US Army Journalist - Course - Survival Books
US Army Journalist - Course - Survival Books US Army Journalist - Course - Survival Books
Lesson 4. Learning Event 5Turning an interview into a friendly conversation is impossible ifthe reporter has failed to establish rapport at the outset. Andvery often this friendly feeling can begin way back when thereporter did all the tedious research and stumbled across somethingof interest to the subject which can be used as an icebreaker.Most sources are readily impressed and become more willing to passalong information, when they see by the reporter's questions thatthe reporter has done his homework. The unprepared reporter whogives his subject the impression that every basic fact of a topicmust be explained in detail comes away from the interview with ashallow news or feature story.Maintain Military CourtesyA word of caution about interviewing superiors in the militaryservice. Never say "huh" to a general officer. One young armyjournalist attending the first range firing of a new weaponssystems got caught up in the excitement of the event. Walking upto the division commander, the private first class said, "I guessyou're pretty proud of this, huh?" It was a 20-minute run back tohis office, where the journalist reported to his public affairsofficer that they had an "interview" with the commanding generalimmediately. Always treat superiors with the respect and dignitydue their rank and position.By the same token, don't be cowed by a subject's rank. Thoughtfuland valid questions are seen by commanders as opportunities to passalong critical information to their troops and to the public.Don't Lose Control of the InterviewThis may require the writer to restate questions tactfully and toturn conversations back to the subject of the interview. Allowingthe source to do limited rambling may elicit information the writerneeds, but uncontrolled rambling may provide the writer with moundsor unusable information and few of the facts he needs. Control iseasier when questions are organized and written prior to theinterview. Additional questions may arise during the interview,but the written questions provide a framework for conducting andcontrolling the interview.40
Lesson 4, Learning Event 6Ending the InterviewJust as a writer must learn how to open and conduct an Interview,he must also know how to end the interview, Obviously, the reportercan't leap up and say, "That's it. I got it all. Thanks. Bye.The interview must be brought to a logical and definite end. Thewriter will know when the source is done, or when he has asked allhis questions.The writer should review all essential facts, including thesource's name, title, unit/organization and all figures. Thewriter should also ask if he can call to clarify questions thatmight arise during the interview. The reporter should close hisnotebook and turn off the tape recorder preparing to thank thesource as be leaves. But the reporter should keep his ears openbecause some sources relax when the equipment is put away and theyprovide additional, sometimes important, information that addssparkle and zest to the finished article.It is best to avoid the practice of having interviewees reviewarticles prior to publication. However, the writer should followthe newspaper's policy. The positive aspect of having materialreviewed is accuracy.The negative aspects of review include: conflicts with deadlines,inappropriate changes in the writer's style, and changes in contentby superiors of the source.Ideally reviews should be rare and must be based upon theprinciples of security, accuracy, propriety and policy. If awriter and source disagree, the public affairs officer should beasked to help solve the conflict.CONDUCT THE POST-INTERVIEWAfter the writer has transcribed his notes, he must decide if hehas all the information he needs for his article. If not, heconducts additional research or interviews needed to obtain theinformation.If, in note-taking, the writer has kept separate ideas on topics orseparate sheets of paper, he has made the task of outlining hisarticle much easier. The writer has only to organize his sheets ofpaper by topic to outline his story. Having thus organized andoutlined his notes, the writer has determined what information touse first in the article.41
- Page 1 and 2: CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE SOME TIME FOR
- Page 3 and 4: US ARMY JOURNALISTMOS 71Q SKILL LEV
- Page 5 and 6: Learning Event 2: Sources and Tools
- Page 7 and 8: Condition: Given the information in
- Page 9 and 10: Lesson 1, Learning Event 1WHAT IS N
- Page 11 and 12: Lesson 1, Learning Event 22. PROXIM
- Page 13 and 14: Lesson 1, Learning Event 3article o
- Page 15 and 16: Lesson 1, Learning Event 4Unit news
- Page 17 and 18: ANSWER KEYPRACTICE EXERCISELESSON N
- Page 19 and 20: Lesson 2, Learning Event 2photograp
- Page 21 and 22: Lesson 2, Learning Event 3At mythic
- Page 23 and 24: Lesson 2, Learning Event 4involved
- Page 25 and 26: ANSWER KEYPRACTICE EXERCISELESSON N
- Page 27 and 28: Lesson 3, Learning Event 1to develo
- Page 29 and 30: Lesson 3, Learning Event 2SOURCES A
- Page 31 and 32: Lesson 3, Learning Event 2Figure 3-
- Page 33 and 34: Lesson 3, Learning Event 2Telephone
- Page 35 and 36: PRACTICE EXERCISELESSON NO. 3GATHER
- Page 37 and 38: Lesson 4, Learning Event 1INTERVIEW
- Page 39 and 40: Lesson 4, Learning Event 2Another d
- Page 41 and 42: Lesson 4, Learning Event 35. Know a
- Page 43 and 44: Lesson 4, Learning Event 4Who are y
- Page 45: Lesson 4, Learning Event 5-- not me
- Page 49 and 50: PRACTICE EXERCISELESSON NO. 4INTERV
Lesson 4, Learning Event 6Ending the InterviewJust as a writer must learn how to open and conduct an Interview,he must also know how to end the interview, Obviously, the reportercan't leap up and say, "That's it. I got it all. Thanks. Bye.The interview must be brought to a logical and definite end. Thewriter will know when the source is done, or when he has asked allhis questions.The writer should review all essential facts, including thesource's name, title, unit/organization and all figures. Thewriter should also ask if he can call to clarify questions thatmight arise during the interview. The reporter should close hisnotebook and turn off the tape recorder preparing to thank thesource as be leaves. But the reporter should keep his ears openbecause some sources relax when the equipment is put away and theyprovide additional, sometimes important, information that addssparkle and zest to the finished article.It is best to avoid the practice of having interviewees reviewarticles prior to publication. However, the writer should followthe newspaper's policy. The positive aspect of having materialreviewed is accuracy.The negative aspects of review include: conflicts with deadlines,inappropriate changes in the writer's style, and changes in contentby superiors of the source.Ideally reviews should be rare and must be based upon theprinciples of security, accuracy, propriety and policy. If awriter and source disagree, the public affairs officer should beasked to help solve the conflict.CONDUCT THE POST-INTERVIEWAfter the writer has transcribed his notes, he must decide if hehas all the information he needs for his article. If not, heconducts additional research or interviews needed to obtain theinformation.If, in note-taking, the writer has kept separate ideas on topics orseparate sheets of paper, he has made the task of outlining hisarticle much easier. The writer has only to organize his sheets ofpaper by topic to outline his story. Having thus organized andoutlined his notes, the writer has determined what information touse first in the article.41
Change language