INTERVIEWING INTERVIEW SOURCES: - PowerPoint Presentation

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INTERVIEWING

INTERVIEW SOURCES:

Interviewing – Asking questions of knowledgeable people

Important because it leads reporters to a compete and true story.Is the most useful technique for gathering accurate information for both news and feature stories.Anytime you ask a question you are interviewing.

Journalists head to work everyday knowing or wondering who they will be talking with that day

INTERVIEW SOURCES:

Journalist MUST do their homework!

RESEARCH - topicDevelop a list of thoughtful questionsPLAN AHEAD – don’t waste your sources timeInterview BEFORE your deadline

DEADLINE – the time story is due!

Interview should be full of information, detail and insight to stories

Interviewing is the CORE of every story.

2 TYPES OF SOURCES:

PRIMARY SOURCES – Most important and the first people interviewed.

They are the people who can give the reporter the most thorough or best information.They are the experts on the topic or eye witnesses to the eventWHY? They are the investigators, the witnesses or the people affected by the event.

2 TYPES OF SOURCES Continued:

SECONDARY SOURCES – People who have information relevant to your story but are not main official, eyewitnesses or directly affected by the event.

They can add other detailsProvide other side/perceptions/views

OTHER SOURCES:

UNNAMED SOURCES – are people who ask that their names not be used and sometimes they don’t want reporters to use the information that they gave.

OFF THE RECORD – the information you are given by the source is not written down in your notebook or taped. The source will ask you to turn of tape recorder or video recorder. It is if the information was not shared at all.

OTHER SOURCES CONTINUED:

ON BACKGROUND – means that journalists may use the information the source is providing but they may not attribute the information to the person providing it. Will state source in a generic way. Example “administration”.

CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES – are those who want to remain anonymous, often because they fear reprisals from authorities who may not want the information out.Must discuss confidentiality agreements with their editors before agreeing to keep sources secret.

QUIZ – Take out piece of paper.

Which is the most useful technique reporters use to gather good information for both news and feature stories?

A) Outlining B) Interviewing C) Pre-writing

D) Using the Internet

QUIZ

2. Which sources do reporters try to interview first?

A) Off-the-record sources B) Secondary Sources C) Unnamed Sources D) Primary Sources

QUIZ

3. Which term means that journalist may use the information the source is providing, but may not attribute it to the source?

A) Primary Source B) On Background C) Off the record D) Secondary Source

QUIZ

4. TRUE OR FALSE? Primary sources are the people who can give the reporter the most thorough or best information because they are the investigators, the witnesses or the people who are affected by the event.

5. TRUE OR FALSE? Interview secondary sources often can lead to new stories?

ANSWERS:

B – Interviewing

D – Primary SourcesB – On BackgroundTrue

True

ACTIVITY – CAR RAID

STEP #1 – OBSERVATION

STEP #2 – WRITE 7 OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONSSTEP #3 – INTERVIEW THE OWNER OF THE CAR (Listen – don’t ask the same question twice).

STEP #4 – TAKE NOTES AND PREPARE 2 FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS AND 2 CHALLENGE QUESTIONS

STEP #5 – ASK FOLLOW-UP AND CHALLENGE QUESTIONS

STEP #6 – WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE BASED ONLY ON THE INTERVIEW AND VEHICLE. SHOULD BE OVER 300 WORDS AND PROPER JOURNALISTIC WRITING.