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Bill Birnbauer on Muck Rack

Bill Birnbauer

(He/Him)
  • CEO and Founder at Democracy's Watchdogs Incorporated, Freelance
Melbourne
As seen in: Sydney Morning Herald, The Conversation, The Age, Routledge, Brisbane Times, WAtoday, The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Missoulian, Idaho Press, San Antonio Report and
Journalist, academic, PhD, aikido. Democracy's Watchdogs: democracyswatchdogs.org @DemoWatchOrg US nonprofit journalism: bit.ly/3z8CBS8
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Interview

What was your first job as a journalist?

Monitoring the news, then getting the chief of staff breakfast.

Have you ever used a typewriter?

Yes, when I started in 1975.

What does it mean to be a journalist?

To get as close to the verifiable and defendable truth as possible. It means to hold power to account and work for the public interest.

Why did you become a journalist?

Someone lit a spark that has burned brightly since.

What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?

Follow your passion; don't be a sheep. Kill your ego.

When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?

Dojo, pool, bike.
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