Before sliding into your source's DMs, approach the situation with a journalistic mindset
The email interview is a frowned upon technique in the news industry. Some say it can allow comments to go unchallenged. Others dismiss it as lazy or the sign of a weak journalist.
But sometimes, a written Q&A is not about a journalist lacking nerves or integrity; it just makes more practical sense. And it can be perfectly acceptable and rigorous if the right parameters and approaches are in place. Journo Resources fellow Ally Dining details some of those best practices.
According to Rachael Krishna, who previously worked at BuzzFeed and FullFact, DMs can open access to private groups and better stories. But be wary not to get sucked into the informality of the situation and get everything backed up afterwards, including voice notes.
"Never assume they’re forever, save and screenshot whatever’s there. And conduct yourself like a phone interview, you never know what might be made public," it reads.
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