John Kushma
As seen in:
Park Record,
Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel,
LinkedIn,
LinkedIn News,
CNBC,
The Hill,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
The Salt Lake Tribune,
Las Vegas Sun,
The Herald Journal,
Salt Lake City Weekly
and
Covers:
Communication
Doesn't Cover:
"Communications"
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
KVNU Radio, 610 AM, Logan, Utah, 1976. I was "Continuity Director" I wrote and produced commercials, reported news, hosted a talk show ...
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Oh yeah ...
How is social media changing news?
Destroying it.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
All the good ones.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To have a legitimate professionally responsible voice.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I don't do hashtags.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Don't pitch me, I'll pitch you.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Laptop computer. Microsoft Word.
What's your favorite social network?
Linkedin.
Who do you wish followed you?
No one. I'm always looking over my shoulder.
Why did you become a journalist?
It became me. It just seemed like the natural thing to do. I like to tell a good story, and hear a good story.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Occasionally. Helped write columns for English Department. Teacher made me.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Melvin Dummar/Howared Hughes Will ... Teton Dam disaster in Idaho ... many, many broadcast journal stories, all of them ...
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't be a pretentious phony. You are not a celebrity. You are not important. Your story is important and to be told truthfully, clearly.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Don't pitch me. I'll pitch you.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
High, outside fast ball.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Low, inside curve ball.
What's your favorite drink?
Depends .. water, sometimes Coke or Pepsi .. orange juice .. coffee (hot or ice) .. cold, cold milk .. sometimes a grape Nehi hits the spot!
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading, Writing, bad at 'rithmetic. Running. Worrying about many things.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I like to read good mystery thrillers by good authors.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
My eclectic career background.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.