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Interviewing Techniques, Types, & Styles…
February 16, 2021
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An on-air interview is a conversation. The first thing you do in preparation is to remind yourself to keep it simple and don’t over think it. When it comes to the art of an on-air interviewing, I’ve Googled the subject and one source identified twelve different sectors of society with a different slant to the interview based on the sector. In my book, there is only one type of interview and that’s a good one.
A golf coach once told me that the approach to playing golf had nothing to do with how often you played, it had to do with learning how to fundamentally play, recognize what you are doing right or wrong, and be able to make a correction without having to go through a couple of buckets of balls at the driving range. Doing a good interview is the same, understanding what to do and how to adjust in the moment.
Types…
There is the one-on-one interview, and there's the group discussion interview. (2 or more interviewees, but never more than 4). Over the years I’ve narrowed it down to 3 kinds: the soundbite interview of 30 seconds, short form consisting of 2 to 5 minutes, and long form. Each requires a different usage of the skill set for interviewing.- Sound Bite: You can ask one question or several, it all depends. These situations are all about editing. When you do the edit, do not make the person sound out of context to fit your own personal narrative.
- Short Form: Even on News/Talk stations these are usually in blocks of no longer than 5 minutes in length. For music stations I always suggest no more than 3 minutes. If it’s a recorded interview, instead of airing it all at one time --pre-promote what is upcoming and spread the interview out in sound bite portions over the course of a show.
- Long Form: This type allows for a more in-depth look. It's usually a featured segment on a specialty show, segments on a News/Talk radio station, TED talks, podcasts, or panel discussions with hosted interviews.
Basic Approach…
For short or long form, I believe in the late Larry King school-of-thought or at least my interpretation of it. Let the interviewee shine. Allow them to be the authority on the topic. An interview will take shape if you let your questions create a flow of conversation.Just In Case…
When preparing for short or long form, always have a few prepared questions in case the interviewee is not the best. The key to any interview is listening. If you’re worried about what you’re going to ask next, you’re not paying attention. This is how you miss moments for follow ups.With these types of interviews start with something simple like, “Why are you here today,” or “What would you like to talk about.” Then let it take wings from there.
If you are in a live situation with a limited amount of time and the interviewee is a rambler -- lead them by asking for a summary in two or three sentences. Or if the interviewee is all over the place reel them in by forming questions that lead them into talking about the topic. For example, “How did your organization collect 200 donations? “
Which Do Your Prefer...
I’ve broken interview techniques into three groups:
- Interviewer asks a Question/Comments on their Question/Then lets the Interviewee comment on the Interviewer's comment. (Annoying)
- Comment by the Interviewer on the question before asking the question/Then asks the interviewee to respond. (Even more annoying)
- Interviewer asks a question/The interviewee answers/The interviewer asks a follow up question and organically a give-and-take interview takes place. (My favorite)
Consensus…
Based upon conversations with radio friends and non-radio friends, my consensus was that Howard Stern and Oprah were the top favorite interviewers. Stern for radio and Oprah when it came to TV. I’d like to throw in honorable mentions for interviewing on Radio or TV; Wendy Williams, Chris Wallace, any of the 60 Minutes crew or any interviewers from Bryant Gumbel’s HBO Real Sports show.What Makes Them Good…
Both Stern's and Oprah's interviews stem from a curiosity standpoint and they let they let their guests shine in the spotlight. Stern only interjects to add context sometimes and he never gets in the way—Oprah does the same thing. Both also do wonderful follow up questions and the way they do interviews allows for surprise answers.The late Larry King was good on TV, but great on the radio as an interviewer. Pardon the pun, but he was “King” of conducting an interview about books. He said he never read a book anyone wrote prior to coming on his show.
Oprah and Stern create setting to let the moments come to them. They are also secure enough in themselves to let the guests be the focus.
The Worst…
At the top of my list for annoying interviewers are many opinionated talk show hosts, sports reporters, and music station personalities trying too hard to be culturally relevant. I will leave their names to your imagination and let you insert those who get on your nerves too. Regardless of format or media, the interviewers I dislike use a line of questioning that leaves an interviewee in a no-win situation. In these types of interviews the questions become the focal point rather than the person being interviewed.The Pre-Interview...
The most important part of any interview is the pre-interview. Talk to the interviewee for a few minutes before beginning. Have a general conversation about anything to put them at ease. Only address the subject matter if they bring it up, but on your part keep it casual.The Key…
I can sum up what makes a good interview in 5 words, “Listen To What They Say.” Other than that, keep practicing your technique, even when talking to your friends. Like I said at the beginning of this column, an interview is a conversation. -
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