Title: Lecture Notes
Course: CMM 128 Interviewing Practices > Section: CMM 128 Interviewing Practices

Lecture Notes

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Opening an Interview

This section covers the following topics:

I.  General functions of an opening: Orientation and Rapport

A.  How to create orientation
B.  How to create rapport

II.  How openings differ in various situations
III. Examples of openings

The two general functions of the opening are orientation and rapport.  You want to let the Interviewee (The E) know the expectations of the interview and you want to create a positive relationship between you and the E so that the E will be willing to meet these expectations.

To create orientation, you might communication several types of information depending on the interview situation:

- Who are you? This can include your name, job title, and name of the organization you represent.  Your job title and organization can tell the E the perspective from which you are approaching the interview.  In a probing interview setting such as at the scene of a car accident, for example, a reporter would want facts to write a story, a lawyer would be most interested in knowing who to sue for the accident, a traffic engineer would want to know what road conditions contributed to the accident, and a doctor would want to know about injuries that resulted from the event.
- What is the purpose (exigency) of the interview? In some interviews, this might involve summarize the problem or explaining how the problem was discovered.
- What will be covered in the interview? Giving a preview allows the E to start thinking about the information related to that topic.  This would also include making a transition into the first area or question of the interview.
- How long will the interview take? This can help the E know if you are expecting detailed answers or whether you are probably just expecting an overview of the story.
- What procedures will be followed? Are you going to take notes or use a tape recorder?  Do you want lengthy answers or short answers?  When can the E ask questions?
- Is the E qualified to participate? Is the E old enough to answer questions without a parent present?  Has the E been read his or her rights in criminal cases?  Does the E have money to buy the product you are selling?  Is the E useful, willing, able and available to provide information?

There are several ways to create rapport depending on the interview situation:
- Tell who you are. This can include your name, job title, and name of the organization you represent.  The more information a person knows about you, the more willing he or she is to divulge information to you.
- Be friendly. You can do this by shaking hands, smiling, engaging in small talk, and showing attentiveness.
- Explain why you picked them.  This can make the E feel important.  For example, if you state that the person is a well known expert on a subject, they might be flattered by the statement.
- Establish your prestige. This may be done when you tell the E who you are.  An E might be more willing to be interviewed by a senior reporter for the New York Times or by Barbara Walters rather than by a beginning reporter for the CLC Chronicle.
- Mention an reward for participating. In some interviews, the E is paid for his or her time.
- Use a referral. For example, if a friend of the E recommended that you talk to the E, the E may be more willing to participate in the interview as a favor for the friend or because he or she trusts the judgment of the friend.
- Appeal to altruism: Sometimes an E will participate to help an interviewer out.  Some Es want to be interviewed so they can tell their story that will help others in a similar situation.  For example, the actors Michael J. Fox and Christopher Reeves are willing to be interviewed about their health issues (Parkinsons and being a quadraplegic) for this reason.
- Give control over the interview. Sometimes an E does not want to be asked certain questions or does not want to be interviewed for too long so, to get the interview, the R may agree to only talk about certain topics or to time limits.  Other forms of control could involve where the interview takes place (in the E's home, at a neutral location, at the R's studio), whether the interview is recorded or off the record, whether others are present (e.g., lawyers), or whether the E can review the story before published.