How Can Journalists Conduct Interviews Over Zoom Most Efficiently?
2020 changed the way that everybody worked. The COVID-19 pandemic put most, if not all, informational jobs online. For journalists, that meant researching, writing, and interviewing, all from the comfort of our own homes, which was a big adjustment. Two years down the line and Zoom interviews don’t seem to be going anywhere. Zoom has revealed itself as an extremely helpful tool to connect with others around the world, so why get rid of it? Even though it’s a change, it may actually afford journalists more opportunities.
So how do you embrace this new, weird part of our everyday lives? Zoom certainly is not the same as being in the room with someone. The exchange of energies is completely different, and simple social graces are a lot harder to abide by in a virtual space. It’s also more exhausting and easier to let time and energy get away from you. So taking on this transition is going to be challenging, but there are a few steps you can take to make sure everything really goes the way you want it to.
Be aware of your screen time. In this new world, we are all on the computer a lot. Our communication has primarily gone into the digital world, and as journalists we always have 15-20 tabs open, doing research on our current topic. If you are coming up on too much screen time, the interview isn’t going to be fun for you or for your subject. Make sure you plan for the proper amount of time, and to be staring at a screen for the entirety of it. You can also do a voice-only call over Zoom, which can mitigate this in the event that it gets out of control.
Find a space in your home. Personally, one of the most difficult things about working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic was finding space in which to do each thing that needed to be accomplished on a daily basis in my house. That included separate spots for eating, sleeping, working, appointments, virtual hangouts – everything that was happening outside of the home that was now happening in our own homes. If those spaces intruded upon each other, none of those things got done. Similarly, finding a quiet space where you can conduct your interviews will assure that you are in the space, mentally and physically, to take charge of the interview. Otherwise, it may feel frazzled or scattered, without a clear delineation from the preceding tasks.
Set a length of time beforehand. The worst part about a Zoom call over the pandemic? Not knowing how long it would take. One Zoom call could be five minutes, or three hours, and when we were all just learning how to use the tool, it was impossible to predict how long calls would go for. Setting this up beforehand will create relief for both the journalist and the subject. Simply stating at the beginning of the interview how long it is expected to take is also a great way to get both the journalist and the subject on the same page before getting into questions.
Stay focused. This is both for interviewers and interviewees. Coming up with a list of questions and a goal for the interview beforehand will help with this. Instead of allowing the interviewee to go on tangents or spitball endlessly, gently keep them focused by driving the asking of questions. The journalist can also ask for breaks for themselves if they are finding their focus slipping during the interview. Five minutes with camera and sound off, some deep breaths, and a glass of water go a long way.
Record the meeting. It is obviously important to get consent for this first, but recording the meeting will allow the journalist to go back and pick up anything that may have slipped by them in the moment. This is a great tool because it acts as a fail-safe for all of the above – even if someone couldn’t remember the interview after giving it, a recording will completely solve that problem and is always readily available.
Check in with the interviewee. Ask them about their work-from-home space. Ask how they’re doing, and near the end, check in to make sure you’ve covered everything that both you and the interviewee deem important and appropriate for the subject of the interview. Be a human, and remind your interviewee to be a human too.
Overall, as journalists adapt to the new virtual world and the new, most likely dominant 21st century way of working and conducting interviews, small steps in each of these directions will make a world of difference. Adjustment is never easy, but always necessary in our ever changing world.
