How to talk to the press

The best interviews I’ve had were with people obviously familiar with my work. A great interview with a reporter feels like a natural conversation with a friend you’ve never met. They’ll ask you questions that you haven’t answered a hundred times before, and really dive into your experiences that led to something newsworthy. A good interview will feel open ended and go wherever the conversation leads. A good reporter will send you an email when the article is posted and thank you for your time. If you notice any of these qualities, relish the opportunity because these kinds of interviews account for maybe 5% of the interviews I’ve ever done. —Matt Haughey —How to talk to the press (fortuito.us)

The tips added by Grant Barrett are also helpful.

I’ll be teaching an entry-level journalism course this fall, and this will be a helpful way of getting my cub reporters to think about the interview from the perspective of a subject-matter expert.