When broadcasting it is vital to achieve a direct link with the listeners to make the story a success. Gaining their attention has to be a major priority from the opening line of the story to ensure you are going to be engaging them throughout the rest of it to the end. It is vital when preparing the report that you have researched the story and have made sure all angles have been looked at in depth and have been explored.

When researching the story one has to keep in mind that the story you are going to produce is relevant to the time it will be being shown so that the viewers will be interested in what you have to say, if it is an old story they will not be concerned as it would have already been covered by another station and would be of no use to them. The story has to be individual and have some passion to reach the audience at a certain level so that they are engrossed in it so much so that they feel the emotions you are trying to convey when you broadcast the story.

To ensure the viewers will care about what you have to say, you have to reach them at their level where the story will actually have an effect on them, for example if you were to prepare a TV report for when the Iraq war first began the public would have been interested as whichever decision the government was taking was having an effect on them as the British soldiers would have to go and fight and some lose their lives.

The story has to have hard facts to ensure that it will be talked about, if it is of interest to the public and has facts which can be backed up it will gain maximum exposure and you will not be held liable for anything you do or say. The story has to be achievable in the sense that it can be shot and broadcasted, time plays a major role in dictating whether or not the story will be finished and aired however financial restraints also contribute to whether or not it is affordable for you to go ahead and begin the story after the research is completed as there may not be enough funds to back you up.

Accessibility has to be looked at; as if the story is not accessible there will be no report at the end. The lack of resources would slow down the rate at which the story could be produced and delay your end target date in which case by then the story would have become old news. Once the chosen story has been agreed upon, you have to make your way about researching who you will be talking to and why.

When the interviewees relevant to the story have been selected it is viable you remember to introduce yourself clearly so that you make the other individual feel at ease and they know who they will be talking to, giving them your reasons for wanting to talk to them is also very important as they will want to know why you are interested in them talking and if you let them know why from the very beginning they will be less likely to hold back and be more open with you during their interview.

If you are open with them they will most likely be open with you too. Letting them know you require their help on a certain matter and what kind of assistance you need will act in your favour as they will discuss their opinions more freely. Having got them to talk to you, you should prepare what you will be asking them and keep a level head as your opinions are not what you will be discussing it is the individual who you will be talking to. Before you start your interview and approach your lead know what information you need to get for your story.

You need to have an aura of interest in whoever you are going to be talking about so they give you that much more information. If you are interested in what someone has to say they will let you in more and be less reserved. Being polite will set a more comfortable atmosphere and the individual will thus be able to respond more to any questions you ask. Once you have introduced yourself you can start the interview however making it as less formal as possible is a good point to remember as having your interviewee at ease will help them to relax.

The interview itself should consist of a series of open ended questions as this will give them room to talk and elaborate more on their opinions rather than the simple closed questions which will give you either a yes or a no, and would not help in giving the story a proper angle or something to go on. Although the questions need to be open ended they must also be simple so the individual is able to cohere with what you are saying otherwise it could patronize them and lead to barriers being put up.

It is vital to be prepared for any contingencies such a the interview falling through for any reason you cannot control you should have some kind of back up so that the whole story does not fall apart because of one lead not coming through therefore do not rely on one lead to base your whole story on. When closing the interview don’t be aggressive and hasty it is essential you end as well as you started so the interviewee does not feel they were sued as a means to an end.

Anything you are unsure about clarify it and double check everything such as names and spellings. Any contact information should be taken in case of any extra checks or clarification of what was said such as telephone numbers, addresses and email addresses s you are able to contact your lead at all times. Asking your primary lead for anyone else they may know who you could talk to on the same matter could be helpful to further the story and add any extra angles to it to become more gripping.

Thanking your interviewee is necessary to keep relations good and asking if you could call again in case you require any further help. After you have got the interview you need to start thinking about your graphics, where the story will be set and what will be shown to the viewers. Getting the place right is very important as this is what will be seen and visual imagery is just as important as the content of your story. Any additional sounds to the story could add to how it will be perceived.

The setting of the atmosphere and the surroundings that you will be filming need to be explore fully to ensure you will be getting the very best out of your location Keeping in mind of what kind of people will be present during filming and what their daily routines are so you fit your schedule round that to get whichever part of their day that is relevant to your story for example, when filming a school; there is the morning play time, lunch time, the end of the school day and etc.

Any extra elements you need to add to your story to make it that much more in line with your type of viewer to keep them interested for example maps of the location, stills and pictures of people doing various things such as shopping, talking, going for lunch, morning rush hour and etc. Once the report has been completed, double checked and verified make sure you have date and spot available for you to air it on.