CoPro interviewing: understanding audiences through co-constructed proxy interviews

Purpose This study proposes CoPro interviewing as a participatory method in qualitative research and examines its value in audience research and journalistic practice. Design/methodology/approach The study takes a qualitative approach, drawing on the concepts of proxy interviewing (Cammett, 2013) and structured facilitation tools like concept cards (Sutton, 2011). A case study of a Danish media company illustrates the implementation of CoPro interviewing, including its advantages and challenges. Findings The study shows that CoPro interviewing enhances audience engagement by enabling media professionals to serve as intermediaries in qualitative research. It finds that CoPro interviewing facilitates candid dialogue, builds trust and allows for more nuanced audience insights. However, challenges include potential biases introduced by intermediaries, constraints of structured tools and the need for training to ensure methodological rigor. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing body of research on participatory qualitative methods. It offers a novel methodological approach, CoPro interviewing, that integrates media professionals into audience research.