The Digital Reporter's Notebook by Mark Blaine

Author:Mark Blaine [Blaine, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Social Science, Media Studies
ISBN: 9781135950095
Google: rgQVAgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2013-11-12T05:54:43+00:00

20

Taking Notes and Recording

Part of your planning for the interview will include the logistics of how you’re going to capture the source’s words and anecdotes. The digital recorder is a powerful tool, but one that can be challenging to use effectively if you plan to use the audio for more than just note-taking. Part of the planning for the interview will be to decide how the source’s words will be used in the final product—that said, if you’re going to be recording, you might as well capture the best sound that you can.

Our approach here aims at the fundamentals and assumes that you have access to minimal equipment, perhaps just a smartphone. Most microphones that come with a recording device work best if they are held close to the person speaking and the speaker talks directly to the microphone. Close might mean six inches away, so you’ll want to experiment with your specific device and learn its limitations. If you can arrange to have access to a better quality microphone, you should get it. A clunky recorder held a few inches from a subject’s face is intrusive and might limit your source’s candor. Lavalier (or lapel) and small shotgun microphones can give you much more flexibility in doing your interview with a minimum of investment.

Good quality audio gear will help you to gather high quality sound, but there are some underlying fundamentals that have little to do with the equipment and more to do with how and where you conduct the interview. These fundamentals also will help you to maximize the quality of minimal equipment.

When you’re planning the interview, you’ll want to be clear with your source that you plan to record it. It’s important for your source to know that they’re being recorded and it can be helpful if they understand that you might have some logistical issues with the recording that might require you to sit down with them in a quiet place for a time. It may also be illegal where you live to record someone without their consent. It’s also a good idea at the outset of the interview to state the purpose of the interview while recording, and ask the source for consent.

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