Debora Aru
Verified
Data journalist. MA @cityjournalism bit.ly/Debportfolio
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Reporter for a local TV.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes!
How is social media changing news?
The impact of social media is dramatic. It is changing not only ho to find news and sources, but also how to spread information.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I don't have one.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means give a portion of contribution in building a better world.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Depends on the subject, the angle and if it is for TV, web, radio or newspaper.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Data viz: Tableau, Infogram, Google Charts and Google Fusion Tables, Datawrapper and Highcharts. On the mapping side, CartoDB and Mapbox
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook for stories and sources. Twitter for breaking news and trends.
Who do you wish followed you?
Non in particular.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I believe in truth and I still believe journalism is a mean to change the world.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
there were no newspaper in my high school.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A story about migration in Hungary and a reportage from a coal mine occupied by miner protesting against its closure.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be honest, with a high sense of ethics and work for the good of the community, not for money.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A story about a corrupted Italian politician.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I don't think I ever have got a bad pitch.
What's your favorite drink?
Depends on the moment of the day.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Somewhere reading a book or visiting a new place.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Stories related to migrants.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I don't know.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.