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Interviews
Getting an Exclusive Interview
The exclusive interview is the goal of every reporter on every story. Being the only one who gets an important person to talk is the gold standard of journalism. Exclusive interviews are not a matter of luck. They involve approaching the right people in the right way. They are about building relationships and a reputation.
Identify the people you want for your exclusive interviews. If they are a witness to a breaking news story then you must act fast. In situations like this, it is more about finding the person than convincing them to talk. At an accident scene, look for the people who are upset with a stunned gaze in their eyes. Knock on doors of nearby houses. Ask neighborhood kids if they know who saw it happened. Once you find someone, just start asking questions with the camera rolling. Asking for permission for an interview gives them a chance to say no.
If are seeking an exclusive interview with a reclusive celebrity then getting it may be a long term project. It could require several requests through different channels so you can build a relationship with the celebrity. Try people who know you and the celebrity who can speak to your character. Write personal hand written letters explaining what you want. Once you get an interview, don’t burn them. If you do you will never be trusted again by them or their friends. If you become a trusted media ally, you might get an even better exclusive interview in the future.
The reporter who gets the exclusive interview is usually the first one to ask for one. In a breaking news situation, a victim or witness may be traumatized. They might speak to the first reporter who talks to them but clams up afterward when they realize that what they said was horrifying. You must be the first reporter to get to them. Others hide from reporters. Put in the extra effort to find them. Stake out their home or the homes of relatives. If they are in a hospital or police station, go inside and have someone give them a message. With a breaking news exclusive the most aggressive reporter gets the interview.
If you are pursuing someone who refuses to be interviewed, figure out why they wont talk to reporters. Some may have been burned in previous interviews. Others have something to hide. Still others just want to be left alone. The reason for their refusal to talk will lead you to the best way to approach them.
Tailor your approach to the circumstances. You must get the interview subject to realize that you understand what they are feeling. Empathize with their pain, fear, and outrage. Don't ask for anything. Instead ask how you can help. Offer to tell their side of the story or make sure their loved one is remembered the way they want them to be. Let them know that getting the truth out will improve their situation and perhaps lead to the resolution of many of their problems. This can mean suggesting that you are on their side and not the police or other authorities. Point out that you are different than other reporters and will treat them fairly.
Be persistent, insistent and polite. Very often an interview subject will initially say "no." Don't get upset or rude. Sometimes they are overwhelmed and need some time to reflect. Your polite reaction to rejection could be just the thing to close the deal. Leave your card and let them know they can call anytime. Continue to call back, drop by, email and write letters. Every time have an excuse to contact them. Offer an additional piece of information or a new reason an exclusive interview would benefit them. Don't push too hard and always remain polite.
Build trust and a relationship. Sometimes getting the big exclusive interview requires a series of baby steps. Get your interview subject to trust you with a small piece of information. Be discrete and prove to them that you can be trusted. Burning a potentially big exclusive interview for a small daily story doesn't make much sense. Stay focused on the big picture. Once they feel they can trust you, they will grant you an exclusive interview. Once you get a reputation as a trusted reporter, this will become easier and easier.
Do the exclusive interview quickly. Often people willing to talk to you will change their minds a short time later. Don't give them time to do this. Rush over to their location and start asking questions. Keep asking questions until you have asked everything or they throw you out. Get it on the air or in print as fast as you can. It is only an exclusive interview until the next reporter gets it.
Asking an exclusive interview to avoid other reporters is an ethical gray area. Naturally, you don't want them to give another interview since yours would no longer be exclusive. However, specifically telling the interview not to give more interviews is selfish and not in the public good. Ultimately it is up to the person being interviewed to decide how many reporters to talk to. Be sure you know what they decide. You can't call an interview "exclusive" if it is not.
Some reporters make inappropriate promises to get exclusive interviews. It is wrong for a reporter to promise a specific spin on a story as a condition of giving the interview. Tell the interview subject that you will be fair and they don’t have the right not to answer any of your questions.
Ambush Interviews
Ambush interviews make great TV. They show the reporter doing what most people would like to do: chase down the bad guy. It is also often the only way to get a reluctant person to do an interview with a reporter.
Ambush interviews should only be done when someone has ignored or declined offers to be interviewed and there is some significant allegation against them from a credible source. It is not appropriate to ambush someone you have not already politely asked for a sit down interview. It is also inappropriate to ambush someone who is not a public figure or accused of significant wrongdoing.
Ambush interviews are much different than regular interviews. They are also inherently confrontational and potentially dangerous. A reporter must prepare and caution is warranted.
