How to Interview Guests on Radio /Television Show

 

If you plan on interviewing someone for a radio show you need to be prepared.

Research the person or topic to be covered. Find out about the person you're interviewing and the subjects you will discuss. Depending on the interview length and style, your conversation may take different paths. If you're taking audience questions, consider the possible questions you might get.

Prepare your questions. You can     plan for many questions ahead of time. Don’t plan to ask the most interesting questions first; try to spread it out to keep your audience interested.

Prepare your guest. Tell your guest what you would like to ask during the interview. Tell her the questions or types of questions you’re going to ask. Tell her how long the answers should take. It’s always good to keep the guest happy, especially if you’d like her to return.

Know generally what your guest is going to say. 

You should have a general idea of what your guest likely is going to talk about. This way, you're less likely to be surprised by anything and better prepared to ask follow-up questions of your guest.

Plan for quick back-and-forth discussion.  People do not like to listen to long stories or complicated explanations. Plan out questions that are interesting but that can be answered easily.

Be prepared to close the discussion. Plan for and talk to your guest about how the discussion will end and what will happen next. Otherwise, your interview could go on far too long or you guest could just sputter on indefinitely.