What was your first job as a journalist?
Writing entertainment news coverage for Movies.com, a division of Fandango.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, my grandmother gave me a lesson in how to use them on the model she used to write her syndicated column for the local newspaper.
How is social media changing news?
It depends on the beat. Sometimes it allows for writers and readers to go deeper, while in other places it oversimplifies matters of import.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Clark Kent.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To take on the responsibility and integrity of accurately informing the public about topics that they find important.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
, or .
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Typically I have to pitch to myself, since I'm primarily on my own in my beat.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
A laptop, Chrome, WordPress, Google Docs, Dialpad, a trusty recorder and a notepad.
What's your favorite social network?
My favorite is also my least favorite, because it's instant but also often corrosive: Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Anyone who has found value in the things I have to say, it's always gratifying and reinforces why I do what I do.
Why did you become a journalist?
I'm a Clark Kent fan. There's power and nobility in relating truth, as long as we observe it.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Briefly, yes. Worked primarily on issues of student government and relaying them to the student body.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A set report for The Dark Knight Rises, and stories on how seniors can be legitimately helped in retirement.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Ask to talk to people even when you think they won't say yes. You might be surprised!
When's the best time to pitch you?
Mid-morning or early afternoon.
What's your favorite drink?
A root beer float. Perfection.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In a comic book or retro game store, if I'm not at home.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New York Times, and the monthly issues of BATMAN.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it functions as industry advocacy, when all it focuses on is reporting what happens in it, and the external factors that affect it.
