batters are right-handed and tend to pull the ball down the third base line (especially in softball). .   Be prepared! Know the names of the players and the significance of the game before the event starts. This will allow you to anticipate the big plays and to produce some sound bites with key players before, on the bench during and after the game. l   Some of the best stand-ups in sports stories are bridges at the midway point of the game. An example would be a stand-up describing the first five innings of a ball game that were disastrous for  the  favored  team.  The  stand-up  would  then act as a bridge by stating what the favored team must do to win the game. The rest of the story can simply   describe   whether   the   favored   team succeeded in their attempt or not. Again, a story is  something  with  a  beginning,  middle  and ending. SPORTS ANNOUNCING The writing and delivery of sports is different than news copy. For the most part, the delivery has to be upbeat and fast-paced. The upbeat approach is because sports is about a human victory within every game. Often, news is considerably less enjoyable to listen to and can be downright depressing at times. Sports must never  be  depressing.  Even  when  the  home  team  loses, the players probably played a great game. The delivery is fast paced to convey the feeling of action. Sports is action visualized and verbalized on the evening news program  and  all  elements  possible  must  be  used  to deliver that feeling to the audience. This does not mean the sports announcer must sound like he has been taking adrenalin pills, but he should appear to be excited about the games he is talking about. INTERVIEWING Learning Objective:  Recognize the proper techniques of  interviewing. When you think of interviewing as a profession, you might think of Barbara Walters and her ilk. Think again! If you are in broadcasting you will be doing interviews whether it is for the nightly news, command information programming  or  special  events,  such  as  telethons  and yes, even bingo night on the ship. The interviewing techniques discussed here are used by television, radio and even print journalists. FRIENDLINESS All of us have seen the television parody of the broadcast journalist sticking lights and a camera in someone’s  face  and  asking  the  obnoxious  question, “How do you feel?” That is the image of the television reporter and, as public relations practitioners, we know how hard it is to change an image. That does not mean we have to act that way to seem “professional.” Exactly the  opposite  is  true. You must let the interviewee know that you are on his side. You are a public relations person for the Navy and are here to help tell the Navy’s story. Smile. Always be  neat  and  professional  in  manner  and  let  the interviewee  know  exactly  why  you  want  to  do  the interview. Let the interviewee get comfortable and relax in familiar surroundings, if possible. This does not mean letting the CO appear on the evening news with his shirt puffed out around his midsection and lunch crumbs sticking  to  his  lips.  It  is  just  less  traumatic  for  an interviewee if he thinks he has a little control of the situation. This will help ease those television camera jitters. QUESTIONS Before showing up for an interview, have a good idea what the subject of the interview is about. If you are  going  to  talk  with  a  P-3  pilot  about  carrier qualifications,  you  did  not  do  your  homework.  P-3s  do not land on carriers. That will be a tough interview! If it does happen that you are in a rushed situation, with an assignment to do an interview with a person that you have little background information on, stick to the five Ws. You cannot go wrong with them as a starting off point. Ask  a  few  warm-up  questions  to  let  the  interviewee know how things will proceed during the interview and then let the person talk. The art of listening should not be forgotten. After all, the interviewee is the one you want to have produce a sound bite. Think how you felt when an authority figure asked you a question and did not  say  anything  after  your  answer.  You  probably  felt compelled to continue on with your explanation and talk more. Also, save the toughest and more controversial questions   until   the   end.   If   the   subject   gets   too uncomfortable  to  answer  any  more  questions,  you  will at  least  have  something  on  tape.  Additionally,  toward the  end  of  an  interview,  the  interviewee  should  be trusting you more than in the beginning and the answers should be easier for him to talk about. 8-37