First Jobs: When there’s no time to “Bleep”…
BiB Contributor | George Howell
One of the greatest dangers in conducting live interviews is anything can happen! I pulled the above clip to show you an example of how live interviews can be a gamble, especially when the interviewee is approached without warning. In this clip, the reporter from Northwest Newschannel 8 is totally caught off guard by the response he gets. There was no he could predict what was about to be broadcast across Portland, Oregon! That’s why I’m not a big fan of interviewing people on live television, without taking a quick moment to get to know them first. (During breaking news, this tip is rarely possible. You’ve just got to go with what you’ve got.)
I do this now because I, too, have been burned by unpredictable live interviews! Ah, I remember it well:
It was a post football party in Austin, TX. I was reporting live for KXAN-TV 36 at a pub near the University of Texas campus, just after the Longhorns beat Texas A&M. We decided to cover local fan reaction because it was a big win for the team’s season, not to mention a huge in-state rivalry. The game ended 3 minutes before my live report at 10 o’clock, and fans were ecstatic. Picture it – everyone yelling, drinking – and there I was, right there in the middle of it all! The news went on at 10 o’clock as predicted – then, the unpredictable happened.
A blatantly intoxicated Longhorn fan walked up to me while I was on live, put his arm over my shoulder, and said (with slurred speech) “What du ya think of (long pause)… them horns? Let me tell ya, they’re soo (pause)… unbelievable… hook ‘em!” The room was so crowded, there wasn’t much I could do to get away from him. I was trapped – my live report, hijacked for about a minute. Thank God he didn’t curse. It was stressful to say the least, but hey, that’s live tv! Anything can happen!
To help avoid awkward moments with live interviews, I always recommend doing a quick “pre-interview” before the live interview, just so that you can get a read on the person beforehand. Is your interviewee serious about doing the interview, or do you get the feeling that he or she might respond immaturely or inappropriately?
During breaking news situations, pre-interviews may not be possible. It’s always a gamble to put people on live television without warning, but during serious situations they are more likely to be serious than silly on the air.
Just a few tips to pass along, so that the next person you interview doesn’t put you in an embarrassing situation.
Good Luck!
