DPC2109- Group Two- Assignment Submission- E-Book

University of Guyana Centre for Communication Studies DPC2109: Reporting and Writing; Journalism. Group Two: Conducting Interviews on Health and Science. Group Assignment #1 Lecture: Mrs. Rhonda Hamilton-Weeks List of Members: Onitsha Burgess Kenesha Bradshaw Athalia Whyte Kendall Richmond Fiona Watson 1

Title Page Contents Pages Introduction…………………………………………………………………. 3 Preparing for Television……………………………………………………. 4 & 5 Preparing for Print Media………………………………………………….. 6 & 7 Preparing for Radio…………………………………………………………. 8 & 9 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….. 10 Reference……………………………………………………………………… 11 2

Introduction “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in day out\" Robert Coller. Today Journalism as we know it is rapidly evolving just like the world around us, without our health and science we would be lost as it relates to your health and wellbeing. In this e-book you will find information on how to report as a journalist in health and science, how to handle such knowledge and how to publish the information received. Such preparation includes interview for the Radio, Television, and Print Media. Interviews are a standard part of journalism and media reporting; in journalism, an interview is said to be an important method used to collect information and present views to readers , listeners, or viewers. Interviews provides more than just additional voices, they provide facts expertise, balance, depth, and credibility. As journalists, we are able to expand on the basic who, what ,where why and how of news gathering because of interviews. This research method covers any aspect of issue , whether be it health ,economics, science etc. It is effective in such a way that an evident amount of time and effort is pulled together with facts that the voice of the person(s) highlighting the issues is being heard as well as the person(s) dwelling in the issue. Now, an interview can either make or break a reporting, referring to it as the root of developing an appropriate story thus, it is essential for journalist to acknowledge that interviews should be conducted before reporting on any form of news reporting. As to any other form of interviews, science interviews had a slight difference and because of this it is important to have a clear understanding and be prepared. One important aspect of preparing for a science interview is conducting a pre interview. In this way, the interviewer can conceptualize the context of development on which you intend to report. It intends to give a clearer understanding of what to expect and opportunities to work on possible errors encountered. It is also important to for journalists to familiarize themselves with the interviewee , gather opinions of other experts of the field while also being organize and responsible to add up all the possible requirements needed to create a proper report. Health and science interviews require a journalist’s full attention and interest because it is not a task to get on with easily. One of such beginning tasks is to find the ideal scientist to interview and being able to persuade such person to open or speak to you. Granting that they will provide the journalist with the information they required, so that their work will be recognized. 3

Preparing for television: Having great questions and using simplified language when preparing a person form the science field for the studio are essential for TV interviews. Here are some additional tips that may also help to prepare the interviewee: 1. As the journalist you should ensure your interviewee is aware of the dress code for example by avoiding distracting accessories such as dangling earrings or bangles, graphic tees that are too colorful or clothing that is too revealing. 2. Encourage your interviewee to try to keep gestures to a minimum during the interview since it can be distracting to the viewers and take away from the essence of the topic being discussed. 3.Advise your interviewee to keep their language as simple as possible (avoid jargons) and speak slowly so that the regular person can understand what is being discussed. Use analogies. The best way to allow persons to understand a new concept is by being able to relate the concept or idea to something familiar for example if you were to try to explain how large a typical meteor is by comparing it to a pebble or a fist the audience or viewers would then be able to have a better understanding of its true size. Just like the interviewee, the interviewer needs to be prepared before the interview as well and here are a few tips they can follow: 1.Research the topic and the expertise of the interviewee and create relevant questions 4

2. Avoid questions that will evoke yes or no answers to allow the interviewee to do most of the talking since they are the specialist. 3.Do not be feel frightened to ask the interviewee to further elaborate or explain something if you are unclear 4.Ensure that your interviewee is reminded of the time span of the interviewee since this plays a pivotal role in television. To better understand how to conduct a science interview for television you can follow the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWDL_UYMc7Q 5

