What are Journalist Interview Questions?

Here we are going to see the Journalist Interview Questions.

Geoffrey C. Ward once said that Journalism is history’s first draft. A journalist connects the world by providing us with intriguing facts and major information from around the world in the form of writing, audio, or photos. A journalist is supposed to report about the events taking place around and out of the world. The word journalism was used while reporting current or important events in a printed form especially in the newspaper but with the advent of radio, television, and the internet the world has widened its meaning, and now it includes the news published in electronic devices as well.

The 20th century marked the growth and development of journalism as a profession. An increasing feeling of professionalism characterized journalism in the twentieth century. This trend was affected by four major elements: (1) there was a sense of social responsibility was widening in the journalists (2) a specialization in journalism (3) dealing with ancient and mass communication (4) enlargement in the dealing with history, mass media and communication, and problems. The University of Missouri in Columbia firstly introduced a course in Journalism.

By the 1950s Journalism became a popular graduation course. More than a graduation course or a topic of study Journalism is a responsibility and duty. A journalist is a bridge between current affairs and society. Journalists can change the world and they can also bring up the hidden incidents that have to be addressed. Society is speaking through a journalist. A journalist plays a major role in shaping society. Countries in which the media is not free to report on events and cannot write are not considered developed. Journalism has now become an integral part of our life; numerous journalists cover everything from cuisine to fashion to culture to travel to political and climatic concerns.

Journalists Interviews Skills

One of the most basic and frequently scary responsibilities in journalism is interviewing. Some journalists are born interviewers, while others struggle to get used to the concept of interrogating strangers. The good thing about this is that we can master fundamental interviewing techniques. Conducting interviews is one of the most required skills that a journalist needs. As a journalist, he or she must have the capacity to ask a variety of questions or see things from a different perspective which the common man does not think of.

Before interviewing a journalist they have to be well versed with the issue or event or topic. They must endeavor to discover the mysteries that others have left unanswered. It is important to keep a notepad or a recorder at the time of interviews to note the important things they have mentioned or to record the entire interview, but now with the advancement of technology, it is possible to shoot the entire interview. 

Like the news stories have different tones and different approaches, the interviews should have different tones. It is also important to identify the correct approach for the interviews to find the right tone. There are controversial classical interviews. The wrong approach towards an interview can make the classical man-on-road interview a controversial one and vice versa. A journalist should also have to be a patient listener, thinker, researcher, and also critic.

An interviewer should talk and ask questions in a friendly and polite manner to make the interviewee comfortable enough to open up and feel free to answer the questions, at times the journalist who is the interviewer must have questioned the interviewee. The favorable outcome of an interview is on the research and homework done by the interviewer. The interviewer has to be well versed about the interviewer and should always stay on the topic.

The interviewer has to maintain eye contact with the respondent. There are mainly six basic questions that are asked in an interview, ie, what, why, how, when, where, and who. It is said that shorter questions are better for longer answers. Every interview must have the goal of getting the responder to talk. The interview has to be different with the different people, an interview with a politician has to be different from an interview with a police officer which has to be different from a Nobel prize winner which is different from a businessman. 

Types Of Questions in a Journalist Interview

Mostly in journalists’ interviews, the board asks about their perspective, experience, and their passion for their job. Since the job of the journalist is of higher stress, they also include the stress round where the interviewee has to go through certain stress round. The interview board will also test the candidate’s knowledge in current affairs and also about their opinion in the same. There will be basic questions about the candidate’s whereabouts and the reason why they choose this field above all others, about their passion and goals.

Journalism is not only about the investigation; the writing style and technique of the reporter are also important. The interview board will try to analyze the writing style of the candidate. Since being a journalist is a profession that needs a lot of patience, the interviewer might ask provocative questions, which can make you feel humiliated sometimes. The board will also check or analyze your personality.

Behavioral questions help the interviewer to identify your strengths and weaknesses. It also helps to identify your soft skills. More than answering suddenly it is important to answer wisely that can make a positive impression on you. Like the old saying, think before spilling it out. The interviewer might inquire about your area.

Mostly about the topics you wish to publish, your dream publication, the things that you like to improve in your publication, about the organization or company, the reason for choosing this institution, etc can also be the questions you have to face. The interview of journalists is mostly about their skills, stress and anger management, patience, politeness, perspectives, their specialization, their reporting and writing skills, etc. How you answer is the question that matters in this interview.

Journalist Interview Questions   

The below are questions that can be asked in a journalist interview. These questions are mostly about the interests, passion, etc of the candidates, knowledge in current affairs, stress and patience of the candidate, situation management, professional ethics, writing skills, reporting skills, achievements, etc. Like every interview in a journalist’s interview also the candidate has to talk wisely, you have to think before you answer the question. The perspective of the candidate will also be analyzed at the time of the interview. It is confidence and your answer can make a negative impression positive.

