AD-LIB While all interviews should be conversational, the ad-lib  method  can  carry  this  to  the  extreme.  The unprepared atmosphere of the “just sit down and start talking”  method  can  cause  stuttering,  repeated  questions or  answers,  off-the-subject  discussions,  long  pauses  and security or propriety violations. For these reasons, you must  be  focused  when  you  use  the  ad-lib  interview method. Areas where the ad-lib method can be used include occasions  of  spontaneous  news,  such  as  on-the-scene reports and other “live” topics of interest. INTERVIEW FORMAT LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize the areas that comprise the format of an interview. Now that you know the different types of interviews and the methods with which to conduct them, we will examine the standard interview format. Simply stated, all interviews have the following three parts: l  The  opening l  The  body l  The  closing THE OPENING The opening clearly identifies you, your subject and the topic. This allows your audience to know “up front” whether the interview has any direct interest to them. Additionally,  the  opening  can  give  your  location  to establish a local tie-in or explain any background noises. THE BODY The   body   is   the   interview   itself   —   the   actual questions and answers. At this point, the interview takes shape and becomes a reality. THE CLOSING The closing is an abbreviated form of the opening. During  the  closing,  you  can  summarize  briefly  the content of the interview and once again identify yourself and your guest. The opening and closing may be the most important parts   of   the   program,   since   the   opening   grabs   the audience’s   attention   and   the   closing   provides   a conclusion to the story being told. After   you   have   determined   the   focus   of   the interview and formulated your questions, you may write and record the opening and closing before you talk to your  guest  (if  time  permits).  If  you  want  ambient (natural) sounds for the opening and closing of a radio interview,  take  your  script  along  and  read  it  at  the interview  site.  For  television,  memorize  those  parts  you will  do  on  camera.  Of  course,  if  you  need  additional information that you will gather during the interview, you can record the opening and closing afterward. Keep  in  mind  that  you  may  deviate  from  this interview format. Be creative with visuals or audio and vary  the  wording  of  the  opening  and  closing  so  your audience is not barraged with “carbon copy” interviews. LIVE AND TAPED INTERVIEWS LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the types of live and taped radio and television interviews. Only under the most extraordinary conditions will you conduct a live television interview; therefore, we will not cover it in this section. However, when you plan a radio interview, you should consider whether you want to present it live or on tape and address the concerns of taped  television  interviews.  Both  the  live  and  taped interview methods are covered next. LIVE INTERVIEWS Live interviews, especially opinion interviews, are difficult  to  control  from  both  a  propriety  and  sensitivity aspect.  However,  there  are  several  ways  you  can conduct live interviews on radio. They are as follows: l   Studio l  Remote l  Telephone Studio The studio interview is usually either a personality or informative interview. Make sure you have enough microphones  in  the  studio  for  all  interview  participants. Although a common setting for a live radio interview, the   studio   interview   tends   to   present   a   sterile atmosphere.  Additionally,  a  strange  location  may intimidate   the   guest,   preventing   him   from   really “opening up.” 15-3