Preparing for Print Media Like all other interviews, the preparation exercise for print media follows the same guidelines to ensure that both the interviewer and the interviewee are satisfied with the interviewing process. In preparing for the interview, it is imperative for the journalist to affiliate his/herself with the scientist they are going to interview. This will include researching and studying their professional profile. Once the journalist becomes familiar with the scientist, they can then decide the angle of the piece they aspire to pen. Once that angle is decided, the journalist can then prepare a list of questions. The questions must be formulated in a simple way so that it is not misunderstood. A simply articulated question can help the journalist to receive precise answers. After the questions are formulated, the next phase would be conducting the interview. Conducting an interview is easy as long as both participants are comfortable. As such, a journalist you are tasked with ensuring that the scientist you are interviewing is comfortable. This will can be achieved through making light conversations between the interviewer and interviewee before 6

the interview. Once the interview has commenced, the journalist will then ask the questions. However, he/she must ensure that the questions are articulated in the correct way so that the correct response is received. In this regard it may help to use examples or paint a scenario before asking the question. More so, because the interview is meant for print (newspaper or magazine) it is important to ensure that you receive details, since print requires us to paint a picture for the reader. Once the interview is complete, the journalist must ensure that they collect the correct information for the interviewee with regards contact information in case there is need for additional information or a subsequent follow up interview. 7

Preparing for Radio Find out if you'll be required to come into the studio or if you'll be able to conduct the interview over the phone (down the line). If you are not traveling to the studio, radio stations will prefer to conduct an interview on a landline rather than a mobile phone. Journalists may inquire if the interview may be conducted over an ISDN connection (a high-quality phone line) — your press office may have one, allowing you to avoid going to a studio. Keep a pen and paper handy for taking notes (and make sure you have your three main points handy), but don't ruffle the papers or make any noise during the interview. Always ask permission to record the interviewee. You will need to have at least three main/ most important questions on hand to guide you. Don’t read the question from the paper or notebook. You can glance at it quickly. This shows professionalism and confidence. Be prepared to ask questions off your head. This includes follow up questions, additional unexpected questions, etc. Sometimes the interviewee says something that changes the entire outcome of your interview that you planned. So be prepared for that, learn to be quick on your feet to come up with questions to ask. Questions that you know your audience will need and want to hear. Be sure to check your equipment to ensure that it is working properly. You wouldn’t want to redo the entire interview. Always ensure that you plan in general and have back up equipment to ensure a smooth interview session. 8

As a journalist/ reporter, you must be able to take and keep control over your interview. If your guest is straying, you must have the skills to guide them back to your main point. Ensure that the interview is conversational and your guest if comfortable, so when you ask the hard questions, they won’t see it coming. Ask specific and short questions. This is easy for the interviewee; it allows then to answer directly but to also think about the question and how to answer them. Try not to ask questions that assume what your guess is feeling. Or to give them answer to your question whilst asking them. Ask the question direct and allow them to answer without interruptions. Ensure to listen then pause in between each question before responding. Have a balance and a method in asking your questions and ensure that is asked in an orderly way. So, you’re not confusing your guest with randomized questions. Ask them in such a way that you dig up the truth, allowing your audience to have what they need. Be sure to be objective and not subjective. You want to give your audience all the facts. All the sides to the situation. This is to allow them to think and come up with a conclusion for themselves rather that creating one for them. When conducting the interview, ensure to explain terms simply for your audience to better understand. In health and science reporting, you would need to simplify terms a lot. Find a way to explain/ discuss them so your audience can visualize what you’re saying. 9

Conclusion Media had shown us that the truth is more important than anything else. The people need to be aware of what is going on and as journalists, it is our job t ensure that they understand what is happening, why it’s happening, how did it happen and who made it so. We have a job to the people to report on all sides. All facts. 10

References: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/apr/03/top-tips-conducting-interviews-scientists- science-writing-prize https://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20141013/mediatips.html The Art of the Interview, Maria Emilia Martin, February 7 2014, https://gijn.org/2014/02/07/the- art-of-the-interview/ The Art of the Great Media interview, Beatrice Politi, April 18 2014, https://www.mediatrainingtoronto.com/blog/2014/4/13/a-tv-journalists-tips-for-a-great-on- camera-interview 33 Radio Interview Tips, Book Publicist Scott Lorenz, No date. https://www.westwindcos.com/33- radio-interview-tips/ 10 Tips for a Great Radio Interview, Lisa Tener, No date. https://www.lisatener.com/free- resources/10-tips-for-a-great-radio-interview/ 11