DPC 2106 Group #6 First Assignment

1 UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA Source: (The University of Florida, n.d.) CENTRE FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES COURSE: DPC 2109 – Reporting & Writing/Tier 3 Specialised Journalism (Science & Health) LECTURER: Rhonda Hamilton-Weekes Academic Year 2020/2021 GROUP ASSIGNMENT- DUE DATE 7TH DEC, 2020 MEMBERS: - USI Rennica Barnwell……………………1033759 Nalene Mangru………………………1032505 Christine Waldron……………………1030324 Nafatari London……………………...1032193 Delon Williams………………………1034472

2 TABLE OF CONTENT WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SCIENCE AND HEALTH JOURNALISM?...........................3 TYPES OF INTERVIEWS…………………………………………………………………......4 KEY ETHICAL ISSUES WHEN CONDUCTING JOURNALISTIC INTERVIEWS FOR BOTH PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA…………………………………………………..4-5 SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERVIEWING FOR PRINT…………………………..5 AND INTERVIEWING FOR BROADCAST…………………………………………….……6-8 BEFORE THE INTERVIEW…………………………………………………………………...8-9 BEFORE THE INTERVIEW –LIVE AND EDITED BROADCASTED (TELEVISION)…..9-10 DURING THE INTERVIEW……………………………………………………………...…..9-10 AFTER THE INTERVIEW………………………………………………………………….….10 CHALLENGES………………………………………………………………………………….11 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………....…….11 REFERENCE………………………………………………………………………….…….12-13

3 Source: Medicopress (n.d.) WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SCIENCE AND HEALTH JOURNALISM? Journalists serve as a public educators and interpreters of what is new and controversial. Reporters tackle questions of current interest to readers; investigate these questions by gathering information from multiple, credible sources; digest the information, including controversies and relevant technical details; and present the news without bias in a way that the general public can understand. (Polman, J. Esq, 2012. Pg 44-47) Science and Health Journalist are essential to the society they stand as the gatekeepers between the general public and the complex world of science and health. The public depends on science and health journalist to keep them abreast with all local, regional and international science and health-related issue. With many countries globally battling with a health epidemic, the public is relying on health and science daily to keep them abreast. The public need to know, what measures they can take to prevent contracting the disease, where the hardest is hit areas/ countries, what is the progress of the vaccine and so much more.

4 TYPES OF INTERVIEW There are two types of interviews that journalist conduct for the different media. Those are news interview and profile or feature interview. A news interviews are done to gain information and to provide an explanation of an event or something in the news. (University of Columbia, n.d.)A profile or feature interview is an interview that is done where the focus is on an individual. Public figures or someone who has done something outstanding in their field of work, recognizing them for their outstanding performance of work or something heroic is the usual focus of a profile or feature interview. KEY ETHICAL ISSUES WHEN CONDUCTING JOURNALISTIC INTERVIEWS FOR BOTH PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA According to the society of professional journalists, when conducting health-related journalistic interviews, the journalist must seek the truth and report it. Thus, the ethics of a journalist in such context should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information. Another important ethical consideration when conducting interviews for science and health stories is that a journalist must be confidential and private to health issues of individuals. In the United States, journalists in the health sector are required to adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). This Act was enacted in 1996 and requires that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can not release any personal health data without the consent of the patient. Thus, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA, due to the existence of the HIPAA legislation, some states like Maryland release their COVID-19 data by zip codes not individual names.

5 There is also the ethics of informed consent. According to a paper entitled the \"Ethical Dimensions of HIV/AIDS\", the authors suggest that journalists who wish to conduct interviews with HIV/AIDS patients must first adhere to the principle of informed consent. The ethical principle requires that such patients must not be forced into an interview, be it for print or broadcast media. The person must willing accept to participate in the interview. The society of professional journalists also advises that journalists conducting health-related interviews for science and health must Minimize Harm. According to the society, journalists must be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief. SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERVIEWING FOR PRINT AND INTERVIEWING FOR BROADCAST According to Leach (2019), the main difference, and one that can influence the entire way an interview is conducted, is how long the interview will last. The author also notes that for print media, interviews are not so fast-paced unlike with broadcasting interview where the interview could be fast-paced especially if the journalist is reporting on a breaking story. Thus, with print media interview, There is no sudden urgency to get the interview over and done with very quickly. Another difference is the difference in the style of interviewing. Print media is read by literate people and as such, a journalist is at liberty to ask detailed and technical questions. These can be recorded and well-articulated on. On the other hand, broadcast media is watched by everyone, including persons who may not be well educated and for that reason, interview questions must be brief and not so technical to cater for the various categories of people. BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

