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Interviewing Skills

Get the sound bite and the answers that will make a great story

Interviewing Skills
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WHEN 4 weeks, June 3 - July 1
Chats Tuesdays, 9-10 pm ET

WHERE Online. Click here for more information.

LEVEL Beginner

PRICE
$350 ($325 for )
more info

Course Details

The interview can be considered the most important part of journalism. By asking the right questions with the right tone, you can draw information out of your subject that can be the next day's headline. Good interviewing comes with practice, poise, and the ability to listen while also absorbing the information coming at you.

Whether it's a formal one-on-one sit-down or a packed press conference, the secret to a successful interview is knowing how to ask the right question at the right time. This class will teach you the best ways to garner interesting and compelling sound bites from even the most difficult of subjects, all while effortlessly directing them with a smile. Learn how to conduct interviews that will stand apart from others in this highly competitive business.

In this class, you will learn how to:

  • Think like a child during interviews -- always stay curious
  • Keep questions succinct and concise
  • Become pseudo psychologists -- how to listen, and not just hear
  • Relax and let the interview flow
  • Work from an outline and not be afraid to stray away from the objective, once you've achieved it
  • Handle the difficult, obnoxious, and reluctant interviewee
  • Develop your own personal approach to interviewing
  • Land that hard-to-get interview
  • Realize that the interview is about your subject, not you

Admission requirements:
Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history).

The online classroom has several interactive components:

  • Instructors post lectures once a week. You can read them online, print them, or download them at your convenience.
  • Students post completed assignments for feedback and discussion by the instructor and class.
  • Weekly chats allow your class to get together via instant message. Transcripts are available for review if you can't attend.
  • Technical support is available from mediabistro staff.

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Instructor Bio

Anthony Harris's Courses

Interviewing Skills – (Class starts June 3)

Anthony Harris
Anthony Harris has interviewed state senators, sports commissioners, All-Star and Hall of Fame athletes, supermodels and the so-called average person (some of the best subjects) in a way that allows the story to flow and their words stand out. As a television producer, he conducted nearly every interview for a documentary series he created, which was also critically acclaimed by his peers with one Emmy Award and four other nominations. Though much of his work is in sports, Anthony finds a way to turn the lives of athletic stars into interesting topics for the non-sports enthusiast.
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