AI Prompts for Journalists and Researchers: Interview Prep, Source Outreach, and Story Angles

Journalism and research involve a lot of unglamorous prep work: background reading, question drafting, source outreach, and story framing. AI won't replace your editorial judgment — but it can compress the prep phase dramatically.

Here are five prompts built for journalists and researchers, with notes on how to apply them responsibly.

1. Pre-Interview Question Set

"I'm interviewing [name/role] about [topic]. Generate 10 interview questions that progress from context-setting to probing. Include 2 questions that challenge the subject's stated position and 1 that asks about failure or setbacks. My angle: [describe your story angle]"

Commentary: AI is good at generating the questions you know you should ask but haven't written down yet. Always add 2-3 of your own that only you would think to ask based on your reporting.

2. Source Outreach Email

"Write a cold outreach email to a potential source for a story about [topic]. I'm a [journalist/researcher] at [outlet/institution]. I'm looking for [type of perspective: expert / on-the-record / background]. Keep it under 100 words. Credible, specific, not salesy."

Commentary: Cold source emails fail when they're vague or too long. This prompt forces brevity and specificity. Customize the 'why you' sentence before sending — sources can tell when it's generic.

3. Story Angle Generator

"I'm covering [topic/event/trend]. Generate 5 distinct story angles: one data-driven, one human interest, one conflict/tension angle, one solutions-focused, and one contrarian take. For each, suggest a headline and one type of source I should seek."

Commentary: Use this when you have a beat but not a story. The contrarian angle is often the most publishable — readers and editors are tired of the conventional frame.

4. Background Research Summary

"Summarize the following source material into a 200-word background brief I can use before an interview. Highlight: key facts, open questions, notable contradictions, and any claims that warrant follow-up. Source: [paste article, report, or notes]"

Commentary: AI-generated summaries can contain errors — always cross-check facts against the original source before using them in published work. Treat this as a reading aid, not a final reference.

5. FOI / Records Request Draft

"Draft a FOIA/public records request for [agency/department] seeking [specific records: emails, contracts, meeting minutes] related to [topic] from [date range]. Cite the relevant statute if applicable. Tone: formal and legally precise."

Commentary: Records requests that are too broad get denied; too narrow and you miss the story. This prompt gives you a solid starting structure — have it reviewed by an attorney or your outlet's legal contact if the request is sensitive.

Better Prep, Better Stories

AI won't do your reporting. But it will make your prep faster, your questions sharper, and your source outreach more polished. The editorial judgment is still yours.

Get the full AI Prompt Pack for journalists, researchers, and 40+ other professional roles.