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More Info Needed? How to Get All You Need the Second Time Around

November 29, 2021

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Reporters typically connect with a source once, get what they need, and go on their way to write a story. Sometimes you have to revise a story based on your editor’s suggestions. What happens when you don’t just need to edit, but have to ask a source for additional information? Maybe you realize you didn’t have everything you needed once you start writing the story, or your editor comes back with more questions during the revision process. Either way, returning to a source for more information can be tricky.

 

Mostly because you want to make sure you get exactly what you need out of your second interaction.

 

I’ve been there—not too frequently, but it has happened to me. Sometimes the editor raises additional questions when reading your story, or they weren’t clear about what they wanted from the get-go when they assigned it. Writers can equally be to blame, because sometimes we realize what we need—and don’t have—only when we start putting an article together. And sometimes, you simply forgot to ask something or didn’t prod the source for enough details.

 

Whatever the case, here are some insights to help if you have to conduct a second interview with a source.

 

  1. Define what you need. Whether your editor is requesting more information, or you are the one inquiring, it’s essential to know exactly the information you’re looking for. This may involve doing more research or more work—or combing through any other interviews—to ensure you know specifically what you need. Writing out bullet points helps just so you can pinpoint the concepts that need to be addressed.
  2. Devise exact questions. As you know, the information you get can largely depend on the types of questions you ask. If you need a yes-or-no response, ask a yes-or-no question. But if you need more, be specific in your question. Ask for things like a real-life example of a situation. Explain that you understand the subject but need more information about what that means or does. It can help to “bullet-point out” some concepts and have your questions prepared. While you can always try to go back to a source for information, you want to interrupt them as little as possible. Even if they say they’re there to help, it’s your job to get in and out with what you need.
  3. Consider the interview. Will you be emailing additional questions, or do you need to set up a call or meet in person? Sometimes the conversation of a live interview could lead you off track, so you’ll want to be mindful of time to ensure that your priority questions get answers.
  4. Examine the answers. The source’s responses to those questions may prompt you to ask additional questions. Be prepared to do some digesting on the spot so you can then, in turn, ask any follow-up questions to best understand their answer.
  5. Ask for information. Not understanding something? That’s okay. It’s your job as the reporter to ensure that you do, and most people want everything to be accurate (especially what they say) and will take a moment to explain things. If you are unclear about something, the best thing to do is just ask. Keep in mind that if the source spouts off something like an acronym, you can probably figure it out within the context of the subject you’re talking about by doing a quick internet search. But if you’re really lost, ask.
  6. Double check. When you’ve answered all your questions, go back and check again to check off everything on the list. Remember, you don’t want to have to go back and forth with a source to get more and your editor probably will appreciate as few rounds of revisions as necessary.

Writing can be a long process, especially when the editing process turns into conducting more interviews. With a little planning and finesse, you can turn around a draft that has everything it should.

 

Kristen Fischer is a writer from New Jersey. She’s the author of Zoo Zen: A Yoga Story for Kids. Learn more at www.kristenfischer.com.

Categories: journalism, news, news writing, sources, writing tips Tags: editing, interview, interviewing, journalism, journalist, news, sources, writing, writing help

Blurred Lines? Know the Journo Norms

November 15, 2019

We’ve all been there, scampering for sources. Somehow, they usually fall into place. For me, I always over-source, reaching out to many experts at the same time to ensure I receive comments from more than one.

But what do you do when you have too many sources? Obviously, they don’t all make the cut.

This happened to me recently. I spoke to a few people and wound up not using comments from the final interview. One source had pretty much repeated everything that everyone else said, so I left it at that. I already had plenty of material to work with.

That was fine, until the source’s media team contacted me. They were disappointed that I didn’t use his comments.

Do You Have to Publish Responses from All Your Sources?

I didn’t like the “feel” of being told they were disappointed in me. After all, I was a media reporter—I didn’t work for them.

Sadly, a lot of communications folks who work privately think that reporters do work for them. I don’t mind the occasional “let us know when this posts” message, and I try to send a link whenever I can. But they don’t get to dictate which sources we use and which we don’t.

I was very clear about this in my response. I had to explain Journalism 101 style that I can’t possibly use every source I connect with on a story. I do a lot of my less-pressing interviews via email and often get multiple sources. None have ever seemed to get upset when I didn’t use their comments—we just agreed I’d reach out in the future. (And I usually do because I save all my messages!)

Should You Share Your Work Before It’s Published?

There’s another thing that these media teams, or a source, may ask you to do that’s blurring the line. Many want to see what you’ve written so they can approve it. That happens when they push out their internal content, but it’s not supposed to when working with an outside outlet. Many newspapers and media outlets specifically tell their reporters not to share the work until it’s published. That’s just how it’s done.

If you don’t use all your sources, that’s okay. Of course you appreciate a source’s time, but you don’t owe it to each one to publish everything they said. There are different reasons why sources are omitted or cut out during the editing process. It’s not personal.

And in the same vein, remember that it is okay when you are writing for an outlet—and preferred by most—that you not sure your article, or even pieces of it where the source if featured, until it’s published. I’ve had to explain to many sources that this is the norm in the industry. Some get it, some don’t. I try not to work with those who don’t. Remember, the media relations team at the university from where your source is from, for example, may not have actual reporting experience. They may not “know” how things are done, as wonderful as they may be at getting you sources.

Have a source that wants to know if you’ve represented them accurately? I get it, as some are misquoted. In that case, I’ll read back something to a source to let them check it for accuracy. This is why I do a lot of interviews via email—that way, I get things in writing (though there is room for misinterpretation there too if we aren’t careful).

I hate to see journalists beat themselves up because a PR person expects them to follow the same norms as they do with corporate communications. Many journalists are trying to be the nice guy and “do the right thing,” but our norms are different. People need to understand and accept them. Journalism is not corporate communications—we are not working for a certain institution. We are working for the free press.

If they don’t, well, there are always other sources.

 

What other norms do you see blurred when working with sources or their reps? Tell me about it or ask a question in the comments!

Categories: journalism, news, news writing, sources, writing tips Tags: journalism 101, news reporting, reporting

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More Info Needed? How to Get All You Need the Second Time Around

November 29, 2021

Considering a Career Change?

December 9, 2020

The Importance Diversifying Sources in Journalism

June 22, 2020

Hunting for Editor Emails

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