Seriously, none of you splendid readers (besides the exemplary Mike and Bob) want to weigh in on whether the Boston Globe should give questions in advance to interview subjects?
The hardworking staff is bitterly disappointed.
Seriously, none of you splendid readers (besides the exemplary Mike and Bob) want to weigh in on whether the Boston Globe should give questions in advance to interview subjects?
The hardworking staff is bitterly disappointed.
No questions in advance!
If you don’t give questions in advance as a matter of policy, then you can’t interview (“interview”) people who insist on that. What’s the assumption here? That no one wants to hear from them? That it’s beneath the reporter to deal with such people? It’s not ideal, primarily because it precludes follow-ups and facilitates evasion, but I think it’s acceptable as long as the preparation is noted (papers do refer to “prepared statements” and even “telephone interviews”) and as long as questions asked but not answered are cited.
Fair enough, Mr. P. I guess I was thinking more in terms of TV (my last fulltime journalism gig), which precludes telephone and email interviews.
Plus, how weird would it be to say before starting an interview, “By the way, we provided these questions to Mr. So-and-So in advance”?
Totally weird.