Charles Van Horn
Verified
(He/Him)
- News and Sports Director/On Air, WYOT-FM (Rochelle, IL)
- None, WYOT-FM (Rochelle, IL)
Rochelle, United States
Radio Personality
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Afternoon news on a small town radio station. I covered a tornado in my hometown.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. Learned to type on a manual, then upgraded to an IBM Selectric III
How is social media changing news?
Something something before the truth can get its shoes tied.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Brenda Starr
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Liberty dies in darkness. Mold grows in dimly lit rooms.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Where is the speedbump
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email. If you call me on the phone I will risk libel to trash you.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Anything that is free and not bolted down
What's your favorite social network?
Sadly Facebook. It's also my least favorite.
Who do you wish followed you?
Prosperity
Why did you become a journalist?
It was entirely on accident. Nobody else wanted to step up to the plate and tackle the task
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
We didn't have one. I self published school announcements from time to time. That did lead to some reflection of my abilities in detention.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
The aftermath of two devastating fires in Mendota, Illinois
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Nothing Ever Happens. If someone tells you about a big news story, it will be nothing. If someone claims something will happen, it won't.
When's the best time to pitch you?
2 PM - 5 PM. That's when I'm napping.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Sexy singles in your area want to meet you. Although that may not have come through official channels.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
THE PRICES THIS WEEKEND AT THE CARPET AND TILE OUTLET ARE THE LOWEST OF THE YEAR. Yes. I'm sure they are.
What's your favorite drink?
Coke.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Hiking or in the garage
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Variety
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That this story about a city council voting to put in a park bench is somehow politically bent to sway the audience one way or another.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.