Journalism S-100Proseminar in Journalism:

Writing and ReportingInstructor: Angelia Herrin

July 9, 2009

How to Organize a Late Plea I apologize and offer these excuses:

1) Another of our reporters quit this week and none of the new ones have arrived, so I actually had to cover news. It's not so bad yet, but I am in real danger of having to go to a school board meeting tomorrow. The school board, for all love!2) My professor wrote to say she saved my profile, expecting it would be one of the good ones. Most people would crack under that kind of pressure. I can’t write the next story3) I have been considering seriously buying a boat to live on, and friends and family have demanded a lot of time to talk me out of it.

It might be easier if you could post the excuses people gave for being late, so we can avoid doubling up. Does anybody still do the dog thing, or is that now unavailable with the end of paper assignments they can eat?

Don’t Forget!!!!

Project Memo DUE THURSDAY JULY 16

A Writing Memo

1)A political or cultural issue told through a person or group involved?

2)A topic isn’t enough. What’s the issue?

2)Be sure you tell me:

Why should I read this story?

What question do you want to answer?

3)Who will you talk to?

4)How will you research the issue?

5)The project will be 1200 to 1500 long.

A Cautionary Tale About Quotes

“You’ve got a duty to die and get out of the way,” said Lamm. (Associated Press)

“Aged Are Told to Drop Dead. Colo. Gov Says It’s Their Duty.” (New York Daily News)

What He Actually Said

• “We’ve got a duty to die and get out of the way with all our machines and artificial hearts and everything else like that and let the other society, our kids, build a reasonable life.”

What is this attribution DOING?

O.J. Simpson claimed he was happy.

The prosecutor claimed the witness was lying.

Smith pointed out that religion is a crutch.

Smith suggested that freedom of religion is not really protected by the First Amendment

The Art Of Interviewing

Being a reporter is great because you can ask people questions that NO ONE in their right mind would ask a complete stranger

INTERVIEW TIPS

Preparation before making the appointment– Find out how to pronounce names– Start reading what’s been written before– Find an interesting point for small talk – Figure out what you need from the person

Making the appointment – Don’t misrepresent yourself– Use a “sponsor”– Explain subject and approximate time needed– Nail down a specific time– Pack extra pens!

Writing your questions: Ideas not scripts– Create open-ended questions. Avoid yes or no

answers. What happened then? What did you do? What do you

mean? Why did he do that? Why do you think… How could that happen? Give me an example of how that happened!– Put questions in logical order (easy ones first)– Don’t use long questions! Don’t show off– Use questions as a guide and checklist– Be ready to follow the conversation: relax!

Getting Ready

GOALS Method

• Goal: What was the goal for the program, the motivation for your choice or position?

• Obstacles: What got in your way? What is he difficulty? Don’t ask about the happiest, hardest, funniest. Get specific.

• Achievements: How did you overcome obstacles? How will you get there?

• Learnings: So how did you make that happen? How did your background help? What would you tell other people.

Now You Are There

Beginning the interview BE ON TIME

– Shake hands and make eye contact– Engage in small talk– Tell them you appreciate their time– Ask about what you see in their office or home– Ask your first question

Conducting the interview– Ask the basics: Don’t afraid to look dumb– Ask the follow-up question– Listen, listen, listen: focus on the “hear” and now.– Practice conversational listening: Base questions on

the last question– Listen on three levels: facts, quotes, emotion– Listen for what is left out– Always ask for examples: “What do you mean?”– Prod them to be specific: “Give me an example”– Listen and replay: Ask them to repeat what they said– Construct a chronology: Start with How and When– Control the interview if it veers off too far

Taking notes– Concentrate: great quotes are precious– Use key words– Use your own shorthand: you will develop one– Try the star system as you write– Slow the pace– Ask a throwaway question to buy time– Keep writing– Verify vital information: double check– Practice

To Record or Not To Record

Follow etiquette Be aware of state laws: rcfp.org/taping Be aware of the Federal Wiretap law

How the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune Almost Blew a Pulitzer

The tough interview– Use a pregnant pause so source will talk– Ask for real-life examples– Ask summary questions: what about leading?

Asking the hard question– Acknowledge that it’s hard– Blame your editor– Blame your readers– Remember: They probably expect it– Ask it toward the end. Ask it again.

• Winding up the interview– Stay on time– Ask if you can call later– Ask if there’s someone else you should talk to– Ask if there’s something else you should asked– Try playing the summary game– Close your notebook and listen

• After the interview– Fill in the blanks in your notes immediately

• Real people caveat– Be careful about sources who aren’t media-savvy,

especially children

Telephone Interviews

• Edna Buchanan trick• Tell me what you see trick• Be clear with ID and purpose• Keep icebreakers short• Keep questions short and clarify, clarify• Plan two lists of questions: crucial and

want to know• Verify and spell back

Email Interviews?

• Advantage: The source gets time to think about response. You don’t have to take notes and you get accurate responses.

• Disadvantage: You lose spontaneity, good follow-up. You can’t see expressions and body language, or describe details. You worry about verification!!!

Tips for E-mail Interview

• Limit the numbers of questions. Sources like e-mail to save time.

• Clarify your purpose. Make clear you intend to use the e-mail in a news story.

• Verify source name and title.• Limit your follow-up emails• Attribute to e-mail when you use in a

story.

Should you take a cup of coffee? A baseball cup?