Jesse Scott
As seen in:
Browardist,
Miami New Times,
MSN,
Yahoo Entertainment,
Yahoo Life,
BBC,
Forbes,
USA Today,
Wiley Online Library,
Yahoo News Malaysia,
Yahoo Singapore,
Aol
and
Covers:
Travel, food, entertainment, music, culture, real estate, art, the Caribbean, Florida, South America, Central America, Southeastern U.S., Europe, sports, tennis, performance cars, men's fashion, pets
Doesn't Cover:
Corn feed in Nebraska, offshore oil drilling, menopause, taxes, insurance, baby formula, carpet and rugs, politics, garage door openers, electricity, strollers, the principles of economics, asphalt
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a paid intern for my hometown newspaper (The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, VA) when I was 15 years-old.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, for fun. Not to actually complete an assignment.
How is social media changing news?
I like to think of it as a positive, adding a bonus human element layer to it all. But, more than ever, it's vital to fact check.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Ron Burgundy.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being true to yourself and true to your audience(s). Tall tales and blatant BS are all too cheap in our current world.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Anything involving Kanye West's latest spiral or mocking how he continues to conduct himself will catch my eye.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
E-mail, as short and sweet as possible (however that translates to what is being pitched). High-resolution photos up front are a plus.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Keeping it simple: Microsoft Word, Google and my iPhone. I do like Rev when I'm needing something transcribed.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram, specifically Stories are where I am posting and engaging the most.
Who do you wish followed you?
Anyone that enjoys a nice motivational quote, pump-up or quirky tale is who I want following me. No specific celeb/people wishes.
Why did you become a journalist?
If we're being honest here... our local paper's youth section lured me in with free pizza at an informational meeting. The rest is history.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. But, in high school I wrote for it! Magazine under editor, punk legend and man of awesomeness, Dave Smalley.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
For the BBC, I visited a once-landfill that was morphed into one of Medellín, Colombia's most inspiring barrios. Its story really moved me.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
It's not always what you write, but the in between of it all - adhering to deadlines, communicating clearly and not being an asshole.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Preferably before 10 a.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
That is like picking a favorite child, but they always involve a concise, meaningful and easy-to-understand subject line.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
See "doesn't cover" section of my profile for a list of sample pitches... that I got over the course of a single week.
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee. Black, if it's a pour over and of quality. Otherwise, it's getting some cream and sugar.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Either walking my dog, drinking coffee at a local spot, playing pickleball, working out, biking around Fort Lauderdale or taking a nap.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Onion geeks me out and provides some much-needed comic relief quite often.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Seeing as I focus on the "fun things in life" - food, travel and entertainment - it takes a lot of hustle to coordinate many of the opps.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.