- Ask yourself:
- Why am I talking to this person? What can only this person tell me?
- What do I want to get out of this interview?
- Do I have a focus for the interview?
- Do I have a plan?
- Avoid the word 'interview'. Most people think an interview is a scary thing. They think of job interviews or the kind of TV interviews that politicians do. Neither model works for a good journalistic interview. I prefer the words 'chat', 'conference call' or 'conversation'.
Advance Work
- Do research on the interview topic and the person to be interviewed, not only so you can ask the right questions and understand the answers, but also so you can demonstrate to the interviewee that you have taken the time to understand the subject and also that you cannot easily be fooled.
- Devise a tentative theme for your story. A major purpose of the interview will be to obtain quotes, anecdotes and other evidence to support that theme.
- List question topics in advance ¾ as many as you can think of, even though you may not ask all of them and almost certainly will ask others that you do not list.
- In preparing for interviews on sensitive subjects, theorize about what the person's attitude is likely to be toward you and the subject you are asking about, What is his or her role in the event? Whose side is he or she on? What kinds of answers can you logically expect to your key questions? Based on this theorizing, develop a plan of attack that you think might mesh with the person's probable attitude and get through his or her probable defenses.
The Profile
The profile should be seen as a minidrama, blending description, action and dialogue. Through the words and actions of the subject of the profile, with some help from the reporter's insertion of background and explanatory matter, the character is illuminated. Profiles should include plenty of quotations.
- The person's background (birth, upbringing, education, occupation).
- Anecdotes and incidents involving the subject.
- Quotes by the individual relevant to his or her newsworthiness.
- The reporter's observations.
- Comments of those who know the interviewee.
- A news peg, whenever possible.
10 Tips for Investigative Reporting
- Do some preliminary research before launching an investigation or even pitching it to your editor.
- Know the laws a) so you don’t break them and b) to know how to use them to your benefit.
- Support your work with documents when possible. Think about what documents you need and how you can obtain them.
- Don’t rush into interviews. Get as much information as you can first, so you can ask intelligent questions when you do get the interview and so you will be ready to challenge evasive answers.