Interviewing

In a collage of photos on top of a road map, four photos show a reporter talking into a microphone in a studio, a reporter talking into a microphone at an event, a man being interviewed, and a reporter interviewing a man one-on-one.

We asked international reporters how they pronounce names right

Pronunciation can establish — or undermine — your credibility as a reporter. These tips from global correspondents will help you get unfamiliar names correct.

A person with light-green wavy hair, wearing a green T-shirt and overalls, speaks into a microphone held by a woman wearing glasses and a light-blue hijab. The woman is not entirely opaque, and the background of purple rowhouses shows through her.

When interviewing sources, transparency is the key to trust

These best practices from NPR editors and producers will help you set clear expectations for what happens during and after an interview.

A shotgun mic with a fuzzy cover is pointed at a man in casual dress; the mic is huge and the man is small.

Feign ignorance, demystify the mic and other audio interview tips

Here’s how to prepare for an interview, set your sources at ease and get all your questions answered.

a female audio producer holding a clipboard with a check on it shoots at a toaster as refrigerators, vacuums, phones, dogs and more toasters fall from the sky, all on a space background, in the pixelated style of an early video game

Catch audio problems in radio interviews — before they happen

Our checklist will help producers catch potential pitfalls before and during interviews, whether remote or in-person.

The show editor’s interview checklist

On a show, the interview is brief and it is the story. So much depends on preparation, and having an editor’s ear.

Protecting, cleaning and sanitizing your gear the right way

Keeping your gear safe and sanitary is not a one-step process. More like four to six steps. Get ’em here.

A field guide to reporting on COVID-19 (bring plastic wrap)

Put on your mask and stock up on alcohol wipes — you’re going into the coronavirus-infested wilds.

Casting, coaching and cutting: A producer’s guide to ‘unmoderated conversations’

Conversations between nonjournalists combine the thrill of eavesdropping with the intimacy of the kitchen table — but they can be hard to pull off. We have some tips.

The steps to finding, developing and vetting news sources

Sourcing the news is getting harder all the time. For three seasoned NPR reporters, it involves careful vetting, delicate negotiations and, every now and then, cigars.

How to inject ‘documentary flair’ into your story

Infuse documentary-style radio into everyday reporting (even when you think you don’t have the time or material).

15 principles of show booking

If a good radio show is like a good dinner party, the a booker is manager of the guest list.