6 There is no concrete pattern or steps to take before conducting an interview but there are several activities and procedure that a journalist must take before, during and after the interview. Preparation is the key to have a good interview. Interviewing someone for each media, a journalist may need to apply different steps, however, some steps are universal and applies to all type of media. Source: (c3conversations, n.d.) Before conducting an interview a journalist Sources: (Grammarly, n.d.) must research the interviewee and gain a working knowledge of the subject. The journalist would be able to reference previous work that the interviewee would have done and also, similar work that someone has done. There is a rush for a vaccine and to date, multiple pharmaceutical companies have updated the public there's great progress with the vaccines that they have developed. A journalist can ask, what makes your vaccine safer to consume than other vaccines that have published their findings to date? If the journalist fails to research the subject before the interview, they can have moments where what the interviewee says 'passes over their head'. This can have a negative impact on the interview because the journalist can appear to be uninformed and the interviewee may be reluctant to do another interview.

7 Sources: (Molly Fletcher, n.d.) Another key preparation activity that must be done, the journalist must prepare/ draft questions and choose an angle. A list of questions is essential without them the interview would be an absolute waste of time for both parties. Questions and the angle serve as a guide for the interview. If the scientist has just developed a weight drug that a patient can take without any changes to their diet or any exercise. Then that should be the focus of the interview, questions should be drafted around the drug. The journalist can ask questions like for example, what are the ingredients in the drug? They can also ask to follow up questions such as, if the patient uses this drug would the ingredients affect any other medication that they're currently taking? However, if the journalist does not take an angle or properly prepare their questions, they can end up asking irrelevant questions such as, what is your fondest childhood memory? The scientist childhood memory has no relevance to the new drug. The journalist can also let the interviewee know what angel you intent to take. They should not give their questions to the interviewee. If, the interviewee knows what questions are going to ask it may prevent the journalist from getting a genuine response from the interviewee. Prior to the interview the journalist:- The journalist must ensure prior to the interview:-

8  Their recording device is fully functioning correctly and is fully charged or has battery life and spare battery.  Establish trust with the interviewee.  Let the interviewee know what angel you intent to take. Don't give the questions to the interviewee. If, the interviewee knows what questions are going to ask it may prevent the journalist from getting a genuine response from the interviewee.  Must ensure that there is no conflict of interest or biases. For example, if the journalist has a strong disagreement with the scientist previous work on stance on a topic, said journalist should not conduct the interview. Also, if the journalist and interviewee know each other in a personal capacity he/ she shouldn't conduct the interview. BEFORE THE INTERVIEW –LIVE AND EDITED BROADCASTED Source equipment and test all questions- Broadcasted interviews require equipment as such the Producer must ensure that he/she has all the equipment needed to conduct the interview and that said equipment are working correctly. Often, when listening to some broadcasted interview, you have difficulty hearing the interviewee or the interviewer clearly because of the microphone that they're using. If they had conducted a thorough test of all of their equipment, they would have known that there was an issue with one of their mics. The studio or designated location should be prep before the interview. This is to ensure that the interview starts promptly and if there needs to be a change in the location the crew can do so at the earliest time. For interview outside of the studio this also, allows camera or audio crew to determine Source: veechxveech, (n.d.)

9 if the current location is suited for the interview. They determine whether the audio would be clear and/or if they would be a lot of background noises. The production crew should also avoid were recording at locations \"where there's a wall or other flat surface within two meters behind the person you're interviewing (Ray, 2017).\" Flat walls and surfaces can cause the sound can be distorted and cause a wanted echo. The camera crew can also determine if the lighting would be of standard and/or if the gleams from the sun out disrupt the quality of the video footage. When conducting a television interview journalist should advise the interview on their appearance. Inform them that in order to obtain the best video quality they should not wear certain appeals, for example, if they should not wear too many rings because when under light the rings may distract the audience. (Marr, 1992) The journalist should also advise the interviewee not to wear clothing with small patterns such as strips and herringbone. These patterns can cause an optical effect called a moiré pattern. Moiré occurs when objects such as dots and lines appear repetitively closed together and are filmed or photographed. The camera will capture the patterns with an imaging chip of the camera. This creates a third wavy pattern as seen on the left. (The University of Minnesota, 2018) Source: (The University of Minnesota, 2018) DURING THE INTERVIEW The journalist must ensure:-  Create a comfortable environment for the interview. Questions to break the ice. Questions such as, what is the most interesting thing about your field.