Study the habits of the person person being ambushed. Find out when they arrive at work and when they leave. Measure how far the walk is from their car to the front door. Try to figure out the best spot to spring the ambush interview. It should be a place where the interview can't get away easily and must walk with you long enough to ask your questions. Whenever possible avoid their home or anywhere children might be present. That will make you look like the bad guy.
Know what questions you will ask in your ambush interview. You wont have time to think about your questions. You must fire them off one after another without delay. Understand that just because a reporter is ambushing someone, that does not make them guilty. Great care must be taken to be fair and ask fair questions. Do not scream "why did you do it?" This reveals that you assume that they did do it. A better way to phrase the question is, "is it true that...?" or "what do you say to those who claim...?"
Understand that it is likely the person being ambushed wont say anything. However, that's not the point. An ambush interview is designed to get their side of the story. Even if they don't answer, you are showing that you gave them every opportunity to respond. Running away from the camera and ignoring your fair questions will speak louder than words.
Take plenty of people with you. Ambush interviews can turn ugly if the person you ambush becomes violent. Having extra people standing around can discourage them from doing anything crazy. You will also have witnesses if something does go wrong. Try to take at least two camera crews. One should be walking backward with the reporter and interview framed together. The other camera should be shooting wide from the side. If the first camera is grabbed by the ambushed person, you will have a shot of it happening.
Lay in wait and spring your ambush interview. When you do, rattle off your questions one after another. The person being ambushed will either answer you or try to evade you. Follow until you can't follow anymore. Be sure everyone knows their job and that the photographers keep shooting until the ambush is over. Also make sure your microphone is on and it has fresh batteries. Wireless mics work best.
Always remember that you must obey the law at all times during an ambush interview. Only do it on public property. Never block their path or detain them. Do not touch them. There is no law against walking next to someone asking them questions. That is all you are doing in an ambush interview.
Crime Victim Interviews
Journalists cover a lot of crime stories and often interview victims of these crimes. Too often reporters become numb to victim suffering. This is a coping mechanism to help reporters deal with witnessing so much tragedy. However, it is a mistake for reporters to lose their empathy. It is essential to a reporter's ability to tell the story.
Reactions of crime victims range from silence to hostility. Reporters must dance the fine line between professional detachment and genuine caring. You don't want to harm a suffering person more by intruding in their pain, but your job requires you to do everything you can to get the interview. Reporters don't have the option to just leave victims alone because they feel sorry for them. It is one of the most uncomfortable parts of a reporter's job.
The most important thing to remember is to express empathy. Do not immediately ask for an interview. The crime victim is most likely traumatized and your desire for an interview is the least of their concerns. Instead, introduce yourself and ask how they are holding up. Genuinely care about the answer. Spend a few moments looking into their eyes and letting them know that you understand their pain.
Offer to help in any way you can. Tell them the positive things the media can do for them. Offer to tell their side of the story, let their experience be a warning to others, or let them expose whomever committed the crime. If they are a relative of a homicide victim, offer to help their loved one be remember the way they want. Focus on their needs, not on your selfish desire for an interview.
Be ready to do the interview when you approach. If the interview is for television, instruct your photographer to just start shooting. Have a stick microphone in your hand that is already switched on. If you waste time setting up a camera or clipping on a mic, you give them an opportunity to change their mind.
Just start asking questions. Keep asking questions until they stop you or you have nothing left to ask. If you ask for permission to talk to them they will most likely say no. Just have a conversation with them. Maintain eye contact and exhibit an expression of compassion. By maintaining their attention with your eyes you distract them from the camera and the fact that they are giving an interview. They should feel like they are confiding in a trusted friend.
Allow them to talk. When a crime victim recounts their experience, they often get lost in their narrative. They will get a far off look in their eyes and ramble about what happened. Do not interrupt them. Some of the best sound bites happen on their own. Interrupting a crime victim at the wrong time interrupts their train of thought and could shut them down. Good interviewers know when to be quiet.
Ask the hard question last. If you have to ask something you know will upset the crime victim, do it after you have everything else you need. If you get thrown out you will already have what you came for. When you ask the hard question phrase it as if someone else is asking it. For example, ask "what do you say to those people who accuse you of being partly responsible?"
Understand that being a reporter involves both empathy and professional detachment. You try to be considerate but you have a job to do and getting the interview is paramount. This may sound contradictory but it is all part of being a news reporter. Most days you are both hero and villain.
