I've just come from a lecture which featured a great student presentation on the tips and tricks of interviewing. A lot of interesting discussions were sparked, and interviewing horror stories floated around the room. It seems that we came to a sort of conclusion among a couple of topics. These include:

• Retired people often have a lot to say, much of which is irrelevant to the story. They also like to think they know more than they do and proceed to 'teach' the unsuspecting young journalist all these things

• When you're turned down by a bigwig who thinks you're only out to shoot them down, debate with them reasonably until you get what you need

• Take whatever you can get, even if it's not close to how much you want. All of it counts for something

• E-mail's often good for first establishing contact. After that move on to the phone or in-person talks. As far as e-mail interviews go, most of the time you won't get what you need, though they can become a bridge for a phone call follow-up

• PR people can just spout off their 'rehearsed a zillion times' answers. Get around it by telling them it actually sounds rehearsed and to say something original. Apparently this can work.
  

Posted by at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've spent the last two weekends doing so much interviewing, compiling and scribbling I'm surprised my brain hasn't fallen out. So how do I decompress? I go trolling through the internet for news, because I just can't get enough of it. And I've arrived at the conclusion that I just might be a news junkie because more often than not what's making the news is the kind of stuff that makes you wonder: "Why the hell would I want to be a journalist?" The bombing in Delhi that killed 59 and injured over 200, three Indonesian teenagers beheaded on their way to school and of course the ongoing saga in Iraq--that's always a fun read. On the upside, however, Nepal's supreme court has decided that the government can't yet shut down the Kantipur FM radio station for violating an eight-month old media law. The station's crime? Broadcasting the news.... And that's just what the BBC had to offer today.

This news gathering business can be dangerous; but just how dangerous, I wondered. Well obviously, that depends on where you are and what you're covering. But I needed something more substantial, and so visited www.cpj.org for a little more info. In the interest of professional courtesy, therefore, I offer you all the following statistics. (They cover the years 1995-2004.)

Deadliest Countries

Iraq 38
Algeria 33
Columbia 30
Russia 29
Philippines 22

Deadliest Years

2004 57
1995 51
2003 40
2001 37
1999 36

Journalists killed in cross fire: 68
Journalists threatened before being killed: 60
Journalists murdered with impunity: 212
Journalists murdered: 247
Total number of confirmed killings from 1995-2004: 341

Not a very cheerful subject, I know, but one that should nevertheless be addressed. Always bear in mind that your quest for truth can represent somebody else's downfall. So be careful out there all you nosy Neds. (And yes, I mean you Flanders.)

...oh yeah.
Journalists killed so far in 2005: 40

Posted by at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Canada's Public Policy Forum released this report (it's a PDF) on Canadian journalism Monday. Try not to let the strange title (Pretty Good. Not Really. Ughhh. Better and Worse Than What the Yanks and Brits Get. It Sure Could Use a Lot More of This, Much Less of That. Can It Be Saved? Hell No. Then Again . . . Maybe.) and cutesy concept (veteran journalist Dan Turner editted quotes from 15 separately interviewed particpants to make it read like an actual round-table discussion) distract you from the commentary, which is intelligent, thoughtful, and provocative. Aside from the seemingly eternal optimism of Globe and Mail Editor-in-Chief Edward Greespon, most of the discussion is focused on pointing out what is wrong with Canadian journalism (emphasis on speed over quality, not enough investigative reporting, not enough about cities, lack of foreign coverage). It's a finger-wagging free-for-all but hey, this is Canada and finger-wagging is one of our finest arts.

Unfortunately, there is a serious lack of diversity in the voices represented, and I'm not even talking about the fact that all of the panelists were white and just two were women. There's not one panelist based west of Ontario or east of Quebec. No one to speak for small-town news organizations. No hard-line conservatives. No one from the alt-weeklies. Hell, not even a representative from the magazine industry. This bias toward urban, mainstream, Central Canadian opinion undermines the whole effot. That, and the fact that only journalists and politicians are going to bother to read the damn thing.

Posted by at 01:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Despite my complete lack of free time, I somehow managed to squeeze in a viewing of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas the other night on DVD. The film is incredibly hard to watch, and I'm convinced if you saw it while on drugs, your head would promptly explode. Still, there was something about watching Benecio Del Toro vomiting into a bathtub that got me thinking about the legacy Hunter S. Thompson left behind, and if anyone is even bothering to carry on his tradition of gonzo journalism.

If you're unfamiliar with Thompson's style, I want you to take out a piece of paper, write down every conventional rule of fair, balanced and accurate journalism you can think of, and then flush that piece of paper down the toilet. Oh, and make sure you injest some mescaline and have at least three martinis before heading out to interview that senator or report on the Kentucky Derby.

