What was your first job as a journalist?
I wrote about music, films and books for a magazine in Spain. It was a dream job.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
When I was a kid. My father was a journo for a brief period of his life so we had typewriters at home. I loved typing on them.
How is social media changing news?
I just wrote a book about this!
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Hildy Johnson.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
"Journalism is people who tell people what other people do". Eugenio Scalfari.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Oldie but goldie. Keeps delivering.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via email or a Messenger chat.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Everything I can put my hands on.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
He's dead. I always wanted to meet David Carr. It's funny how influential someone you never met could be on your work and life.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I wanted to be a writer from a very early age and I loved magazines.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I was the editor. Although we didn't have one that was regularly published.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Read everything you can.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
During my time in Spain I worked a lot as a fixer for many publications. It was great. I loved doing the reporting and skipping the writing.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Probably some trendy food related stuff.
What's your favorite drink?
Wine
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading on my sofa.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New Yorker. Vanity Fair. Wired. The Ringer. Washington Post. Longform. Columbia Journalism Review. Stratechery.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Some people think my Media criticism is based on pessimism. It's not. It's based on how passionate I feel about doing it better.
