Story 6: E-Mail Interview Advice

In an article titled E-Mail Interview Advice, Jonathan Dube helps journalists understand the advantages and disadvantages of e-mail interviews.

Computerworld magazine placed a story on their web-site written by a journalist who had conducted an e-mail interview.  The story had to be removed the next day after the journalist realized his entire story was now false because he had been deceived during the interview.  The person he thought was answering his questions was AN IMPOSTER!

To avoid e-mail interview blunders like this one, Dube assists journalist in understanding the dangers of e-mail interviews:

• Journalists are not sure who is replying and may be deceived
• Reporters are denied the opportunity to ask follow-up questions
• Questions must be very specific
• If the interviewee is not happy with your final story, beware, he can post the final transcripts online.
• Reporters cannot see the physical appearance of interviewees upon being asked a question

In this article, Dube is not attempting to scare journalists away from conducting e-mail interviews with potential sources.  He is merely warning reporters that there are several reasons to be cautious when doing so.   In addition to the disadvantages of email interviews, Dube also discusses many advantages of this interviewing technique:

• E-mail interviews save time and money
• The reporter can provide exact questions and receive exact quotes
• Entire transcripts may be posted online to tell a story
• The interviewee has time to reflect on each question before responding
• In-case of a dispute an official record of what was said is available
• Interviewees who write well but cannot speak well do well with e-mail interviews

Dube, provides many additional suggestions to improving e-mail interviews and provides the reader with outside sources for additional assistance.