Interviewing for Journalists (Media Skills)

Interviewing for Journalists details the central journalistic skill of how to ask the right question in the right way. It is a practical and concise guide for all print and online journalists – professionals, students and trainees – whether writing news stories or features for newspapers and magazines, print and web.

Interviewing for Journalists focuses on the many types of interviewing, from the routine street interview, vox pop and press conference to the interview used as the basis of an in-depth profile. Drawing on previously published material and featuring interviews with successful columnists such as Emma Brockes, who writes for the Guardian and the New York Times and Andrew Duncan of Radio Times. Interviewing for Journalists covers every stage of interviews including research, planning and preparation, structuring questions, the importance of body language, how to get a vivid quote, checking material and editing it into different formats.

Interviewing for Journalists includes:

• a discussion about the significance and importance of the interview for journalism
• advice on how to handle face-to-face interviewees with politicians, celebrities and vulnerable people
• advice on dealing with PRs
• how to carry out the telephone and online interview
• tips on note-taking and recording methods including shorthand
• a discussion of ethical, legal and professional issues such as libel, doorstepping, off-the-record briefings and the limits of editing
• a glossary of journalistic terms and notes on further reading.

Sally Adams is a freelance journalist. She wrote the feature section of Writing for Journalists (2nd edition, 2008).

Wynford Hicks is a freelance journalist and editorial trainer. He is the author of English for Journalists (3rd edition, 2006), Writing for Journalists (2nd edition, 2008) and Quite Literally: Problem Words and How to Use Them (2004).