What was your first job as a journalist?
I came into journalism late in my media career - I had already been over 20 years as a broadcaster and columnist
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes
How is social media changing news?
It's giving a voice to those not qualified to be media specialists, to be 'specialists' in the media.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Do you mean a journalist who wrote fiction? If so, then George Orwell
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Knowing the truth, while most others believe otherwise
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Computer, mobile phone, thesaurus, dictionary, books, Evernote, Grammarly, Skype, Twitter, Hootsuite, Feedly, Flipboard, Trello, Wordpress,
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Carl Sagan
Why did you become a journalist?
It combined storytelling with searching for the truth
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. I was editor of our university residence magazine
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My latest book - about Tim Noakes, the world-renowned sports scientist who was put on trial for challenging current nutrition guidelines.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Embrace the ABC of journalism: accept nothing, believe no-one, check everything.
When's the best time to pitch you?
1000 GMT +2
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Is Tim Noakes an evidence-based scientist or a flip-flopper?
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
What's the science of nail polish?
What's your favorite drink?
Water
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Wired UK
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That readers/listeners/viewers don't have an appetite for science
