INTERVIEWS:

START TO

FINISH • Decide whom to interview.

• Prepare for the interview.

• Conduct the interview.

• Handle no comment and avoiding an answer.

• Ask the tough question.

• Ask these three questions at the end of every interview.

• Follow these steps after the interview.

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Chapter 6

WHY DO INTERVIEWS MATTER?

ways to report

ONLY

1. OBSERVATION

By Flickr user Peter R.

By Meaghan O’Malley

2. DOCUMENTS, WEBSITES

By Damian Kettlewell

3. INTERVIEWS

INTERVIEWING: NOT JUST Qs

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• Prepare

• Listen

• Think on

your feet

• Record

answers

WHOM TO INTERVIEW?

WHO WILL HAVE INFO YOU NEED? From pages 5-6 of Myanmar Reporter’s Manual:

• Government sources

Head of public health protection, not the top minister

• Foreign sources

Embassies, DW Akademie, expats

• International organizations

UNICEF, UNESCO

• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

Malaria Consortium, Myanmar Red Cross

• Businesses, trade groups and unions

Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association

WHO WILL HAVE INFO YOU NEED? From pages 5-6 of Myanmar Reporter’s Manual:

• Academics/experts

Professors, medical specialists

• Social, political and religious groups

Yangon Heritage Trust, political parties, mosques,

temples, churches

• Eyewitnesses

Witnesses to accidents or victims of crimes

• Ordinary people

Those affected by events or changes

1. Ni Ni Mar, is dying of leukemia. Members of the Chin Baptist Church in Yangon raised US$7,000 to send her and her entire family of 9 to Tokyo Disneyland next week.

You are writing a story before the trip.

WHOM TO INTERVIEW?

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ou

!

2. The local school board has announced that, due to

budgetary constraints, three high school teachers will be laid

off at the end of the school year: English teacher Thein Hote,

science teacher Thant Zin and computer science teacher

Kyaw Soe. You are writing a story about the layoffs.

WHOM TO INTERVIEW?

By R

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3. Soulful, sensitive

singer/songwriter Phyu Phyu

Kyaw Thein is returning to her

hometown of Yangon (where

you’re a reporter) for a

concert. It’s the first time

she’s been back since

graduating from high school

10 years ago. Since then, her

songs have been downloaded

millions of times, and she’s

toured the world. You are

writing a story in advance of

her concert.

WHOM TO INTERVIEW?

From Myanmar Times

1. Ni Ni Mar, is dying of leukemia. Members of the Chin Baptist Church in Yangon raised US$7,000 to send her and her entire family of 9 to Tokyo Disneyland next week. You are writing a story before the trip.

2. The local school board has announced that, due to budgetary constraints, three high school teachers will be laid off at the end of the school year: English teacher Thein Hote, science teacher Thant Zin and computer science teacher Kyaw Soe. You are writing a story about the layoffs.

3. Soulful, sensitive singer/songwriter Phyu Phyu Kway Thein is returning to her hometown of Yangon (where you’re a reporter) for a concert. It’s the first time she’s been back since graduating from high school 10 years ago. Since then, her songs have been downloaded millions of times, and she’s toured the world. You are writing a story in advance of her concert.

WHOM TO INTERVIEW?

WHOM TO INTERVIEW? 1. Ni Ni Mar, 12, is dying of leukemia. Members of the Chin Baptist Church in Yangon raised US$7,000 to send her and her entire family of 9 to Tokyo Disneyland next week.

• Ni Ni Mar

• Her family

• Church officials

• Her doctor

• A donor

• Disneyland official

on how often

By S

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2. The local school board has announced that, due to

budgetary constraints, three high school teachers will

be laid off at the end of the school year: English

teacher Thein Hote, science teacher Thant Zin and

computer science teacher Kyaw Soe. You are writing a

story about the layoffs.

• School board members

• School finance official

• The three teachers

• Teachers’ union

• Parents

• Students

WHOM TO INTERVIEW?

By R

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WHOM TO INTERVIEW? 3. Soulful, sensitive singer/songwriter Phyu Phyu

Kyaw Thein is returning to her hometown of Yangon

(where you’re a reporter) for a concert.

• Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein

• Concert promoter

• Music teacher

• Relatives

• Fans

• High school friends

• Expert: Music critic

or professor

From Myanmar Times

BEFORE THE

INTERVIEW

PREPARE

Sc

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WHICH IS BETTER 1st Q?

