15 April 2025
Summary:
The power of good question
Can a question change the world? In journalism, it often does. A good question opens doors, unlocks stories, and creates space for truth to shine. It’s not about sounding smart – it’s about being curious, intentional, and present. In this article you will discover the art of asking questions: how to shape them, when to use them, and why the right one can be more powerful than any answer. Ready to sharpen your toolbox? Let’s begin.
Introduction
What questions do you ask? Are they good questions? Do you prepare for an interview or do you develop questions in advance? Or do you rely on the same safe set every time?
Remember: an answer can shine like gold in the sun – or like grey plastic in a landfill.
The art of asking questions can be learnt. Questions stimulate your audience. Active listening and an atmosphere of trust generate further questions. The right choice of questions helps you manage the rhythm of the conversation.
The question is the key, not the ornament.
And most importantly – as Albert Einstein reportedly said – The most important thing is to never stop asking questions.
Below, you’ll find several types of journalistic questions – your toolbox of screwdrivers for unlocking the heart of a conversation.
Types of journalistic questions
Each of these is like a different screwdriver in an interviewer’s toolbox. Some go deep, others unlock things gently. The key is knowing which one to use. With the right question, you don’t just reach the topic – you reach the person behind it.
Open-ended
Definition: Encourages developed answers and lets people express their thoughts.
Example: What made you decide to go to university abroad?
Closed
Definition: Can be answered briefly – usually with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Example: Do you agree with the statement that women should be ordained as priests in the Catholic Church?
Provocative
Definition: Designed to stir emotions or challenge the interviewee’s stance.
Example: Why should Women’s Day be abolished?
Clarifying
Definition: Aims to better understand a previous statement.
Example: What exactly did you mean by using artificial intelligence in psychological therapies?
A good question is more than half of the interview. The rest is listening.
Suggestive
Definition: Hints at an expected answer or contains an assumption.
Example: Would you agree that the decision to resign Pope Benedict XVI was a win-win situation?
Hypothetical
Definition: Explores behaviour in imagined scenarios.
Example: What would you do if you became president of the United States? What would be your first 3 decisions?
Mirror
Definition: Reflects back what the person just said to confirm or deepen the point.
Example: So just to clarify – you’d like to double the budget for personnel management using AI?
Rhetorical
Definition: Doesn’t expect an answer – meant to provoke thought.
Example: Can we afford to ignore malaria and AIDS in Africa?
Confrontational
Definition: Pits two pieces of information against each other to provoke explanation.
Example: How do you explain the decision to close your company’s branch in Italy, when last year you said the opposite?
Personal
Definition: Taps into the interviewee’s emotions or private life.
Example: What was the toughest moment in your career – and how did you get through it?
Contrast
Definition: Compares two choices to spark reflection.
Example: Which is harder – working with a camera or a microphone?
One-shot
Definition: One quick question, one answer. Perfect for TikTok, Instagram, or Reels.
Example: What is one word that describes your city?
Flash
Definition: Short, punchy, often contrasting. Great for video polls or vox pops.
Example: Coffee or tea? Freedom or security? iPhone or Android?
Storytelling
Definition: Encourages narrative answers. Ideal for podcasts or reports.
Example: Tell me about the day you decided to drop everything and start over.
The mindset behind the microphone
Before you ask a question – ask yourself: are you here to connect, or just collect clicks?
In the age of Instagram filters and TikTok trends, it’s easy to treat interviews like content-fishing trips: throw a question, reel in a quote, post, repeat. But journalism isn’t a selfie session. It’s more like brewing coffee – slow drip, not instant. You need patience, warmth, and the right blend of curiosity.
A good question isn’t just a tool – it’s an invitation. And your mindset sets the tone. If you show up with genuine interest, people will open up. If you show up like a pop-up ad – they’ll scroll past you, emotionally.
The real magic happens when you treat people not like accounts on a screen, but like real human beings with stories to tell. No hashtags needed. Because when someone feels truly seen, they’ll go deeper than any algorithm ever could.
Is the question more important than the answer?
In a world where everyone has something to say, asking the right question matters more than ever. A question is not just a starting point – it’s often a key to someone’s inner self.
A good question doesn’t have to be clever. It doesn’t have to outsmart anyone. But it must be sincere, engaging, and asked with attention. That’s when an interview becomes a meeting. That’s when a conversation becomes a story worth remembering.
Don’t be afraid of silence – that’s where the answer is born.
Don’t fear silence after a question. Don’t worry if it sounds simple. Sometimes the simplest questions are the most powerful. Sometimes a quiet Why? breaks more barriers than a paragraph of smart-sounding fluff.
Mobile journalism is not just about what you record. It’s about whether you can hear what hasn’t been said yet. And to hear it – you must first ask.
So practise asking. Revise. Sharpen your curiosity. Let your question open doors, crack open silence, and stir something real in the hearts of those you meet.
Because a journalist without a good question is like a cook without spices: They’ll cook something, but it won’t taste of much.
And you? What question would you like to ask the world today?
Conclusion
In the end, journalism isn’t just about having the right equipment or publishing quickly – it’s about connection. And questions are your bridge. The more intentional your questions, the deeper the stories you’ll uncover. So keep listening, keep wondering, and above all – keep asking. Because sometimes, the question you dare to ask becomes the answer someone has been waiting to give.
And don’t wait for the “perfect” moment. Ask questions on the go – in interviews, in stories, in life. Whether you’re filming with your phone, capturing voices in a podcast, or writing a short caption – let curiosity guide you. In the noisy world of content, it’s not volume that stands out, but authenticity. And that often begins with one, well-aimed question.
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