Erik Olson
Verified
Husband helping raise a daughter. Web producer for @ktvq. Ex print guy. Native Montanan. Ex Washingtonian. Once screwed up countervail to lose spelling bee.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Intern. Interview random people on the street for column. Good practice in approaching strangers.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, a long time ago.
How is social media changing news?
Pro: Flattening access to the media for the masses. Con: Eroding context and institutional knowledge from content
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Clark Kent, of course.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Telling the stories of communities fairly and accurately, while providing context. Seeking the deeper story beneath the press release.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#somethingsomethingtrump (don't know if this exists but it should)
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Facebook, Twitter, Google, smart phone camera, good old-fashioned pen and paper
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook
Who do you wish followed you?
On Twitter? Barack Obama.
Why did you become a journalist?
First, because I loved writing. Second, because I loved having influence and impact in the community.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I wrote opinion pieces. And was a typist!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Longshore union battles at a grain terminal on the West Coast. Lengthy, exhausting, tense, but rewarding.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Work hard, think critically, observe often, interact frequently.
When's the best time to pitch you?
through email, anytime
What's the best pitch you ever got?
"Hey, we're hollowing out giant pumpkins, strapping outboard motors on them, dressing as pirate and hitting the lake. Wanna come?"
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
hard to pick one. anything outside my coverage area.
What's your favorite drink?
Cold beer on a hot day
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At home, with a 2-year-old crawling all over me.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Slate
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That my purpose is to generate PR for businesses. I cover business developments as they affect the community, not for the owners themselves
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.