something instead of nothing

Why do people answer the questions you ask them? Is there a unifying force that prompts people to respond? I thought these questions were interesting. I believe that not by saying anything, you are saying something. For example, if Susan's business is being portrayed in bad light in the media for something they are accused of doing, Susan may be asked questions by reporters. If she says nothing in response, reporters can turn that around and make assumptions out of her saying nothing.

Another thing i wanted to point out before we conduct our final issues deals with interview questions. I'm a broadcast journalism major and have spent the past few years conducting many, many interviews. One thing i've found is that preparation is very important. Preparing the questions you plan to ask can help the interview move smoothing. However, it's important to really listen to the interviewee for their responses. Some of the best material i've gotten for stories have been from spontaneous questions branched off of something the interviewee had said. Also, it's important in an interview to steer the conversation. If there's a stance or an angle you are trying to convey, you have to guide your interviewee in the direction sometimes. You have control over the outcome of the interview so if you end up with crappy material, it's because you didn't do your job thoroughly enough.