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To Academy Award winner Vivien Leigh:

What role did you play in Gone with the Wind?

WHICH IS BETTER 1st Q??

To Eddie Arcaro,

winningest U.S.

jockey ever:

“Why is your left

stirrup longer than

your right?”

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WHY PREPARE?

• “A common ingredient of the superb interview is a knowledge of the subject so thorough that it creates a kind of intimacy between the journalist and the interviewee.”

• – journalist Tom Rosenstiel

HOW TO PREPARE

1. Research: • The library or “morgue”

• The Internet

• Public records

• Experts

• Colleagues

2. Create a list of

questions: • Start with basics: name,

birthdate, address, title.

• Few closed-end (yes/no): to

confirm facts

• Many open-ended (Why?

How?): to get elaboration

• Predict and list follow-up

questions.

• Finish with toughest

question.

HOW TO PREPARE

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DURING

THE

INTERVIEW • Identify DOs and DON’Ts for interviews.

• Handle sources’ “no comment” and not answering the

question.

• Get tips from a top interviewer.

• Ask a tough question.

By internets_dairy

STRUCTURED CONVERSATION

“Interviewing is a lot like talking, but you have to guide

the conversation. You have to know what you want and

go about getting it.”

-- Anthony deCurtis, former editor, Rolling Stone

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DOs DURING AN INTERVIEW • Arrive at least five minutes

early.

• Dress appropriately.

• Identify yourself and chit-

chat if there is time.

• Ask the source to write

his/her name in your

notebook and spell it back.

• Look your subject in the

eye.

• Sit forward in your chair.

• Ask one simple question at

a time.

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DOs DURING AN INTERVIEW

-- Respond to answers with a nod.

-- Listen carefully.

-- Ask follow-up questions: 1) How do you know that? 2) Can you

give me an example? 3) And . . . ?

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DOs DURING AN INTERVIEW

-- If you don’t understand, ask the source to explain or slow down.

-- Smile.

-- Use silence to get people to talk more.

-- Look around and write down what you see. • By Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University

By Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University

DON’Ts DURING AN INTERVIEW • Don’t interrupt, although

it’s okay to gently get a

source back on the

subject: “That’s very

interesting. Thank you for

your insight. Getting back

to the main point…”

• Don’t agree or argue.

• Don’t talk too much.

• Don’t give up when a

source says, “No

comment.”

• Don’t ask your toughest

question until the end.

By NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

HANDLING “NO COMMENT” • Remind source that it’s in

her best interest to give

his side of the story.

• Say that you will have to

include “no comment” in

your story; some people

may think you are hiding

something.

• Say that your story will be

less balanced and

accurate without her

comments.

By Dean Jarvey

SOURCE AVOIDS THE QUESTION

-- Repeat the question.

-- Rephrase the question.

-- Ask the source about rumors

or criticisms you have heard.

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ADVICE FROM KATIE COURIC,

TV HOST ON 3 U.S. NETWORKS

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eOynrI2eTM

By U

.S.

Navy

KATIE COURIC’S TIPS • Be a gracious host.

• Use the right tone.

• Don’t ask yes/no questions.

• Prepare likely follow-up

questions.

• Listen. Shift from your

prepared questions if the

source says something

interesting.

• Remember your audience.

Ask what it wants to know.

• Allow your subject to

communicate. Katie Couric and U.S. Defense

Secretary Robert M. Gates By U.S. Air Force

ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTION Reporter Scott Simon Comedian Bill Cosby

• Settled lawsuit alleging sexual assault in 2006

• More women had come forward by Nov. 2014.

http://www.npr.org/2014/11/15/364289549/cosbys-start-a-conversation-with-african-american-art (Questions about

allegations at 3:26 mark)

By n

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ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTION

• “This question gives me no pleasure,

Mr. Cosby, but there have been serious

allegations raised about you in recent

days. You're shaking your head no.

• “I'm in the news business. I have to

ask the question - do you have any

response to those charges? Shaking

your head no.

• “There are people who love you who

might like to hear from you about this.

I want to give you the chance.”

ANOTHER WAY: TOUGH QUESTION

• “This is a real ‘journalist’ question, but I have to ask it and let’s just see what happens. . . . ”

• “Please tell me why you thought it was a good idea to rebuild your home in the floodplain?”

-- Joe Verrengia, The Associated Press

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AFTER THE INTERVIEW • Before you leave, review your notes with the source.

