Tag: Interviewing

Who are you quoting?

We live in an age of experts–or, at least, self-proclaimed experts. They’re quoted all the time. They’re all over television news. But are they really experts? Not always. Earlier this year, a guest on the cable outlet OAN claimed he…

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Before the interview begins

Lots of advice about interviewing is a variation on the same theme. Do your homework. Plan ahead. Ask open-ended questions. All good suggestions. But a few tips that are rarely shared may be just as useful. Dean Nelson is an expert…

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Interviewing tips from an investigative reporter

“Preparation equals success.” That’s Wendy Salzman’s motto and it served her well as an investigative reporter in Atlanta and Philadelphia. She shared tips on preparing for interviews and more at the 2018 Excellence in Journalism conference in Baltimore. Do your…

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Multi-camera interviews on a budget

As an investigative reporter, Brendan Keefe of WXIA-TV in Atlanta is accustomed to people assuming he works with more than one photographer when shooting his trademark long-form interviews. When his stories air, viewers see him asking questions on camera and…

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Interview terms

Most interviews journalists do are on the record, especially for broadcast. Seems obvious–after all, we usually show up with a camera! But there may be times when you have to make a deal with a source in order to get…

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8 tips for MMJs

If you’re working as an MMJ in your first job and think you won’t do it in your second, think again, says Heidi Wigdahl. She’s been in the business seven years, starting in market 153 at KTTZ in Rochester, Minnesota,…

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Tips on interviewing from Audie Cornish

photo by Stephen Voss, NPR

As co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered, Audie Cornish conducts interviews that are most often edited before they air. The goal, she says, is “a targeted conversation that’s supposed to unfold seemingly naturally over the course of several minutes. “The…

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How to shoot good vox pops (MOS)

Whatever you call them, “man on the street” interviews are a staple of TV news. Done well, they can reflect public opinion on important issues in your community. Done badly, they’re just a waste of air time. So how do…

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