Jane Ridley
Verified
As seen in:
Business Insider,
MSN,
MSN Deutschland,
MSN India,
MSN Österreich,
Yahoo Entertainment,
Yahoo Life,
Daily Mail,
Daily Mail Femail,
Daily Mail U.S.,
Fabulous
and
Covers:
Human interest: fascinating real-life stories about 'ordinary' people who have had powerful experiences. I specialize in health, parenting, careers, relocation, and dating.
Doesn't Cover:
Politics, consumer products, and sports
Always on lookout for tips and buzz-worthy stories. jridley@businessinsider.com Correspondent, Business Insider. www.insider.com/author/jane-ridley
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Trainee reporter at a local newspaper in the UK.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. It dates me. But who cares?
How is social media changing news?
It's changed it beyond belief.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Holly Hunter's character in "Broadcast News"
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Leading a life less ordinary and shining a light on other people.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook and Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
JFK. But he's dead.
Why did you become a journalist?
I could never imagine doing anything else.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. I didn't. The cool crowd ran it.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A piece about a woman with Stage 4 cancer who was denied the experimental drug she needed. She got it. It was likely due to my article.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Always be tenacious and curious.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Before 10am EST.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A tip from a trusted contact regarding a surrogate mother who'd delivered twins. She found out that one of them was her own biological child.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Pass. I should protect the guilty.
What's your favorite drink?
Sauvignon Blanc.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Nowhere.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Daily Mail.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That I would write a story without a sharp, edgy angle.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.