What was your first job as a journalist?
Writing about sewer construction (and I'll joke that it might've been a sign).
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. It's the same one my late grandfather, a former EPA man, used to type his reports.
How is social media changing news?
Social media has transformed sourcing, gaffe-finding and is a laser for breaking news. It also allows for instant critical slap-back.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl's character in Tim Burton's 1989 'Batman')
What does it mean to be a journalist?
If we didn't report it, it didn't happen. I like giving the archives substance, and I feel good informing my neighbors.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Whatever relates to reporters' salaries.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
An email with short list of the topic's strongest points.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Pen, notepad, Notepad, voice recorder, laptop, iPhone, TweetDeck, microphone, mixing board, Adobe Audition, Trim-Label-Convert, video stuff.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Marty Feldman (RIP)
Why did you become a journalist?
An honest love for writing and explaining paired with the condition of being a jittery skeptic.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I investigated irregularities in voter registration on a high-dollar, low-population island in a series that received statewide attention.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't get cocky, don't show off, always remember you don't know as much as you think you do.
