Interviewing Skills for Journalists

Course Type: In-Company | Course Category: Journalism

Course Introduction

Employing appropriate and effective questioning techniques

What's it about?

Obtaining information from sources is possibly the most vital skill a journalist can have. This practical workshop will help you hone your interviewing skills both on the phone and face-to-face. It will help you understand how better to prepare for an interview and how to deal with difficult interviewees.

Who should attend?

For researchers, feature writers, PRs and news reporters who need practice and guidance to improve their interviewing techniques.

Learning outcomes

  • Knowing how to prepare for the interview by researching the subject
  • How to use tone of voice, behaviour, language to engage and reassure the interviewee
  • Questioning techniques and how to select the most appropriate tactic
  • Understanding the importance of listening
  • How to structure and interview and follow up

Benefits

Following this course you will have a polished interview technique that is appropriate for a range of situations.

Course Structure Highlights

  • Preparation and research: approval procedures, knowing your subject, formulating your objective
  • Setting the ground rules
  • Telephone techniques
  • Face-to-face techniques
  • Personal profiles
  • Difficult interviewees
  • Use of quotes
  • How individual interviews are conducted and analysed
  • Ethical dilemmas: when someone says something they shouldn’t have

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