Gary Hilson
Verified
As seen in:
ZDNet,
EETimes Japan,
IT Media,
Government Technology,
EE Times,
NewsBreak,
EDN: Voice of the Engineer,
The Forecast by Nutanix,
NUTANIX,
Embedded
and
Covers:
semiconductors, data protection, networking, cyber security, information technology, sensors, electric vehicles, data storage, data privacy, enterprise software
Freelance Tech / B2B Writer / EE Times Contributor / Content Strategist. Theatre Lover. Comic Book + Lego + Vinyl Collector. Ballroom Dancer, briefly. Big Nerd.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I covered the board of governors and faculty union beats for my college newspaper, The Algonquin Times
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
Content is more dynamic; an article can be updated several times. Meanwhile, it's also ephemeral and no longer stays around long.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It's about being curious and open to changing your mind. And about doing your best to get it right.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I honestly can't remember the specific hashtag but there was one tying the US debt ceiling to Stars Wars that was funny.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Word, OneNote, Outlook and my Sony Digital Recorder.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
People who have a good story to share.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I was curious and enjoyed writing.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
My high school was too small to have a newspaper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I wrote a Medium column about TV's Forgotten Serial Killer, aka Jessica Fletcher.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Get it right, write it tight and don't mess with your editor.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time via email.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I once got a spam email with subject line: 50lbs of Free Lobster.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Can't recall, but I get stuff that's far off my coverage beats.
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Comic book store.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Scientific American
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's the only thing I write about.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.