Ben Lampman
(He/Him)
Lincoln
As seen in:
The Daily Nebraskan,
Seward County Independent,
The Milford Times,
The Crete News,
Wilber Republican,
Friend Sentinel
Covers:
Ideally feature and enterprise stories, but I have written on a variety of topics. I heavily prefer anything related to nature, natural sciences or science in general, however!
Doesn't Cover:
Nothing, really. I strongly dislike road stories, but I will begrudgingly still take them.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Reporting news at the student paper, the Daily Nebraskan
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No, and I don't plan on it.
How is social media changing news?
It is allowing information to spread much faster without needing specific platforms, increasing the risk of misinformation for speed.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Peter Parker
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I like to joke that we are the modern day scribes. Without us there's not much record of things that happen, at least in an objective way.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
No clue. I take news seriously.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Frequently and without reservation.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google and adobe suites normally. I am getting into R and I also still like to use otter for interviews (mainly to timestamp specific quotes)
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook,,, if more people used it,
Who do you wish followed you?
Obama. He follows my favorite former professor.
Why did you become a journalist?
I won't shut up when it comes to telling people about my day.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. I did debate instead.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My story on the Salt Creek Tiger Beetle for the Nebraska News Service!
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
There's no moment when you know how to do journalism. If you've told someone a story about a thing you've seen, you've already started.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime (Please)
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A story about an ancient quilt finished to honor somebody's dead sister.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A seven year old performed at his first rodeo. It was a good idea but the kid did not want to talk about it and they lived hours away.
What's your favorite drink?
Black coffee.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Outside. Often bug collecting or taking walks.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I'm partial to the Onion. Sue me.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I really like human interest, and people can definitely see them as fluff pieces. I think they're necessary to understand something new.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.