Newsmakers
People who make the news are people you’ll spend a lot of time interviewing. Why? Because we’re writing about them. These are often primary sources in articles.
Spokespeople
The movers and shakers at companies or institutions delegate communication down to a given expert or spokesperson who works with media. These people are reliable. Sometimes, though, working with a spokesperson can be frustrating, especially if the newsmaker seems to be “hiding” behind the spokesperson.
Experts
Working on a complex story about something that may be over the typical reader’s head? Need someone to back up a position or theory in a story? Experts are good interviews, just make sure they’re really experts. Surprisingly evaluating an “expert” at a subject isn’t as easy as it seems. Many aren’t backed up by doctorates, but rather understanding of pop culture or a specific subject. Does that make them experts? You’ll have to decide if what they add is relevant.
Official records
This is an especially good primary source for stories where public record is available. Have charges been filed against a specific person? Then there is a record to quote from, even if the characters in the story don’t want to be quoted. Does that mean you don’t interview the “human” voices? No, you make an attempt. The record should serve as a complement to the other voices.
Reference material
Today a lot of people go to the Internet. Don’t run to the Web first. Reference books, dictionaries and phone books are good primary sources, but again, your reporting shouldn’t end there.
Everyday Joe’s
Often called the “man on the street” interview, you will have to approach someone you don’t know and ask them a question. Does it happen for every story? No. Is quoting an “everyday Joe” always necessary? Definitely not. Do we need to quote a man on the street to respond to police staffing going down? Not always. You can file the story with a quote from the police chief or spokesperson, maybe a business owner in a crime heavy part of town. For a story about where a crime happened, should you quote a “man on the street” witness? Only if that person appears reliable. You never know people’s motives for being interviewed.
Websites
Watch quoting the Internet excessively. Don’t find a random website that supports what your story is about and quote it. Don’t run to Wikipedia for the hard truth on a subject without checking the page edits and sources. Some websites will always be reliable, such as the Centers for Disease Control, but even at that, check the date. (Note: A story reported 100 percent from Internet sources isn’t always a well-reported story.)
Observation
This is often a good tool for “setting the scene” for a story, but watch interpreting how people “feel.” You don’t know how they feel, because you’re not in their head. Also remember that sometimes your observation isn’t accurate. Don’t guess.