Pt. 5 in the “Interview Insights” Article Series
By ACN Past President Elaine Shein
Have you ever been involved in a farm or other ag-related tour that involved a carload or busload of ag journalists and communicators? Whether it was a local tour (like one tied to a regional workshop or one put on by your state or province), a national tour (connected to the Ag Media Summit) or even an international one (International Federation of Ag Journalists tours), think of it as more than just a great way to get interviews and photos for a story.
These tours allow you an opportunity to network with other journalists. Better yet, you can learn from others in the industry more about the art of asking questions.
True, these tours often include your competitors. Time is usually limited at each stop. And, yes, while you compete to ask questions, you also realize everyone is hearing the same questions — and answers.
But there are also valuables lessons learned. Here are some of the reasons you might want to consider taking part this year in the Ag Media Summit’s farm tours (see https://agmediasummit.com/schedule/) or sign up for IFAJ Congress and its tours (https://ifaj2020.dk).
IFAJ Members tour the Animal Anatomy Theater in Berlin, Germany.
(Courtesy: Elaine Shein)
According to ACN Past President (1999) and now an Iowa freelancer JoAnn Alumbaugh, “It’s sometimes difficult to find the angle that makes a story unique when you’re on a group tour, but what you learn from the experience outweighs any disadvantages.”
So what did she learn?
“I was often impressed by the questions other journalists would ask on these tours, even though I might not be writing an article from that portion of the tour. The process helped me hone my own critical thinking skills and ask more pertinent questions on my own. “
Alumbaugh added those farm tours even helped with her photography skills. “It was also interesting to see the kinds of photos my peers would get from these tours — I learned a lot about making my own photos more interesting and compelling.”
Janet Kanters, Editor of New Ag International, lives in Alberta, Canada and is a past president of Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation. She has organized provincial tours (Alberta Farm Writers’ Association, AFWA) and national tours (CFWF); she also has been a tour participant in Canada and in different countries (ACN, IFAJ).
“I’m not sure being around other ag communicators changes the way I do my interviews,” Kanters said. “All our publications, etc., are different, so I focus on what my readers want, so my questions are often different from what other ag journalists are seeking from an interview.”
Janet Kanters (left), and fellow colleagues stop for a selfie
while participating in the AFWA 2022 Spring Tour.
(Courtesy: Jessika Guse)
However, she still sees value in the tours.
“What I gain from being with other ag journalists on a tour is focused more on them (the ag journalists), where they come from, what they’re looking for in an interview, how they see the subject(s)/places we’re touring. Seeing them through a different set of eyes is interesting. I will say that watching other journalists in action pushes me to try harder and dig deeper on my own stories.”
Steve Werblow is an Oregon Freelancer, active ACN Member and multiple award winner,
and Vice President of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, IFAJ.
(Courtesy: Steve Werblow)
IFAJ Vice President Steve Werblow is an Oregon freelancer who has been the ACN Writer of the Year three separate times (2020, 2018, 2011). He has been involved in planning tours for our organization in the U.S., as well as IFAJ tours in the U.S. and overseas. You can also find him as a participant attending farm tours in the U.S. and in other countries.
Members of the media ask questions during a farm tour in Brazil.
(Courtesy: Steve Werblow)
“I’m not a press pool kind of guy, but on ACN or IFAJ trips, I am always fascinated to watch other people interview, and I always end up picking up some tips. I have also learned a lot about certain parts of the industry, like dairy or economics, from questions asked by seasoned reporters who cover those sectors,” Werblow said.
“It’s especially fun to watch the interview styles of people from different media. Watching broadcasters do their interviews has really helped me learn how to ask more open-ended questions and then get out of the source’s way to make sure there’s plenty of room for the answer.
“Other times, the lessons are more of a look at styles that don’t suit me: more aggressive questioning or journalists who do more talking than asking. It’s good to see the effects of that, and I try to make sure I don’t hear myself heading down that road,” he said.
Werblow concluded, “All in all, I may not come away from every group interview having asked a direct question, but I always come away with a good idea, the chance to see new technology in action, or some sort of inspiration.”
Members of the media conduct interviews during a farm tour in Brazil.
(Courtesy: Steve Werblow)
DTN Crops Technology Editor Pamela Smith is a two-time winner of the American Agriculture Editor’s Association Writer of the Year award; she also was the first agricultural journalist to win the Jesse H. Neal Grand Neal Award in 2006.
“In my early career, I probably learned something,” from the other journalists on ag tours, Smith said. Even now, “I do often learn from listening to others’ questions as they may look at something in a different way or have a different perspective.”
However, Smith and the others noted the challenge to get unique interviews or photos when you’re in a group setting — whether it’s touring a farm or ag business, or even a company-sponsored event such as the unveiling of a new product.
Smith offered this tip about handling group tours to get what you want.
“Work closely with the company, agency, or whoever is sponsoring the event if you have specific interview or photo needs. It can sometimes be difficult at mass media events to get exclusive content. However, if you need it, it can be requested. There have been times when I’ve stayed after an event to get that interview.”
Some of the other tips from Smith and others:
— Wait for a private moment with a source if you don’t want to tip your hand on your questions/story you’re working on. For example, if you’re on a dairy tour, you might want to wait until the farmer is leading the group somewhere — walk with the farmer and you’ll get a few minutes of questions by yourself.
— Don’t be afraid to ask your question because you worry you don’t know your subject matter very well. Often, you’re not alone — others might have the same question. The clearer you understand the subject, the better you can write about it, and often farmers and other sources are very willing to explain clearer or give background to help you with your story.
— Don’t think you know your subject so well that you don’t ask the simple question. Sometimes that simple question might lead to a surprising — and great — answer. The good thing about being in a group of journalists and ag communicators is there are different levels of knowledge, varied styles of interviewing, and a healthy dose of curiosity in each person. This could lead to someone asking a question from a fresh perspective or in a unique way.
— Share your contact information with the farmer and ask for the farmer’s contact information, so you can follow up later with any questions you missed or want to clarify or ask in private later.
— Look for other sources during a farm tour aside from the main speaker. Often there will be the main farmer/source, but there may be other family members, workers, etc. to chat with; they might give you some valuable information, angles and anecdotes relevant to the story you want to write.
— Identify who are the journalists you think are really good at asking questions. Pay close attention to what makes them so successful. Is it their style or line of questions? How they approach a subject? The tone they use? The way they gain the trust of the source? Question originality?
Especially if you’re starting out in your career, you might want to think of these journalists as mentors: follow their lead or attend workshops or panel discussions they might sometimes do at future Ag Media Summits or other events.
Or, you might even want to ask them for advice while you’re both on the long bus trips to that next farm destination.
This week’s challenge: Think about farm or ag tours you’ve been on with other ag journalists/communicators. How did that influence how you do interviews? What do you think you gained from being with your peers? What interviewing tips do you have for other journalists who are involved in these group tours?
Please join us on the Agricultural Communicators Network’s Facebook page and share your feedback.
Elaine Shein is DTN Associate Managing Editor in Omaha, Nebraska. She has formerly worked for Capital Press in Oregon, The Western Producer and Regina Leader-Post in Saskatchewan, Canada, and Gemini News Service in London, England.
Elaine Shein can be reached at [email protected]