From Terms to Practice: Interviewing & Story Development

Introduction

The transition from a raw interview to a professional news report is the most critical phase in the lifecycle of a journalistic story. For the ICTQual Level 3 Certificate, the unit Interviewing and Story Development represents the core vocational competency of turning human interaction into credible public record. In the United Kingdom, this process is not merely a creative exercise but a highly regulated professional task. A journalist must act as an architect of information, beginning with a strategic plan that defines clear editorial objectives before a single question is asked.

Whether conducting a structured interview via telephone or a semi-structured face-toface meeting, the journalist must master the technicality of recording and the “soft skill” of building rapport to extract meaningful content. Once the data is gathered, the journalist must synthesize multiple, often conflicting, sources into a coherent narrative. This involves identifying a “hook” or angle that resonates with a UK audience and organizing information using the inverted pyramid structure. All of this must be achieved while navigating the strict legal boundaries of the Defamation Act 2013 and the ethical requirements of the IPSO Editors’ Code, ensuring that the final story is accurate, balanced, and legally protected.

Strategic Planning and Interview Execution

Setting Objectives and Question Hierarchy

Professional interviewing begins with a clear mission. A journalist must define “Primary Objectives”—the essential facts needed for the story—and “Secondary Objectives”—the color or emotional depth. Questions are then organized into a hierarchy: starting with broad, open-ended questions to establish comfort, followed by specific, closed questions to pin down facts. This ensures the journalist maintains control of the narrative while allowing the subject space to provide unique insights.

Methodologies for Recording and Rapport

The choice of interview style depends on the subject and the story’s intent. Structured interviews follow a rigid set of questions and are often used for gathering data from official UK government representatives. Semi-structured interviews allow for a more conversational flow, which is essential for building rapport with members of the public or vulnerable subjects. Regardless of the method, the use of recording devices is a vocational standard in the UK to ensure that the Accuracy clause of the IPSO Code is met, allowing for precise transcription and quote selection.

Narrative Synthesis and Story Architecture

Angle Identification and the Inverted Pyramid

A story angle is the specific lens used to present the gathered facts. A vocational journalist evaluates their notes to find the most “newsworthy” element for their audience—for example, focusing on the “human impact” of a policy change rather than just the policy itself. The story is then constructed using the Inverted Pyramid model. This structural standard ensures that the most critical information—the who, what, where, when, and why—is at the very top of the article.

Organizing Multiple Sources and Quote Selection

A compelling news piece often synthesizes information from various sources, such as an interview with a local resident and an official statement from a UK council. Competency involves selecting quotes that provide “authority” or “emotion” and placing them strategically within the article to create a balanced flow. Reflection on editorial feedback is a vital part of this process, helping to refine the story’s clarity and ensure the transition between different voices is seamless and logical.

Ethics, Legalities, and UK Regulations

Vulnerability and Ethical Boundaries

UK journalists operate under the IPSO Editors’ Code, which sets high standards for the treatment of sensitive subjects, including victims of crime or people in grief. Recognizing ethical boundaries means knowing when to stop an interview to prevent causing distress. Vocational competency in this area involves securing informed consent and ensuring that the pursuit of the story does not infringe on an individual’s right to privacy or mental well-being as defined by UK law.

Defamation and Data Protection

Every story developed in the UK must navigate the legal landscape of the Defamation Act 2013. If an interviewee makes a damaging allegation, the journalist cannot simply quote them without verifying the facts; doing so could lead to a libel claim. Furthermore, the Data Protection Act 2018 (UK GDPR) dictates how interview recordings and personal transcripts are stored. Journalists must maintain secure records to protect the privacy of their sources and provide evidence of accuracy should the story be challenged.

Learner Task:

Scenario

You are a Senior Reporter at a regional UK newsroom. You are covering a complex story about a local “Social Care Budget Crisis.” You have three potential sources for your story, but you only have time to conduct two interviews before the digital publishing deadline. You must make a strategic decision based on your objectives and the technical requirements of the unit.

Objectives

To force strategic selection and decision-making by matching journalistic terminology to specific workplace applications, requiring you to justify your choices between conflicting options.

Questions

1. Strategic Selection: Structured vs. Semi-Structured You need to get the official budget figures from the Council Finance Director and a personal account from a family affected by the cuts. Which source requires a Structured Interview and which requires a Semi-Structured approach? Justify your choice based on the need for Rapport Building.
2. Decision Making: Primary vs. Secondary Objectives If your editor gives you a 400-word limit, which is your Primary Objective: confirming the exact percentage of the budget cut or obtaining an emotional quote about the family’s struggle? Match your choice to the Story Angle you would prioritize for a “Mobile-First” digital audience.
3. Application: Quote Selection vs. Paraphrasing You have a 10-minute recording of the family. They make a complex 3-minute technical complaint about a specific UK regulation. Do you use a Direct Quote for this entire section or Paraphrase it into your own prose? Justify your decision using the principle of Story Clarity and flow.
4. Legal Choice: Verification vs. Speed The family claims the Council Director is “stealing money from the vulnerable.” This is on your recording. Do you include this as a Selected Quote immediately to get “clicks,” or do you delay the story to apply the Right of Reply? Match your decision to the Defamatio Act 2013 and explain the consequence of the wrong choice.

Outcomes

The learner will demonstrate high-level judgment and strategic decision-making by correctly matching and justifying the use of journalistic terminology in a complex, realworld UK media scenario.