The first step in conducting an interview is to choose the subject for discussion. Use a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Mac Pages, or any program that allows you to create an outline.

Start brainstorming by writing down all your ideas; you can filter them later. Choosing a subject for the interview involves asking some key questions:

1. Is the topic relevant to my audience? The answer to this question requires a good understanding of your audience's demographics.

2. Is your selected topic deep or complicated enough to fit your allotted production time? When picking a topic, gauge how much time you'll need for necessary questions and ensure it aligns with your broadcast time.

3. How long will the interview take? Be aware that your time is limited when producing an interview session for a broadcast. Prepare to ask relevant questions and be ready to cut ones that might exceed your time limit.

4. How much time are you allotted for the interview? Make a list of questions without limiting yourself to a specific number. Organize them by importance and choose the top 6 questions. Perform a time check by setting a timer to your allotted interview time. When the timer goes off, STOP the interview. Roleplay this with a peer or teacher to gauge the time it takes for both asking questions and allowing your guest to answer. Note the time it took for a rough estimate of the number of questions asked and answered.

After the practice session, ask yourself if you have enough time to ask and receive answers. If you ran out of time, you will need to trim the question list down. If you were able to ask all your questions, receive all the answers, and still have time on the clock, you may want to add a question or two. The important takeaway here is to have some understanding of how much time you are allotted for the interview vs. how long it takes to ask and get your questions answered. You need to establish a reasonable estimate to account for the time you have for the interview.

There are volumes written on the various elements that go into the creation of an interview, from a variety of professionals. Information is readily available to deepen your understanding and strategy of conducting an interview. Going through this exercise of conducting and preparing for an interview will help students become Creative Communicators, which is an ISTE Student Standard. For the purpose of this teaching guide, we would like to point out some basic steps:

The first 2-3 questions you ask should be simple and used to help the interviewee relax and feel comfortable. As the interview begins, you may ask where your interviewee grew up, their hobbies, or an interesting fact about themselves to make them feel more comfortable. Research basic information about your guest and formulate some easy, but interesting, first questions to let them talk a little about themselves.

Sometimes, there is value in providing your guest with a list of questions you may ask in advance. This allows them to think and formulate their answers.

Make sure not to interrupt your guest when they answer you. Let them speak. Remember, it is your job to get information from them. Keep your personal feelings out of the discussion, or it can turn into a debate and not an interview.

Today, body language is an important aspect of contemporary personal communications and interactions. By understanding body language, you can gain significant insight into a person's mood in a particular moment. This knowledge is crucial. Body language is a two-way nonverbal communicator:

• Your own body language may reveal your feelings and meanings to others.
• Other people's body language may reveal their feelings and meanings to you.

One of the best ways to learn about body language is to watch almost any professional news broadcast today. You will notice their body language is always perfect to a point. They will almost always smile, have excellent posture, make direct eye contact with the camera, be very cordial to their coworkers and guests, and be very exacting in every motion they make. This is not by accident. They are trained to manage their body language. Properly managing their body language makes their audience more comfortable and relaxed. A more comfortable audience watches longer and more often.

Here are some basic body language tips to keep in mind when you are on camera:

• Keep a positive attitude and SMILE. Maintain direct eye contact with the camera whenever possible.
• Look directly at the person you are interviewing and look at them when they are answering your questions. Maintain eye contact with the person you are interviewing and look like you are interested in what they have to say. This technique is important to keep your audience attentive. Try to avoid losing eye contact or looking at the camera when your guest is speaking.
• Leaning forward, nodding, and tilting your head are other nonverbal ways to show you’re engaged in the conversation and that you’re paying attention. It’s important to hear people. It’s just as important to make sure they know you are listening.
• Shake hands with your talent. Touch is a most primitive and powerful nonverbal cue. A study on handshakes by the Income Center for Trade Shows showed that people are two times more likely to remember you if you shake hands with them.
• Uncross your arms and legs; this technique helps you remember what is being spoken and relax your overall performance on camera.