What was your first job as a journalist?
Reporter at The Independent Florida Alligator, a student-run newspaper at the University of Florida. It was a great experience.
How is social media changing news?
Too many journalists frame their stories to be tweetable. It also creates an echo-chamber effect that causes copycatting.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Trying your best to reflect reality, even though you won't succeed.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
'tknow
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email but it should be focused and clear that the pitch is related to what I do. Otherwise I just spam it.
What's your favorite social network?
the pub
Who do you wish followed you?
I'm not sure. I use Twitter to let people know what I'm working on. If people are interested they'll find me eventually.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
no, I worked for the yearbook. I wrote general features.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Find a mentor or editor. Journalism is learned by doing, but you need guidance. Writing into a void isn't not that efficient.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I get them all the time: just an anonymous pitch about something I don't really cover. It's the blunderbuss approach.
What's your favorite drink?
tapwater
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Walking or swimming. I need to have some balance to work and either of those exercises are my go-to ways of relaxing and recharging.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The FAZ, a German newspaper, especially for its culture ("Feuilleton") section.