I'm no acolyte of Thompson's (I'm still not sure why I own the DVD, though I think it has to do with a Terry Gilliam phase I went through), but I still have a grudging respect for the man. He may have loved drugs more than the written word, but he still had his own distinct worldview and never failed to invite the reader to come pay it a visit. When he committed suicide, blasting his head off with a shotgun of all things, the sadness I felt was only overshadowed by my complete lack of surprise. I never expected to see Thompson die of old age in a cushy Palm Springs hospital bed.

While some writers, like Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi, still try and nobly carry on Thompson's style, they seem more like his biggest fans than serious students of gonzo. Perhaps the age of gonzo died when Thompson ate his gun. Perhaps gonzo journalism has no place in the time of Judith Miller, Gawker.com and US Weekly. And perhaps it's far too late and I'm rambling.

Still, with Thompson gone, I can't help but flip through the pages of today's magazines, hoping to catch one of Ralph Steadman's illustrations of Thompson on the road, swatting his hands wildly at imaginary bats. I hope Thompson never left bat country, even though I know most of us did a long time ago.

Posted by at 12:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Is it normal for journalists to try on a different persona when doing interviews? I'm interested by the number of amateur journalists out there who don different personalities in order to get the job done. I overheard one young lady saying that she puts on a different personality depending on the type of person that she's interviewing, to achieve the best results. It's understandable to get in the habit of psyching yourself up for a big interview, but to what extent do people actually break out an alter ego and put on a new reporter hat?

And on a completely different note:
An article appeared in Halifax's Chronicle Herald a few days ago, and it struck me as interesting. There was an outcry recently in Denmark when some caricatures of the Islam prophet Muhammad were published in a newspaper there, as a test to see whether freedom of expression was altered due to fear of payback. Common sense will tell you why there was an outcry, but it's an interesting column nonetheless. You can see it here.

Posted by at 06:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My Review story is dominating my life right now and I must admit I'm getting a little tired of writing about journalism. Since this blog is supposed to be about journalism too, I'm going to write about my personal favourite form of journalism: fashion.

I was not going to write about the September issue of Vogue, mainly because it's the September issue and today is October 25. But I just stubbed my toe again on the 802-page tome and I'm feeling the need to vent. I love Vogue and I, like many other fashion fanatics, waited eagerly for the September issue. When I finally got it (I had to pick it up at the post office because it didn't fit into my mail box), I was in sheer horror of just how heavy it is. I mean, I can't even read the freaking thing: it's too heavy to hold up and when I lean it on my leg it digs into my thigh. Not only that, but it took me at least five solid minutes of page flipping until I reached the first article, on page 240. I'm a fan of looking at ads for the artistic merit, but this was ridiculous. So until I can clear a spot on my already cluttered book shelf, the September issue of my favorite magazine will remain on my living room floor, unread.

Anyone who believes fashion journalism is strictly reserved for people too dim to drone on about politics and current affairs should take a look at The New York Times writer Cathy Horyn. Or at least listen to her.

And finally, a gift. If you've never taken a look at Hint Fashion Magazine, do. Even if you can't stand fashion, the animated features are a visual treat.

Posted by at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

More proof that truth really is stranger than fiction: Last week it was announced that former Marine officer and U.S. military spokesman Josh Rushing has joined the Al-Jazeera International news team. In last year's documentary Control Room, Rushing called the Arabic Al-Jazeera network "combative" and "misrepresentative." What's with the 180? According to the Globe and Mail, now Rushing is saying that bad rap that Al-Jazeera has in North America is the result of "misinformation," partly because people don't understand the language. Rushing is now also claiming that Al-Jazeera International will be "the best and most credible news source in the world." I guess with Rushing, the truth depends on where his pay cheque's coming from...

Posted by at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Welcome to the RRJ editorial blog. We're keeping up the tradition this year with daily posts brought to you by the spring and summer mastheads. This is where we are going to rant and rave about what's going on in the media and behind the scenes at the Review. We're hoping to use this blog as a forum to spark discussion and debate. If you can't wait until Monday to read the newest online feature, then this blog's for you.

So, what have we been talking about this week?

-All publicity is good publicity? Hmmm. The Star's Antonia Zerbisias deigned to mention us on her blog last week and then proceeded to blast us for our "amateur" website. Needless to say, we weren't too happy with it. So, the next time you need your daily fix of media review, read our blog instead of hers. (By the way, Antonia wanted a plug on our site, so here it is.)

-Saturday Night... gone for good? Canada's oldest magazine was laid to rest (again) on Thursday morning. We're all feeling bad for the staffers we know and probably, in the back of our minds, thinking, "Damn, where am I gonna be working after graduation?"

Also, if you're interested, the American Society of Magazine Editors posted their new guidelines for advertising and editorial this week. Take a look.

Posted by at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)