Tag Archives: interviewing

Interviewing for video

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Jim Killam

Even though I had worked for decades as a print journalist, I had to relearn how to interview people for video stories. A good interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. In a two-way conversation, both people talk a lot. … Continue reading →

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Journalists, interviews and the crying game

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Jim Killam

When someone cries in front of you, how do you feel? What if you’re the one who made them cry? Watch this video and note how it makes you feel. A prevailing opinion among TV news crews and others who interview people … Continue reading →

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The defining moment

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Jim Killam

It was September of 1976, the week before the NFL season began, and Gary Fencik had just been cut by the Dolphins and signed by the Bears. On his first day of work, he borrowed his parents’ car and set out … Continue reading →

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‘Who is this man?’

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Jim Killam

At the heart of Luke’s gospel – after Jesus feeds the 5,000, heals many, raises Lazarus from the dead and calms a stormy sea  – lies the central question of all history: Who is this man? Luke builds the suspense … Continue reading →

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Emotional interviews, Part 2

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Jim Killam

Back to our conversation from last week, about ethics and interviewing. At Crossfield News, our interdenominational mission news agency, we’ve developed a set of ethical guidelines for reporting, based on three goals: We will observe without obstructing, we will report … Continue reading →

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Keep asking until he cracks

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Jim Killam

If you’ve been watching the Winter Olympics this week, you probably saw that cringe-worthy interview of Alpine skier Bode Miller by NBC’s Christin Cooper. Cooper asked Miller about his emotions and about his late brother. Then asked again. And again, … Continue reading →

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The first rough draft of history

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Jim Killam

The inescapable hurry of the press inevitably means a certain degree of superficiality. It is neither within our power nor our province to be ultimately profound. We write 365 days a year the first rough draft of history, and that … Continue reading →

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Transcribing interviews … ugh

Posted on December 26, 2013 by Jim Killam

Most journalists use voice recorders for interviewing, and then face the tedious task of transcribing those interviews. Here’s a workflow idea to speed up that process. Record the interview and create the audio file. My Olympus recorder plugs into the … Continue reading →

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