- Journalists are usually on a deadline. Ask them:
- how tight their deadline is
- how long they are able to spend with you
- when they think the story will publish
- Journalists choose what goes in the story
- A reporter may talk to you for an hour or more but only use 30 seconds of your story. Feel free to ask them how long the piece is and how you will be featured
- Journalists can run things by you before they publish
- They may say no because of their editors, but some reporters offer this option to help survivors feel more comfortable
- Reporters must tell a balanced story
- Don’t be alarmed if they speak to other sources such as law enforcement, academic experts, etc
- Journalists may be new to covering gun violence
- Tell them what they can do to make you more comfortable
- Set boundaries about what you want to or don’t want to talk about
- Ask for a break when you need one
- Stay in touch
- You can ask a reporter for their phone number so you can follow up with them. They should discuss with you when they expect the piece to come out and when they will next be in touch