Chapter 12 THE INTERVIEW FORMAT 149 Preparation The producer should research the topic of conversation as well as the background of the guest. If the guest has written a book or journal articles or has appeared in news stories, try to read or view what is available. Provide the host with a relevant but brief synopsis of the research. The guest will appreciate that the host has done his or her homework. This could help the guest to be more open to a lively conversation, and it avoids the chance that he or she could feel on the defensive. Either the host or the producer will write the questions for the interview. The host's knowledge of the subject will not only help develop rapport with the guest, but it will let the host stray from the prepared questions if the conversation warrants it. In the corporate setting it is common to provide the guest with the list of questions in advance, but if you rely on only those ques- tions and answers, the interview could seem staged. Encourage both the guest and the host to move the conversation into inter- esting and relevant tangents. If your background is in television news reporting, try to