• Ask these three questions at the end of each interview.

• Say, “Thank you.”

• Review your notes again privately.

• Check back with sources after the story runs.

By U

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REVIEW YOUR NOTES

Before you leave, recap what you’ve

discussed to fill in gaps, correct errors or

clarify confusion.

By U

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3 QUESTIONS TO ASK AT THE END 1. Is there anything I haven’t asked that you’d like to talk about?

2. Whom else should I talk to for this story?

3. May I please have your mobile number and email in case I have more questions? Please contact me if you think of anything else that might help me with my story.

By Robert Couse-Baker

SAY:

“THANK

YOU!” If you know, tell the source when and where the story will run.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW • Review your

notes again,

privately:

• -- Add further

observations.

• -- Clean up

illegible

scribbles.

• -- Mark the best

quotes.

• -- ASK: Do I

have the lead

for my story yet?

By joce01_y

THREE WAYS TO USE COMMENTS

DIRECT QUOTE PARTIAL

QUOTE

PARAPHRASE

Direct quotes state

exactly, word for word,

what someone said. The

quote begins and ends

with quotation marks. A

phrase identifying

the speaker — called

attribution —

usually follows the

quote:

“Without a doubt, we’ve

got the biggest, fastest,

best darn team in the

league this year,” Yangon

Lions Coach Miodrag Ješić

said.

If a direct quote is too

long or awkwardly

phrased, you may decide

to insert just a part of it

into your own sentence:

Coach Miodrag Ješić

called this year’s Yangon

Lions the “best darn team

in the league.”

When you summarize

what a source told you

without using the exact

words or adding

quotation marks, it’s

called a paraphrase:

Yangon Lions Coach

Miodrag Ješić said that this

year’s football team will be

the biggest and best in the

league.

Adapted from Inside Reporting, by Tim Harrower

EXERCISE: 3 WAYS TO USE COMMENTS

Rewrite the following statement:

1) as a direct quote;

2) as a paraphrase; and

3) using a partial quote.

“All too often, a story free of any taint of

personal opinion is a story with all the juice

sucked out. Keeping opinion out of the story too

often means being a fancy stenographer.”

— Professor Geneva Overholser

From Inside Reporting, by Tim Harrower

ANSWERS: 3 WAYS TO USE COMMENTS

1. Direct quote:

“All too often, a story free of any taint of personal opinion is a story with all the juice sucked out.” Professor Geneva Overholser said. “Keeping opinion out of the story too often means being a fancy stenographer.”

2. Partial quote:

Stories without personal opinion have “all the juice sucked out,” Professor Geneva Overholser said. Eliminating opinion “too often means being a fancy stenographer.”

3. Paraphrase:

Professor Geneva Overholser lamented stories without personal opinion as dry and said they relegated journalists to being fancy stenographers.

WHEN NOT TO DIRECTLY QUOTE • If the material is boring.

A cheerleader tells you: “I’m very excited about

our big victory.”

• If the information is factual.

A pianist says “the concert will be at 9 p.m.

Friday.”

• If it just repeats what is said above it.

Ivan Oder boasts that he never uses

deodorant.

“I never use deodorant,” he says.

From Inside Reporting, by Tim Harrower

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

• Check back with your sources after the story runs. They

may offer useful feedback or tips for new stories.

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ASSIGNMENT Man-on-the-street interview

MAN-ON-THE-STREET INTERVIEW WHY I WILL VOTE NOV. 8

Name: U Kyaw Soe

Age: 65

Occupation: Vendor

Party: National League for

Democracy

Why? It holds the best hope for

the country to achieve true

democracy and freedom.

What issue is most

important? We need better

schools and more jobs for our

young people.

Why will you vote Nov. 8? To

bring about much needed

change.

MAN-ON-THE-STREET INTERVIEW WHY I WILL VOTE NOV. 8

Name: Kyaw Soe

Age: 65

Occupation: Vendor

Party: National League for

Democracy

Why? It holds the best hope for

the country to achieve true

democracy and freedom.

What issue is most

important? We need better

schools and more jobs for our

young people.

Why will you vote Nov. 8? To

bring about much needed

change.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

• Practice asking these

questions and taking a

photo of a classmate now.

• Find someone on the

street (not a student) who

is planning to vote Nov. 8.

• Ask them these

questions.

• Turn in their answers on

Aug. 31 and post a photo

of the person to the class

Facebook group.