Navy  public  affairs  offices  have  adequate  reference libraries. To do any extensive research, learn to use the facilities of the nearest Navy, public or college library. Here you can find the necessary books, encyclopedias, almanacs,  magazines,  atlases,  directories,  indexes  and similar  references.  The  Naval  Historical  Center (OP-09BH),  Washington,  D.C.,  is  a  good  source  of additional information about the Navy. INTERVIEWS About 90 percent of everything in a news story is based on some form of interviewing — either in person, by telephone, or occasionally, by correspondence. As a Navy journalist in search of information, you must  learn  who  to  get  information  from  and  how  to record  facts.  You  must  learn  techniques  for  handling different kinds of people — how to draw some out, how to  keep  others  on  the  topic  and  how  to  evaluate  the motives or honesty of others. In short, you must learn how to get along with people and how to treat them with tact and understanding while still accomplishing your purpose. Types  of  Interviews A distinction must be made between news stories that are merely based on interviews and actual interview stories. Very seldom is a journalist present at the scene of  an  accident  as  it  takes  place  —  for  example,  at  a collision between two automobiles. A story of this type must be based entirely on interviews — either in person or by telephone — with the police, with eyewitnesses, with  the  victims  themselves,  and  depending  upon  the gravity  of  the  accident,  with  the  garage  mechanics, hospital attendants, relatives of the victims and others. In  news  stories  of  this  kind,  the  journalist  is concerned with a news event that requires interviewing people to learn the facts. The  interview  story,  on the other  hand,  is  essentially  a  feature  built  around  the views, personality or exploits of an individual or group of individuals. The difference, in most cases, is largely in the emphasis. In writing the  interview-based  news story,  you  stress  the  news,  whereas  in  the  interview story,   you   place   the   stress   on   the   person   being interviewed. Interviews  are  as  varied  as  the  people  who  grant them, the journalists who conduct them and the news that  suggests  them.  Rarely  are  interviews  so  mechanical that   they   can   be   reduced   to   standard   formulas   or categories.   Several   types,   however,   deserve   special attention  because  they  are  the  ones  that  occur  most frequently. They are as follows: News interview Telephone interview Casual interview Personality interview Symposium interview News conference Prepared question interview NEWS  INTERVIEW.—  The  news  interview  is based on “hard news,” some event or development of current  and  immediate  interest.  Suppose  you  are  a journalist assigned to the staff of Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMNAVAIRLANT), and a  new  supercarrier  has  been  launched  for  the  Navy. Later,  you  learn  the  earner  will  be  assigned  to  the Atlantic Fleet, and you are assigned to write the story. The  original  news  announcement  released  by  the shipyard or naval authorities would most likely contain only   the   broad,   straight   facts   —   cost,   size   and construction   details. A story of this scope is of major interest to the local community  of  the  supercarrier’s  home  port.  Media  want more information than is offered in the initial report. By interviewing   competent   news   sources,   such   as   key officers  on  COMNAVAIRLANT’s  staff,  and  asking well-defined,  carefully  considered  questions,  you  can localize, illuminate, expand and add depth to the original story. When will the ship be commissioned? How will the ship’s presence affect the local economy? What will its mission be? When is it expected to join the fleet? To which carrier division will it be assigned? Will there be a  flag  officer  embarked?  Has  a  prospective  CO  been selected?  How  will  this  new  carrier  strengthen  our national defense effort? In any interview, try to speak to the best authority available.  Do  not  settle  for  the  supply  clerk  if  the information you need should come from the CO. TELEPHONE   INTERVIEW.—   The  telephone interview, a modified version of the news interview, has a number of obvious advantages, and at the same time, it  has  several  limitations  that  challenge  a  resourceful journalist. Ingenuity and clear thinking are sometimes needed to locate a news source when a big story breaks; the  power  of  persuasion  is  often  necessary  to  elicit information from a reluctant person who can easily hang up  the  receiver,  and  a  sympathetic  telephone  voice  is 7-4