12.2: Interviewing while Recording

Recording an interview digitally provides content that can be used in many different types of multimedia:

• As a stand-alone audio file with a news story (especially powerful if the subject matter is emotional or the subject is well-known).
• As a podcast.
• As a stand-alone audio file for a blog post.
• As the audio to accompany a photo slideshow (works best when mixed with natural sound).

Location, location, location: Ideally, you will be able to record the interview face-to-face. If possible, pick a location for the interview that is quiet and has good acoustics. A person’s home or office is a good option; a coffee shop or restaurant is not. If the interview needs to occur outside, make sure it is as far away from traffic and crowds of people as possible.

While it’s possible to record a phone interview, the lower sound quality makes it hard to listen to phone recordings for long periods of time. Try to keep the interview focused and edit it down to just the most salient points. (Or consider re-asking some key questions at the end. More on this to come.)

Pre-interview questions: The subject of the interview deserves to know a few things before they start answering your questions on tape. Provide them with some advance information, such as:

• How long will the interview be?
• How much editing will be done to the audio (if any)? If you can go back and take out the long pauses and the ums and ahs, it will help the subject relax and not feel like they’re “on the air” and have to fill every second.
• How will the audio be used and who is the audience?
• Will you send them a few questions you want them to answer so they can articulate their thoughts more succinctly?

It’s a good idea to have several questions pre-written. While you may have years of interviewing experience, this is a different kind of interview where you also have to think about the equipment (is the subject speaking loud enough?), the environment (is that air conditioner too loud?) and the pacing of questions and the banter so it sounds good later. That said, don’t script every question because the natural ebb and flow of conversation is an important quality that will make listening to an audio interview easier for the audience.

What you say can — and will — end up on tape: Some of the most common interviewing tricks that journalists use don’t work well when conducting an audio interview.

For instance, you have probably learned to rely on “uh-huh” and “I see” and “really?” to let the person you’re interviewing know you’re listening and understanding what they’re telling you. In an audio interview, try to use nonverbal clues like nodding instead. You may have developed a habit of audibly agreeing with what your subject is saying while they are saying it. When the tape isn’t rolling, this works to let the subject know you want them to elaborate upon this area, but when the tape is rolling, these interruptions can be disturbing to the listener and can cover up some of the subject’s key points. So remember, while the subject is talking, remain silent.

You may have also honed a knack for establishing a rapport with your subject by showing how much you know about their topic. Again, this is effective early in the relationship but try to develop your rapport before recording the interview digitally. Listeners want to hear what your subject has to say, not what you think about the topic. So remember your job is to ask questions. Some context following a subject’s response, like spelling out an acronym, is helpful. But try to keep it to a minimum.

One good option is to capture “sound bites” at the end: If the goal of recording is to produce an audio clip to accompany a news story, consider waiting until the end of the interview to do the recording. That way you can conduct the interview just as you normally would, then ask the subject to address a couple of the most salient points for the recording.

This helps you during the interview and helps speed the editing and processing of the audio back in the office. Instead of going over an hour of tape to find a few minutes worthy of publishing online, there will only be a few minutes to edit. And by letting the interview play out “normally” you will know which questions you’d like your subject to address for recording (something you may not know in advance).

Mark the best spots: Another technique to speed up the editing process when recording the entire interview is to mark the points where the interviewee says the best stuff. Most journalists take note when they hear a quote or a nugget of information that will be especially useful. When that happens while recording, write down the counter number on your tape recorder or the time elapsed from a digital recorder. You’ll save loads of time whether you’re producing audio for the Web or just need to get to the best quotes to write your story.