Emmanuel Abara Benson
(He/Him)
As seen in:
MSN,
MSN Australia,
MSN Money Canada,
MSN New Zealand,
MSN UK,
Business Insider,
Business Insider Africa,
Yahoo News,
Substack,
Pulse Nigeria
and
Covers:
Business, finance, African economies, startups, African companies, fintech, entrepreneurship, corporate governance, mergers & acquisitions, corporate profiles, financial literacy, etc
Former Editor: Nairametrics, Business Insider Africa, etc/ Media Exec.
Bylines: @BusinessInsider, @BusInsiderSSA, @Nairametrics, @PulseNigeria247
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
A business news reporter, tasked with tracking and reporting on trending business stories.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No; I am not that old. Lol.
How is social media changing news?
Social Media has completely changed how people consume news. Everything is now real-time and many people want news on the go...
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Zoe Marie Barnes
What does it mean to be a journalist?
A journalist informs the people, helping them make wiser decisions and take necessary actions.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I can't recall.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
First of all, I like stories to have what we call "a human angle". Once it directly affects people, I am sold to it.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I have worked with different Content Management Systems (CMSs). I still do. I'm also familiar with WordPress, MS Word, Excel, Teams, Slack...
What's your favorite social network?
LinkedIn.
Who do you wish followed you?
Mike Bloomberg
Why did you become a journalist?
I can't see myself becoming anything else. Writing/storytelling is everything to me.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. I was a gossip reporter. Lol.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I have a lot of stories I am proud of. It is hard to pick out just one.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Pursue the story no matter what it takes.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Weekdays.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The pitch was to write a PR article for an almost-dead brand. It was interesting...
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I can't recall.
What's your favorite drink?
Coca Cola.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In my bed. Lol.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Forbes, Bloomberg, Financial Times, etc.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Some people think it's boring, but it's really not.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.