Backgrounding: Know Before You

Go
 Before any interview or event, learn as much
as you can about the who, what, when,
where, why and how
 Why?
 To write better questions
 To build rapport with subjects (because you’ve
done your homework)
 To obtain deeper information more quickly
Make a list…

 What information do you already know going

in?
 How can you deepen that information through
Googling?
Who?
 People who might speak or be interviewed
 Who is the speaker/interviewee?

 What is his/her position and responsibility?

 How long has he/she been there?

 What other background can you find?

What?
 What: Issues/Topic
 If a press conference, was there a release

beforehand? If so, what is the topic?

 What other information can you find out about the

topic?
 If this is a local topic—is there a national trend or

information?
 If this is a national topic—has it affected local
issues?
When? Where? Why? How?

 Why is this being announced now? What

came before?
 Where is the event? What’s the history of this
place?
 How will this news/interview/announcement
change the situation? How did it come about?
Example

 You are going to a press conference where

Nick Gallagher, world kendama champion of
2018, will announce the location of the next
world kendama cup championships.

 What would you want to know going in?