1. Introduce yourself, 
2. Why do you want to be a journalist?
3. Are you willing to travel often to an unknown place to cover a conflict or something?
4. Describe the positive qualities you have as a journalist?
5. What is the most important quality of a journalist?
6. What are the important things a journalist must carry when he goes to cover an incident?
7. What are tear sheets and clips for a copy editor?
8. What is the difference between a newspaper and contents explaining it based on their content?
9.  How do you distinguish between a story with reporting content and a story with reporting content?
10. How do you manage a person who comes to you with a story that doesn’t have reporting content?
11. What should be the content of an editorial?
12. What is the effect of the Yellow Journalism used by Hearst and Pulitzer?
13. Why should we give importance to professionalism in journalism and the legal world?
14. Do you believe a journalist can change the world?
15. Why is journalism important?
16. What is the relation between the history of journalism and Australia’s Democratic government?
17. Do you think news reports have to be censored?
18. Are news reports censored in your country? Which type of report is censored?
19. Is there any difference between professional writing and journalism? What are they?
20. What are the problems of investigative journalism?  
21. What is communication?
22. Do you think journalism is a means or a variety of communication?
23. What is the difference between journalism and communication?
24. What is Yellow Journalism?
25. For what purpose Yellow Journalism was used?
26. Who is the United States newspaper magnate who changed the face of journalism?
27. Which model of journalism do you prefer?
28. Can you briefly talk about an ideal news report?
29. What are the hardships journalists have to go through?
30. Explain the role of the journalist in the betterment of society?
31. How does Yellow Journalism affect the Americans in the Cuban revolt?
32. What are the strengths and weaknesses of a journalist?
33. Explain about Yellow Journalism and Muckrakers.
34. Do you think that social media influences reporters?
35. Do you think the importance of journalism is decreasing after the invention of live telecasts in social media?
36. Newspaper or online news or news reports in social media which one do you prefer?
37. How is internet journalism different from electronic journalism?
38. How does freedom of the press affect journalism?
39. Explain the different leads of Journalism?
40. How do you report an incident?
41. Which area of journalism do you like?
42. What do you mean by news values?
43. What is the importance of a journal?
44. Explain the importance of ethics in this field?
45. Do you think this is a competitive field?
46. How do you manage to win this competition?
47. Why do you think that you are a good reporter or journalist?
48. Why do you think you have to be in this field?
49. Define journalism from your perspective?
50. What are the important qualities of a journalist?
51. Share any of the biggest problems that you have faced in your life? And how to find the solution to that problem?
52. In your opinion, what is the biggest problem we are facing today?
53. The changes do you make in your style while writing a report on war and climatic change?
54. Do you think every incident happening in the world should be given equal importance?
55. How do you find the importance of a story?
56. How do you manage stress?
57. How can you follow up on the news?
58. Is technology a curse or blessing for this field?
59. What are the qualities of a journalist?
60. Who is your role model in this field?
61. Do you think a journalist must add some sort of creativity to make the news interesting?
62. How can we ensure your work is accurate and factual?
63. There is a journalist in every person. Is this statement true or false, Explain why?
64. Let me tell you about an incident that can be published.
65. Explain your writing skills.
66. A person with good writing skills or a person with good reporting skills. Who can be a better journalist?
67. Do you think journalism is not a job but a duty?
68. What types of news have to be published on the front page?
69. How can you manage the tension and stress of deadlines?
70. Do you think the job of a journalist is tiresome?
71. What do you find interesting about this job?
72. Do you think the barriers in communication can affect a report?
73. How do you sort the most important and least important issues?
74. Do you think the most important issue is one in which most people are affected?
75. Which field have you specialized in?
76. Which type of news do you want to cover?
77. Explain the investigative skills of a journalist.
78. Explain the importance of time in the life of a journalist.
79. The qualities of a good report.
80. Explain a recent incident you find interesting. If you were asked to report that incident, how would your report be? Explain it.
81. Can we acquire the skill of reporting or is it inborn?
82. How do you manage your schedule, your visit to the incident, and your report writing?
83. What type of journalist do you want to be?
84. How can a journalist make an impact in the world?
85. The qualities a journalist should not possess?
86. Can a good journalist be a good public speaker?
87. Do you think a journalist gets enough respect that he or she should get?
88. How can we be good reporters?
89. Do you think there is a relation between freedom for the media and the development of the country?
90. What is media?
91. Social media or mass media which has more impact on society?
92. As a journalist what can you do for society?
93. Why did you choose this organization?
94. Why do we choose you?
95. Why do you think you are different from other candidates?
96. Explain your reporting skills?
97. Explain your previous experience?
98. As a reporter, how do you take a life?
99. What are mass media and social media reporting strategies?
100. Explain the job of a journalist. 

Conclusion

The job of a journalist is important for society. Every interview is challenging, it is always about confidence and stress management. When interviewing a journalist, the interviewer tries to analyze your skills, character, personality, and how to face the questions. If you answer wisely and act well the job is all yours.