Christian Annesley
VerifiedInterview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Editor of Evandale's Insurance News 24 -- a bulletin of world insurance news for the industry. It was just me, newswires and some stringers.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I used a green-screen Amstrad when I was a student. The internet and email was just coming in.
How is social media changing news?
There are hundreds more outlets with visibility, and social media funnels what people see. That's good in some respects and bad in others.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Tintin
What does it mean to be a journalist?
We are story-tellers. We need to do it fairly.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
By email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Software/cloud: Google docs and sheets and Hangouts. Evernote. Hardware: Chromebook mostly. And iPhone.
What's your favorite social network?
LinkedIn
Who do you wish followed you?
No-one in particular.
Why did you become a journalist?
I like chatting to people and I like story-telling. I think there is interest in everything, once you delve.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My work at Computer Weekly while news editor. We won a PPA award, on the back of Tony Collins' work, for a campaign on the NHS IT programme.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Read widely at all times and don't be afraid to pick up the phone to people or meet them. Journalism isn't about rewriting press releases.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Early in the day.
What's your favorite drink?
Various pale ales.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Doing things with my family. I've three children. It's busy.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Economist
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That businesses don't have much useful, granular insight to share. Most businesses and business leaders have shared very little. Speak up.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.