This lesson plan is designed to equip journalists with the strategic skills needed to navigate the challenges and maximise the advantages of remote interviewing.
It’s based on the article How to carry out an interview remotely, which we suggest trainers read and then share with participants before the lesson takes place. You might also want to take a look at our article on Preparing for an interview.
Lesson objectives
Over the course of the day, participants will learn how to:
- Verify identity and build trust when the source is not interviewed face-to-face.
- Tailor questioning to suit the specific limitations of each medium.
- Learn how to look for auditory and visual cues in video and phone calls in order to compensate for their absence in text-based interviews.
- Ensure ethical compliance when recording and editing material gathered remotely.
09:30–10:15: The remote interview preparation challenge
Focus: Background research, prioritising questions, clarifying interview terms
Activity outline
Mini-lecture – Review the shared text’s guidance on preparation: researching the interviewee, identifying controversies, and choosing the top three priority questions.
Group task – Learners receive a short profile of a fictional source (e.g., local politician, NGO worker, business owner). In pairs, they research and identify:
- Why this person is newsworthy
- Current tensions or controversies
- What the audience would want to know
Question-building exercise – Each group writes three priority questions and two follow-up questions.
Mock pitch – Each pair explains:
- Why their questions matter
- What information they hope to elicit
Resource – For a deeper understanding of the groundwork, refer to Introduction to interviews and Preparing for an interview.
10:15-10:30 – Break
10:30–11.30: Email interview design & verification workshop
Focus: Crafting email interviews, avoiding leading questions, verifying identity
Activity outline
Quick recap – Risks: identity uncertainty, flat answers, lack of spontaneity.
Rewrite task – Students receive a poorly written email interview request containing:
- Too many questions
- Leading phrasing
- No verification step
- No explanation of purpose
They rewrite the email using best-practice guidance as set out in the course material.
Verification drill – Groups brainstorm ways to confirm identity (second contact method, cross-checking details, etc.)
Peer review – Pairs exchange rewritten emails. They evaluate them using a checklist drawn from the lesson’s text:
- Clear purpose
- Respectful tone
- Three well-focused questions
- Non-leading phrasing
- Verification step
Reflection – What makes email interviews different from real-time ones?
11:30–11:45 – Break
11:45–12:45: Instant messaging (IM) interview simulation
Focus: Fast follow-ups, conversational tone, security awareness.
Activity outline
Warm-up – Trainer highlights IM pros: closer to real-time, verbatim record. And cons: lack of cues, multitasking, shallow answers.
Live IM simulation – Students pair up. One plays the source (given a brief profile). One plays the journalist using a messaging platform (or simulated chat interface).
Objectives:
- Use conversational questions
- Ask rapid follow-ups
- Extract additional context
- Avoid heavily edited/formal answers
Security scenario – Trainer introduces a situation: “Your interviewee begins sharing sensitive corruption allegations via WhatsApp.” Students discuss risks and best practice.
Debrief
- What worked?
- What follow-ups were missed?
- How did the lack of tone/body language affect the interview?
12:45- 13:45 – Lunch
13:45–14:45: Video interview technical & editorial prep drill
Focus: Tech reliability, rapport building, environment control
Activity outline
Checklist build – As a class, produce a ‘Video Interview Readiness Checklist, using material shared in the lesson text.
- Stable connection
- Good lighting
- Professional background
- Audio check
- Privacy
- Rapport strategies
Environmental audit – Students examine their own training environment on camera and critique:
- Lighting
- Background distractions
- Sound quality
Mini role-play – In breakout pairs:
- One student is the interviewer
- One is the interviewee
Interviewer must:
- Build rapport despite the screen
- Ask the three priority questions
- Manage interruptions
- Notice non-verbal cues limited to the frame
Group discussion
- What made rapport harder?
- How did tech issues shape the interview?
Resource: For those focused on broadcast, review Interviewing for video journalists.
14:45–15:00 – Break
15:00 – 16:00: Telephone interview listening & follow-up
Focus: Tone interpretation, silence, repetition, accuracy
Activity outline
Listening warm-up – Trainer plays three short recorded sentences said in different tones (evasive, confident, emotional). Students interpret meaning and intent.
Mock phone interview – Pairs conduct a simulated phone interview (no video allowed).
Objectives:
- Ask for name/title spelling
- Confirm interview terms
- Listen for tone cues
- Use silence strategically
- Politely repeat dodged questions
- Read back key quotes
Accuracy drill – After the mock call, students compare notes with their partner:
- Did they capture quotes correctly?
- What tone clues did they pick up?
Debrief – What emotional/contextual details were harder to catch without visuals?
16:00-16:15 – Break
16:15–17:15 – Ethical editing lab: Do no harm
Focus: Editing rules, distortion risks, clarifications, right of response
Activity outline
Mini-Lecture – Review the lesson text’s rules about editing:
- No changing order
- No taking out of context
- No distortion
- Must allow clarification/correction when appropriate
Editing exercise – Students receive a raw transcript from a remote interview (email, IM, or phone). They must produce:
- A short, publishable interview extract
- Without altering meaning
- Without reordering quotes
- Without exaggeration
Ethics scenarios – Groups respond to three dilemmas:
- Interviewee complains about editing
- Interviewee wants to approve the piece
- Sensitive quote seems damaging if published
Peer review – Groups swap their edited versions to check:
Resource: Note that these core skills apply to all contexts. For specific high-stakes environments, consider reading on topics such as Interviewing politicians.
17:15–17:45 – Final reflection & takeaways
Whole-class facilitated reflection:
- Which remote method best supports accuracy?
- Which best supports spontaneity?
- Which is most vulnerable to manipulation or misunderstanding?
- How can journalists maintain trust and integrity across all formats?
- What habits (checklists, verification steps, follow-up plans) will students carry forward into professional practice?
The session ends with a reminder that strong remote interviewing is built on good journalism ethics, careful preparation, and flexible adaptation to each platform.
Final assignment (post-training)
Assignment title: “Remote interview portfolio”
Submission options: Written + screenshots/transcripts/notes
Deadline: Trainer to specify
Task overview
Students must produce a three-part remote interviewing portfolio that demonstrates mastery of the skills from all sessions.
Closing remarks
Summarise that remote interviewing is a powerful, essential tool when used with careful preparation, clear communication, and an awareness of the unique risks associated with each method.
