important not to get caught up in writing too soon. Let the questions and answers guide the story.
ReplyDeleteI like what Kristen said about letting the questions and answers guide the story. I think that is really important when thinking about how you want to write your story after the interview. It is easier to write a story after an interview if you make the interview flow like a conversation. We have conversation everyday and everywhere so it should not be difficult to do the same during an interview. It's also important not to make the interview scripted or to get caught up in asking certain questions. You will remember the interviewee's answers better if you are into the conversation and not just writing down words but not knowing what you're writing.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the videos by Katie Couric and Scott Simon. I thought that they were extremely informative and helpful. I will definitely use the tips and advice that they gave to conduct my future interviews. I also think that it is of the upmost importance to be prepared in an interview and to make the person who you are interviewing comfortable. I also agree that you should take careful notes when conducting an interview. I have learned allot from these videos and plan to use this information in the future.
ReplyDeleteKaty Courics video was extremely informative, I especially liked her point about making sure the interviewee was comfortable, that is an extremely important factor that I often think news reporters forget about. Although I enjoyed the human interest story on Canada's last maritime blacksmiths I was more interested in learning the tips about journalism. Overall I fully enjoyed this blog and I learned allot.
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