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John Stanton on Muck Rack

John Stanton

Verified
New Orleans
Covers:  national security, geopolitics
Doesn't Cover: cancer
Gogo fanatic, crawfish lover, @The_Gambit Editor. Formerly of BuzzFeed, one time bouncer. send me tips and scoops at jstanton@gambitweekly.com

Interview

What was your first job as a journalist?

college newspaper--opinion

Have you ever used a typewriter?

yes

How is social media changing news?

bypassing legacy media's filters and cozy arrangements with civil-military organizations...alluded to it here Terror in Cyberspace: Terrorists Will Exploit and Widen the Gap Between Governing Structures and the Public

Who's your favorite fictional journalist?

Joe Galloway

What does it mean to be a journalist?

someone sources believe is trustworthy, credible; someone comfortable in the background while the story moves on

What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?

The Onion: Pope To Reduce His Twitter Followers’ Time In Purgatory

How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?

specializes in national security and political matters...designed and teaches a national security course in DC Metro at private high school

What tools and software do you use to do your job?

internet, world wide web, research, interviews, telephone (land-mobile), social media, brain

What's your favorite social network?

Facebook + Linkedin

Who do you wish followed you?

Neils Bohr, George C. Marshall, Camus, Bolano, Vasily Grossman

Why did you become a journalist?

I wanted to be a Jesuit priest--SOJ-- 'til I found out "no women." So, I figured spreading the word about how the world works would be ++

Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?

Opinion writing.

What story are you most proud of writing or working on?

US Army's Human Terrain System, 2008-2013. A collection of 4 years worth of work--110 sources, 115 articles--collected in a new book.

What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?

don't sell your soul; establish trust with sources, protect them; make use of Internet and WWW; don't do it for the $ or fame.

When's the best time to pitch you?

whenever

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