Alison Ashton
(She/Her)
- Owner, Content Kitchen
- None, FREELANCE (PARADE MAGAZINE)
- None, PARADE/CONTENT KITCHEN
Los Angeles, United States
As seen in:
Yahoo Life,
Aol,
Miami Herald,
Health,
Parade Magazine,
The Charlotte Observer,
The Sacramento Bee,
American Automobile Association (AAA),
Lexington Herald-Leader,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
and
Covers:
food, beverage, health, wellness, travel
Digital producer Alison Ashton is the founder of Content Kitchen, serving up tasty content audiences crave.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I worked at a weekly newspaper in La Jolla, Calif. It was tiny, but I got to interview a lot of interesting people, including Gregory Peck.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
haha -- YES!
How is social media changing news?
I think social media is influencing what constitutes "news" as outlets jump on the bandwagon to grab eyeballs and traffic.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist = being a lifelong student!
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#saladgate (re: Olivia Wilde's salad dressing)
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email -- and please don't forget basic details, like the location of your client. You'd be surprised how many are missing that.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Mac desktop, MS Word, Lightroom, Photoshop, CaptureOne, Canva, a huge range of cookware (key for recipe development)
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram, but I *really* need to develop my TikTok game.
Why did you become a journalist?
The opportunity to research and learn about a wide range of topics. You're always learning something new!
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, I was more into drama club in high school!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I had a chance to interview Martha Stewart, and she was fascinating!
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Explore new platforms and mediums as they arise -- they could provide a great venue for you to stand out from the crowd.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A recent cold pitch that comes to mind was for Chris Hemsworth's fitness app. Timing + topic turned out to be a good match for my outlet.
What's your favorite drink?
Vodka martini with twist
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In the kitchen!
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I absolutely love Christopher Kimball's Milk Street -- it's a solid publication for anyone who loves to cook.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Not a misconception so much, but I think people don't always consider lead times, even for digital outlets.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.