Ashley Murray
Verified
As seen in:
States Newsroom,
MSN,
MSN Canada,
MSN UK,
Wiley Online Library,
Yahoo News,
Aol,
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Patch,
Salon
and
Senior DC reporter for @statesnewsroom. Member of 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning team. Nebby. Pittsburgh born. DM me for Signal info. RTs not endorsements.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I began freelancing for The Allegheny Front, an independent environmental radio program airing on Pittsburgh's local NPR station.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
When I was in fourth grade, I wrote my first book report on my mom's typewriter. That was the last I saw of it.
How is social media changing news?
It's changing the way we get our news for sure. A new Pew study shows this. I know I find a lot of stories via Twitter.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I enjoyed the character in Mary Louis Kelly's "Anonymous Sources".
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To me, it means having the opportunity to learn something new with each new story or beat.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#ThingsTimHowardCouldSave during the World Cup. Lately, #WhenTrumpsElected has been pretty funny.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Phone calls, email, twitter all work for me.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Adobe Premiere, Audacity (at the office), Adobe Audition (at home), Sony HD camera, Zoom H2N recorder
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
NPR's Paris correspondent Eleanor Beardsley. Maybe she'd tell me I could have her job when she's finished with it!!!
Why did you become a journalist?
To hold the powerful accountable and to continue learning.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, my high school had an online publication. I was a staff writer.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I covered Pittsburgh's clean construction legislation and if they'd enact it in time for bridge demolition/construction next to a daycare.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep freelancing until you get a full-time gig! It's not going to be easy, but it's a great way to build your portfolio when you're young/new
When's the best time to pitch you?
In my new job, I'm just starting to accept pitches from freelancers and my intern. Mondays are bad.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
My intern is currently cooking up a fun podcast idea.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I do not receive a lot of pitches in my position at this time. As a young journalist, so far, I've always been the "pitcher."
What's your favorite drink?
Gin and tonic, but I'm warming up to Jack and GInger.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Outside on my porch or catching up on my TV shows.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I really enjoy reading in-depth magazine pieces from the New Yorker, The Atlantic, and the New York Times Magazine.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I still bounce around from subject to subject in my position. I cover environmental stories frequently, which is also pretty much a law beat.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
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