10  Listen attentively- the journalist must let the interviewee do most of the talk and by listening actively he/she can ask to follow up questions. Record and takes notes- recording the interview will ensure that the journalist has data to refer to when it's time for them to write a piece on the interview. Source :( Cheary, M. n.d.) Also, a journalist can scribble key things that the interviewee mentions.  Ask for clarification- interviewing a scientist cannot be an easy task as they may be used to saying certain terminology that the journalist is not likely to know. As such the journalist can ask the interviewee to elaborate/ clarify what they said.  They don't rush the questions and allow the interviewee enough time to answer each question.  The journalist should not interrupt the interviewee. AFTER THE INTERVIEW  Thank the interviewee for taking the time to take part in the interview with you.  Review all interview materials.  Edit- decide which part of the interview would be used. Source: Milner (2018)

11 CHALLENGES As wonderful as conducting an interview is, it is not without its challenges. Finding a location that has no distractions or disruptions. Every location has its unique atmosphere, an office can have office chatter, the sounds office equipment, etc. When conducting an over the phone interview, the interviewee may need to attend to their child(ren), answer the phone or the door, feed a pet, etc. As such a journalist must be able to adapt to each environment and make the best out of the situation. Source: Environment, Health and Safety (2018) In live broadcasted interview there isn't much margin for error as such the interview must ensure that they keep the interview on track or on topic. CONCLUSION Interviews play a critical role in journalism, it allows the journalist to gather the information directly from the source. Interviews can take on many forms and each type of media requires different techniques and practices, however, as long as a journalist observe ethical practices, prepare for the interview, et cetera they are certain to have a successful interview.

12 REFERENCE Cheary, M. (n.d.) Questions to ask at the end of a job interview. [Photograph] Retrieved November 21, 2020, from https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/questions-to-ask-at-the- end-of-a-job-interview/ Columbia University in The City of New York. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2020, from Columbia University in The City of New York: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/isaacs/edit/MencherIntv1.html c3conversations.com (n.d.), [Photograph] Retrieved November 25, 2020, from http://c3conversations.com/planning-vs-preparation/ Fletcher, M. Are You Asking the Right Questions? [Photograph] Retrieved November 21, 2020, from https://mollyfletcher.com/ask-right-questions/ Florida, T. U. Health and Science. The University of Florida. [Photograph] Retrieved November 20, 2020, from https://www.jou.ufl.edu/insights/health-journalism-exhibits- both-improvement-and-decline-in-quality/ Grammarly, (n.d.). How to Write a Research Paper. [Photograph] Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-a-research-paper/ Leach, M. (2019). Interview Dynamics: The differences between print and broadcast interviews. Harvey Leach. Online: https://www.harveyleach.co.uk/media-training-blog/interview-dynamics-the- differences-between-print-and-broadcast-interviews/ (accessed December 05, 2020). Marr, J. (1992). Television Interview Tips. In J. Marr, Journalist 1 and C : Naveltra 12706 (pp. 4-11). Washington D.C: Naval Education and Training Program Manage. Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://books.google.gy/books?id=N38cpyhpSSYC&pg=SA4- PA11&lpg=SA4- PA11&dq=journalist+tell+interviewee+what+not+to+wear&source=bl&ots=0GATPGz6 vl&sig=ACfU3U1JQjpvyVE0A7yjqhhF6FL0FEAEBA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjt --GP5aDtAhVQTjABHQnzB_8Q6AEwGXoECAYQAg#v=onepage Marshall, A.A. and Singh, G. (April 28, 2020). Journalists' guide to HIPAA during the COVID-19 health crisis. Reporters Committee. Online: https://www.rcfp.org/covid-19-journalists-hipaa-guide/ Medicopress (n.d.), [Photograph] Retrieved November 21, 2020, from https://medicopress.media/ Milner, N (2018), Shaking hands is disgusting – here's what else you can do. [Photograph, Faecal bacteria on hands is really common] Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://theconversation.com/shaking-hands-is-disgusting-heres-what-else-you-can-do- 98097

13 Minnesota, T. U. (2018, September 11). The University of Minnesota. Retrieved November 20, 2020, from The University of Minnesota: https://university- relations.umn.edu/blog/2018/09/11/what-not-wear-tv-interviews Polman, J., Newman, A., Farrar, C., & Saul, E. (2012). Science Journalism: Students learn lifelong science literacy skills by reporting the news. The Science Teacher, 79(1), 44-47. Retrieved November 23, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43556756 Ray, D. (2017, June 27). Media Helping Media. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from Media Helping Media: https://mediahelpingmedia.org/2017/06/27/interview-tips-for-video- journalists/ Safety, E, H (2018), Ku-Ehs August Safety Tip: Distraction. The University of Kansas. [Photograph] Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://ehs.ku.edu/ku-ehs-august- safety-tip-distraction Veechxveech, (n.d.), BTV News Studio. [Photograph] Retrieved November 21, 2020, from http://veechxveech.com/project/broadcast-studios/btv-news-studio/