John Micek
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
MassLive,
MSN,
Yahoo Entertainment,
Yahoo Life,
Yahoo Finance,
Boston Business Journal,
Chron,
CTV News,
Flipboard,
Salon,
Yahoo Sports
and
Covers:
elections, politics, campaigns, government, state government
Politics editor MassLive.com. Hockey fan. Semi-pro musician. 1 Corinthians 15:51.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a part-time reporter for a chain of weeklies in Connecticut.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yep. I even own one.
How is social media changing news?
For good and for ill, I think. We resent it to the same degree to which we depend upon it.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Joel McCrea in "Foreign Correspondent."
What does it mean to be a journalist?
As Mencken said, we keep an eye on "the gentlemen who run this great nation ... and slip into the assumption that they own it."
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Make your pitch. If I say I'll think about it and get back to you, I will. I don't need to be endlessly called and e-mailed.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
My battered laptop and a monkey wrench.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter. It knocks down the walls with readers and puts a torrent of information at my fingertips.
Who do you wish followed you?
Eugene Robinson, Frank Bruni, Chris Matthews, Lawrence O'Donnell and Chris Hayes.
Why did you become a journalist?
It's the only thing I can realistically imagine doing with my life. This job is the most fun I've ever had -- even when it's tough.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Work is too strong a word. Contribute wordy, self-conscious essays? Absolutely.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
The last one.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Read everything you can get your hands on. Write every day. Don't say no to any assignment -- you can never tell.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I'm a news magpie. But I really love The Guardian - especially for its soccer and music coverage; NYMag, Washington Post opinion.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.