1. MAC 196: Multiplatform Radio & Audio.
Week 7

2. * Where do ideas come from?
* Newspapers, Magazines and websites
* Twitter (look at what‟s trending)
* Talking and listening to people
* Keeping our eyes open
* Where can we find things out from?
* Online (but be careful)
* The News media Don‟t just jump at first idea or
thought but think about what it
* Books really means and what it means to
* People your audience

3. * Why do you want to do an interview?
* What do you hope it will add to your feature or
programme?
* What‟s the best way to record it?
* What do you need to know first?
* What kind of approach do you need to use?
Question: why might we
want to put an interview
into our feature, podcast
or programme?

4. * Information – we need to find something out
* Knowledge – we want to learn something
* Perspective – we want someone‟s opinion or point
of view
* Evidence – we need to prove or demonstrate
something
* Stories – we want to hear their experience
* PR – your guest wants to promote something
* Entertainment – the guest is there as part of the
fun

5. * Live in the studio
* Live „down-the-line‟ or * Informative
over the „phone * Confrontational
* Live reporter on location * Probing
(Outside Broadcast)
* Opinion
* “As live” in a studio or
on location * Emotional
* Pre-recorded and edited * Calling to account
* Recorded for use in a
package or feature

6. * What
* What do you think of….
* When
* When did you first….
* Why
* What did you decide to…
* How
* How long have you been….
* Who
* Who influenced you to…
* Which
* Which part of the experience did you enjoy…

7. * What do you need to ask?
* Know how you‟re going to use it
* Don‟t script questions
* What do you need to record?
* Do you need sounds? What does the room sound like?
* Do you need something other than the interview?
* What do you need to know?
* What do you need to take with you?
* Headphones, batteries, windshields
* How will you get there and back?

8. * Of when it goes wrong…
* Hardeep Singh-Kohli on BBC WM
* Of good planning and research
* The Mayor of Doncaster on BBC
Sheffield
* Of good questioning
* Steve Hewlett on BBC Radio 4

9. * Do your research
* Make sure you know your stuff
* Don‟t script questions
* Prepare your first and maybe your last
* Have a „shopping list‟
* Know what it is you need to get
* Be willing to rephrase questions
* Listen
* Listen to answers, pick up on them and follow up
* React silently!
* Check your kit and check the recording
* Make sure it works!!!
* Use headphones

10. * Think about the sound
* Do you need sounds adding or
taking away?
* Be comfortable
* Be close but not too close
* Maintain eye contact
* Brief the interviewee

11. * Are time limited
* Ask fewer questions and interrupt
* Require planning
* Phone numbers and fixed time for the interview
* Need an exit strategy
* How will you end it?
* Need a „Plan B‟
* What happens if…?
* Need to have „reasonable precautions‟
* Will the guest swear, commit libel etc?

12. * In pairs….
* Interview each other about a song, a band or
maybe even a movie that matters to the other
person. Find out why it‟s important, what it means
to them and the story about how it came to mean
something to them.
* Talk for around 10 minutes and then edit it down to
around 5 minutes.
* Make sure you keep both the edited version and the
original in your folder and personal back-up.