Bryant Furlow
Verified
As seen in:
The Lancet,
MSN,
Yahoo News,
Flipboard,
Salon,
Medscape,
ProPublica,
Yahoo,
The Charlotte Observer,
Truthout,
Albuquerque Journal
and
Covers:
mental health, computed tomography, cancer, radiology, corruption, medicaid, medicine, oncology, heathcare, health insurance, open government, medial research, oncology nursing, diseases and conditions, chemotherapy
Find me @bryantfurlow.bsky.social
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Science columnist at my college paper
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yep.
How is social media changing news?
The good: broader and more specific audiences. The bad/ugly: Rumor echo-chamber effects and poor vetting/reporting...
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Michael Nyqvist
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a gatekeeper, impartial and accurate. At its best, journalism questions assumptions, tests claims and scrutinizes prevailing or official narratives.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Can't repeat that here!
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
With a PDF study p/reprint, funding sources, author affiliations and interview availability.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Statistical analysis software (e.g., Statview), SQL database queries, DocumentCloud, WordPress, and public records requests.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Why did you become a journalist?
To explore fascinating and important research, explain science, and question authority.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Nope, but I did write for my college paper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My investigative series on (1) state regulators' lax reviews of health insurance rate hikes, and (2) the off-label sedation of jail inmates.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Find your motivation, be it fascination or outrage, and commit yourself to good fieldcraft, no matter how seemingly small the story.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I work 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain time, every weekday. (Email's best: bryant.furlow@gmail.com)
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.