Foundation Journalism Glossary: Interviewing & Story Skills

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-to-face 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 “bulletproof.”

Strategic Interview Planning and 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 Tasks:

Learner Task: Glossary-Building Activity (Operationalization)

Scenario

You have been appointed as a Senior Reporter for a regional UK news outlet. Your editor has asked you to author a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the junior reporting team. This SOP will guide them on how to manage the lifecycle of a story involving a “UK Planning Dispute” between a local community and a large developer.

Objectives

To operationalize journalistic language by correctly embedding and applying complex terminology within a professional SOP to define the scope, legal liability, and technical parameters of interviewing and story development.

Questions

1. Within your SOP, draft a 300-word section titled “Pre-Interview Protocol.” You must correctly use and operationalize the following terms in context: Structured Interview, Semi-Structured Interview, Primary Objectives, and Rapport Building.
2. Create a “Legal and Ethical Safety” section for the SOP. Correcty apply the terms Defamation Act 2013, Informed Consent, and IPSO Editors’ Code to explain how a reporter must handle a sensitive interview with a resident.
3. Author a section on “Post-Interview Processing.” Explain the vocational procedure for Transcription, Quote Selection, and Verification, ensuring the reporter understands their liability regarding the Accuracy clause.
4. Draft the final section of the SOP titled “Story Construction.” Use the terms Story Angle, Inverted Pyramid, and Information Synthesis to define how a reporter should organize multiple sources into a coherent digital news article.

Outcomes

The learner will be able to author a professional SOP that correctly embeds technical and legal terminology, demonstrating precision and authority in a regulated UK journalistic environment.