Interview preparation
Interviews fail in the preparation, not the conversation. This skill covers pre-interview research, question design, logistics, and follow-up.
When to use
- Preparing to interview a source
- Developing question frameworks for recurring interview types
- Managing interview logistics and consent
- Planning follow-up after initial interviews
- Training new reporters on interview technique
Pre-interview research checklist
Background research
## Source background check
### Public records
- [ ] Professional licenses verified
- [ ] Court records checked (civil/criminal)
- [ ] Business registrations confirmed
- [ ] Property records (if relevant)
- [ ] Campaign finance (if political figure)
- [ ] SEC filings (if corporate)
### Professional background
- [ ] LinkedIn profile reviewed
- [ ] Current employer confirmed
- [ ] Previous employers noted
- [ ] Published work reviewed
- [ ] Conference appearances checked
- [ ] Professional associations
### Social media audit
- [ ] All platforms identified (X, Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Substack, etc.)
- [ ] Post history reviewed
- [ ] Connections/followers analyzed
- [ ] Previous statements on topic found
- [ ] Any deleted content recovered? (See **web-archiving** skill for Wayback / Archive.today retrieval)
### Media appearances
- [ ] Previous interviews found
- [ ] Statements consistent with current position?
- [ ] Other journalists' assessments
- [ ] Any retractions or corrections involving them?Context research
## Topic preparation
### Essential knowledge
- [ ] Key facts about the topic confirmed
- [ ] Timeline of events established
- [ ] Other stakeholders identified
- [ ] Conflicting accounts noted
- [ ] Documents/data reviewed
### What to know before you dial
- [ ] How do they fit into the story?
- [ ] What do I NEED from this interview?
- [ ] What might they be reluctant to discuss?
- [ ] What have they said publicly before?Question framework
The essential questions
Every interview should be built to answer:
- What happened? (Facts)
- Why did it happen? (Causes)
- What did you do/decide/see? (Actions)
- What does it mean? (Significance)
- What's next? (Implications)
Question types
| Type | Purpose | Example | |------|---------|---------| | Open-ended | Get the full story | "Walk me through what happened that day." | | Clarifying | Pin down details | "When you say 'soon after,' do you mean minutes or hours?" | | Probing | Go deeper | "Why do you think that happened?" | | Follow-up | Catch inconsistencies | "Earlier you said X, but now you mentioned Y. Help me understand." | | Confrontational | Challenge statements | "Documents show [fact]. How do you respond?" | | Closing | Ensure completeness | "Is there anything I didn't ask that you think I should know?" |
Question templates by interview type
Profile interview:
1. Background: "Tell me about where you grew up / how you got started."
2. Turning point: "When did you realize [X] was your path?"
3. Challenge: "What was the hardest moment in [period]?"
4. Values: "What principle guides your work?"
5. Future: "What are you working on next?"Investigative interview:
1. Establish rapport: Non-threatening background questions first
2. Timeline: "Walk me through [event] from the beginning."
3. Details: "Who else was there? What did you see/hear?"
4. Documentation: "Do you have any records of this?"
5. Corroboration: "Who else can confirm this?"
6. Response: "What did [other party] say when you raised this?"Expert/explainer interview:
1. Credentials: "What's your expertise in this area?"
2. Plain language: "Explain [concept] as if I'm not a specialist."
3. Context: "How common/unusual is [situation]?"
4. Significance: "Why does this matter?"
5. Sources: "Where can I learn more? Who else should I talk to?"Victim/sensitive interview:
1. Control: "Take your time. You can stop at any point."
2. Open: "Tell me what you're comfortable sharing."
3. Specific: "Can you describe [specific detail]?"
4. Impact: "How has this affected you?"
5. Agency: "What do you want people to understand?"
6. Check-in: "Are you okay to continue?"Recording and consent
Recording laws by state
State recording-consent law is jurisdiction-specific and shifts. Some states distinguish telephone from in-person recording; others treat electronic communications under a separate statute; case law in several states (e.g., Massachusetts, Michigan, Connecticut) has narrowed or expanded the original statutory rule.
**The single most reliable reference is the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press *Reporter's Recording Guide*** at rcfp.org/reporters-recording-guide. It is maintained continuously and provides per-state breakdowns covering one-party vs. all-party consent, phone-vs-in-person distinctions, hidden-recording rules, and federal preemption.
General categories:
- One-party consent (federal default). You can record without telling the other person if you are a party to the conversation. You should tell them anyway for ethical reasons.
- All-party (two-party) consent. All participants must consent. As of 2025-2026 this category includes (non-exhaustive, verify against RCFP before relying): California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington. Several other states (Connecticut, Michigan, Oregon, Delaware, Vermont, Hawaii) apply two-party rules in some contexts but not all — RCFP has the per-context details.
- Cross-state calls. When the parties are in different states, the stricter state's law generally controls. If you are in a one-party state interviewing someone in a two-party state, get consent.
Always do, regardless of jurisdiction:
- State clearly at the start: "I'm recording this interview. Is that okay?"
- Get affirmative consent on the recording itself.
- Note the consent in your notes.
This protects you legally everywhere and is the ethical baseline.
Consent template
## Recording consent
Date: [date]
Interviewer: [your name]
Subject: [their name]
Medium: [phone/video/in-person]
[At start of recording:]
"This is [your name] with [publication], interviewing [their name] on [date].
I'm recording this conversation. Do I have your permission to record?"
[Their response: yes/no]
"And you understand this may be used for publication?"
[Their response: yes/no]Attribution guidelines
On the record (default)
- Everything can be published with full name and title
- This is the standard expectation unless otherwise agreed
On background
- Information can be used, but source not identified by name
- Agree on description: "a senior official," "someone familiar with the matter"
- Confirm exact wording before interview ends
Deep background
- Information can guide reporting but cannot be attributed at all
- Verify independently before publishing
- Rarely appropriate—push for at least background
Off the record
- Information is for your knowledge only
- Cannot be published or used to seek confirmation elsewhere
- Agree to this BEFORE they share information, not after
- If they say something on the record then try to take it off, you can refuse
Clarifying attribution
Before starting:
"Just to be clear on attribution—are we on the record?"
If they request otherwise:
"I'd prefer on the record. What concerns you about that?"
If they insist:
"Okay, we'll go on background. What description can I use?"
Document it:
"So I can refer to you as [agreed description]—is that right?"Interview logistics
Scheduling template
## Interview request
To: [source name]
Subject: Interview request - [topic] - [publication]
[Name],
I'm a [title] at [publ