Minneapolis News Team interrogates TV critic Neal Justin

On Monday, the ThreeSixty’s Minneapolis News Team learned that David Letterman is great fun to interview, according to the Star Tribune’s TV critic Neal Justin.

News Team is a new class ThreeSixty started this fall to offer students interested in writing a chance to learn journalistic and reporting skills that might not be offered at their schools.

“That’s one benefit of interviewing people who don’t get interviewed very often,” Justin told them about Letterman. “They aren’t stale. They don’t give you stale stories.”

This is the unique opportunity News Team offers Twin Cities teens — practicing interviewing by quizzing a pro like Justin.

We started the Minneapolis News Team just one month ago, but already, it feels like we’ve got a group of experienced reporters there. While prepping for their group interview, reporters impressed us with the range of questions they came up with – everything from what Justin would do to make TV better if somehow appointed to the Federal Communications Commission to the weirdest moment he’s ever had during his career.

One reporter, Kristen, even managed to dig up in her background research that Justin was born in Canada.

Before the interview started, one reporter asked if teachers would jump in if there were any awkward silences. “No,” I said.

She made an exaggerated pout, but didn’t look all that scared. And it turned out she had no reason to be. They could have interviewed Justin for an hour without running out of questions.

On Friday, reporters will be turning in profiles of Justin. They collected a lot of information about his background and job, but they also quizzed him extensively on his perspectives on how to do good journalism, and what the future holds for the industry. We were already impressed with them, but this line of questioning was the most reassuring that these teens are genuinely interested in how to become involved in journalism. He gave them deep knowledge of the industry, and how to do journalism well.

Justin told them to go to journalism school even though some people now are saying getting a specialty would be better. Journalism schools still offer the widest range of study options, Justin said.

He also told them to always fight to do your interviews in person, when possible, and try to interview sources where they work, or at least not in a room without windows, like the one we were in.

When Alan Alda came to town recently, Justin interviewed him while touring the Science Museum of Minnesota because Alda was promoting a new show about the human brain.

He also told them when writing to just focus on what you remember, and let that be your guide to your central theme.

That’s exactly what they did. After the interview, they returned to their computers where for an hour News Team reporters entered into the struggle all reporters experience — turning their awesome group interview into interesting reading.

We haven’t taught students anything about structuring stories yet, or even how to write a good lead. They are writing blind. But I can’t wait to see what they turn in on Friday.

Because the seed of journalism is alive and growing in the training room at the Strib – genuine and broad curiosity.

And we are looking for St. Paul and East Metro teens who share that curiosity to join our St. Paul News Team starting Nov. 10 at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. If you’re interested, contact Lynda McDonnell or Annie Nelson at (651) 962-5282 or (651) 962-5269, or email info@threesixtyjournalism.com.