INTERVIEW

Objective of an interview

To obtain more information from interviewee. Interviewer is a professional who extracts information on behalf of the audience. He is expected not to show his knowledge.Interview is always spontaneous. Interview is a triangle of trust.

Participants of the interview

InterviewerIntervieweeAudience (reader)

Types of Interviews

Interviews take different forms and have

different purposes.

Purpose of InterviewInformational Interview

Interpretational InterviewAmbience or feel of the situation

interviewVox Populi

Personality Interviews: is designed to focus on the intellectual, artistic and emotional life of a celebrity, whom people crave to know more about.

It is impolite to dominate or intimidate the interviewee who should be in the limelight; and if as an interviewer you try to proclaim your smartness to the whole world, you will end up doing only that – and not your job.

A warm and sympathetic understanding of the interviewee will facilitate a good interview.

News Interview: is meant to dig out news from a person often unwilling to part with it.It could be a state secret, a department program being finalized, something someone is trying to hide to save embarrassment for oneself or others.

Business Interview:is the business of business executives, probably over a five-course dinner accompanied by Scotch.The media person has no business in such interviews, except when they become major corporate news like mergers and takeovers.?!?

Exploratory interview:explores the frontiers of knowledge of the interviewee for the benefit of readers/viewers.An astronaut, a genetic engineer, a financial wizard, a noted playwright, a famous fashion designer, or a renowned artist, will have insights that interest a section of the people.

Investigative interview:is normally conducted by investigative agencies like the CBI or the police crime branch, with or without use of torture.An investigative journalist conducting an investigative interview has no power to force someone to come out with the truth. He has to coax or cajole, lay traps or outwit.

Quantitative interview:is conducted by market and opinion research organizations, and media take cognizance of it when it makes news, like popularity or pre-poll survey.

Usage of InterviewReporters conduct interviews in order to write personality sketches, light stories explaining

what a person is like. Such interviews require a blend of questioning and

observation.

Reporters also conduct interviews in order to write detailed and serious biographical

sketches, such as the exhaustive biographies

Still other interviews are conducted so that the reporter can get the views of a knowledgeable person on a subject of current interest.In some instances, the story comes from the questions asked by the reporter and the answers of the person interviewed.Sometimes an interview is piggybacked on a news event that provides the major part of the story. For example, an enterprising reporter may, after covering a speech, talk to the speaker and ask some additional questions about the speech or even some questions that go beyond the topic of the speech. Good stories can result from this kind of interviewing.

Ten Tips for a Better Interview Be prepared! Set the rules of the interview right up front! Be on time! Be observant! Be polite!Listen but don't be afraid to interrupt when you don't understand! Silence is golden! Maintain eye contact!Before your leave… Review your notes right after the interview!

Do’s and Don’t  

     Always seek prior appointment for fixing interview. Also indicate the amount of time it is likely to take. After you have fixed up your interview you must

prepare yourself and read everything about the person whom you are interviewing.

Homework will always help you in coming out bold and

confident.

     Go prepared with a notebook to record the points. In case you have a questionnaire prepared, do not always insist that the questionnaire be filled in there and then. Often time and place selection is not in the hands of reporter.Take your tape recorder with you to record whatever has transpired so that tomorrow he can not deny what he said. But do not fail to take note. It is necessary to counter check.

     Always ask just one question at a time, not one with two or more parts, and keep your questions short. Even for a brief interview, question should be carefully prepared to make the best possible use of the time.

A study shows that the person who gets the most answers is simply the person who asks the most questions. And experience demonstrates that the quality of the questions is at least as important as the quantity. A large number of answers are of little value if they are irrelevant to the

main subject.

        If a large number of questions have elicited ‘no’ response, manipulate your enquiry in such a way that it elicits an affirmative answer.   Arrange your questions in an order you think will make a good conversation and elicit good answers

           In Print Media when you ask question you can repeat a question 3-4 times but in electronic media you don’t have that kind of freedom. You have to ask precise question.

     While interviewing him you should be courteous. You should portray yourself innocent and try to draw him out and allow him to speak more. If he vague your question then put your question in an indirect form.

     Don’t hesitate to ask uncomfortable question if that is going to brighten your story but you should not be impolite. Let the person talk at her own pace and in her own style. Don’t hurry her, don’t appear hurried yourself and don’t try to influence her style of talking. There will be much in what she says which will not go into the final story but be respectful—listen her out.

     You should tell the person in advance about your intention to take the interview so that he can give you concrete information.     When you meet important people at conference it is easy for you to fix interview there for some day as otherwise it is difficult to catch hold of them.     ‘Why’ question is the most important question.

      The interviewer should not ask personal questions and should not ask too many questions.If the fellow said that he is revealing fact in confidence than you must respect his confidence.     If he insist that he want to see the final thing than its your discretion whether you show him or not.     Also, no need to say ‘my first question, ‘my last question’, etc.   You can’t say ‘Aha’, ‘I see’, ‘OK’. You never question that person’s

integrity and credentials.

          Never accuse him of any wrong doing.

     If you have to question the person’s integrity you use something called a ‘Devil’s Advocate’—“There are press reports that there is…

Empathy is the most important thing in reporting. The reporter may never meet the interviewee again, but for that brief moment when their paths do cross, there should be a feeling of sharing emotions.

In these days of violence, terrorism and large-scale abuse, reporters are frequently assigned the duty to interview the victims of such happenings. A reporter covering case of human rights violations soon discovers that it is often very difficult to know the true story. How do you investigate allegations of abuses in a highly polarized atmosphere, where each person you interview seems to have a vested interest in telling you only a part of the story? Because people are often extremely emotional in these situations, and because there may often not be an eye-witnesses to the abuse, it is not always easy to determine fact from rumor. Sometimes a question must be asked in several different ways, again always trying to respect the feeling of the person being interviewed, who may well have just lost a husband, son or other close relative.

Interviewing children who have undergone trauma is a ticklish issue. Again, the basic rule applies: Don’t begin the conversation with a direct query on the child’s horrible experience. Find another, more human way to start.

Cultural sensitivity is important. Sharing a cup of tea, a meal, a joke are often preludes to sharing confidences. It relaxes the interviewee.