PURPOSE: To expose the student to the business of writing and collecting news.

ASSIGNMENT: Make an appointment to interview a person in the media: reporter, editor, writer, broadcaster, public relations or marketing expert. If in doubt, clear your interview with the instructor first.

INTERVIEWS MUST BE IN PERSON. NO PHONE. NO EMAIL.

TAKE A PICTURE OF YOURSELF WITH THE PERSON. IF YOU CANNOT GET A PICTURE, ATTACH A BUSINESS CARD.  ATTACH IT TO THE COVER SHEET OF YOUR REPORT.

I PREFER YOU DO NOT USE A FOLDER.

ATTACH THIS SHEET  TO THE COVER SHEET, ALONG WITH YOUR SIX-PAGE REPORT.

Use the following questionnaire. Fill out answers on sheet. These questions serve as a guideline. You are expected to develop your own questions before and during the interview. Not all questions apply to all businesses, so improvise and come up with some of your own questions.

When done, type NO MORE THAN a six-page, double-spaced summation detailing your experience and what you learned in your discussion. NO HAND-WRITTEN PROJECTS will be accepted.

Subject of Interview________________________________________

Company________________________________________

Type of  Business__________________________________

Location where Interview Took Place_________________

Telephone of Interviewee____________________________

email of Interviewee_______________________________

How long have you been at this business?

Is there anything you do on a daily basis, a routine that you would share with me?

What do you like about this business?

What don’t you like about this business?

What is the foremost tool a writer needs to be successful? Why?

Do you face tough deadlines on your job?

What kind of stress do you face?

How do you deal with stress on the job?

If you had it to do over, would you go into this field again?

If yes, why? If not, what field would you choose and why?

What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out in this field?

What is the background and history of the publication or business?

What is the circulation and estimated audience or number of clients?

The geographic area served by the business.

How many editions, programs, or services are associated with this business or publication?

What are the demographics and psychographics of the audience served?

What are the gate-keeping policies of this media source?

Who makes the editorial decisions? Who are the gatekeepers?

What or who provide the main competition?

Where do the revenues come from to support this media business?

If they have advertising, how much does it cost and to whom do they sell?

Does the business accept community feedback?