Mastering the Art of the Interview - Part Two

This is the second in a series of posts about how to prepare for and conduct a successful media interview. Part One is here.

Preparing for an interview is more than just knowing about your subject or developing your message. You need to conduct an interview of your own so that you fully understand the setting or context of the interview. 

What questions will you want to ask?

---

Where will the interview take place? In a studio? Over the phone? Will it be live? Who will be conducting the interview? One reporter or a panel of journalists? 

You wouldn't want to accept an invitation thinking it's a quiet chat with a reporter in your office, only to find out later that you're supposed to be live on television. You also want to know the approximate length and whether anyone else will be involved. For instance, will there be someone representing "the other side?"

In other words, you need to ask plenty of questions before the interview even begins so that you can be prepared to be your very best. This is to your advantage and to the reporter's or host's advantage as well, since you'll likely be a more engaging guest.