1. What happened?
2. When did it happen?
3. Who did it happen to?
4. What was the cause?
5. Were there any injuries? How bad were they?
6. How much damage has been caused?
7. What's the potential for continued damage or danger?
8. What went wrong?
9. Who's responsible?
10. What do you plan to do about it?
11. When will more information be available?
12. Can we interview the victims?
13. Have you notified the next of kin?

You'll notice that a reporter's questioning traditionally begins with the classic who, what, where, when, why, and how inquiries. These are considered neutral, open-ended questions that allow the person being interviewed to expound and answer in a way that provides the most basic information.
Most journalists and reporters began an interview with these questions to provide a base for their reporting. The answers these open-ended questions produce can allow a reporter to open into more detailed, probing questions for more thorough information. Open-ended, neutral questions are key to a reporter's questioning process.

In addition to open-ended questions, reporters have questioning tactics that help produce the best dramatic effects or information. Such tactics may be used in these ways:

- An interview or news story punctuated by short, succinct questions can produce the most dramatic, detailed effects. Long, rambling questions that include too much information don't allow the interviewee the chance to provide detailed answers;
- A reporter may be able to produce more detailed or personal answers by choosing their questions carefully. Questions that suggest or lead into important details can provide better answers than simple "Do you." or "Did you." questions;
- A hypothetical question can cause the person a reporter is interviewing to reveal personal insights not typically revealed by a traditional or direct question;
- The same question asked numerously, but in a different way each time, may eventually illicit a dramatic or more informative response.
- A reporter or journalist seeks to fill an interview with answers, not questions. A reporter or journalist can gauge the type of question that will allow the person being interviewed to offer information, and then follow up that volunteered information with questions that probe it.
- Reporters, especially on major news shows, may continue to remain silent after the person being interviewed has finished answering a question. This frequently causes the interviewee to continue talking, sometimes revealing more personal information, because they feel they need to fill dead space.

Such questioning techniques are commonly utilized by reporters and journalists, because the answers they lead into provide the most information, personal insights, and dramatic facets that make the best story.

Reporters and journalists are almost entirely free to ask whatever questions they wish. However, reporters are frequently ridiculed for asking questions that are not thoroughly researched, impractical, unrelated, and even silly. A reporter may blurt out obvious or ridiculous questions that contribute nothing to a report.
Additionally, a reporter may enter into an interview and choose confrontational questions that put their interviewee on the defense. Their questions may be deeply probing, personal, or blunt.

When questioning, a reporter should keep in mind the ethics associated with his or her profession. Questions that prey on the trauma of others or that are posed in an attempt to slant the issue to one the reporter is in favor of, should be avoided.

If a reporter wishes to question you, keep these tips in mind:

- If the reporter requests an appointment, write down their name and who they work for;
- If you need a few minutes to collect your thoughts, tell the reporter you will call back. Jot down a few notes if you wish, then call back in a timely manner;
- Expect tough questions, and prepare for them;
- Consider what message or point you would like to make;
- Provide succinct, factual answers in a friendly manner;
- Consider the high chances of being quoted, and speak in a manner you wouldn't mind appearing in print or on television.