John R. Platt
Verified
As seen in:
The Revelator,
Medium,
Business Insider,
HuffPost,
PBS,
Euronews Earth,
Motherboard,
Scientific American,
Slate,
VICE,
Agenda (World Economic Forum)
and
Environmental journalist covering endangered species, climate, pollution & related topics. Editor, @Revelator_News. Tips, pitches: jplatt @ therevelator.org
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Interviewing horror novelists.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yup. It haunts my nightmares.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Ben Urich.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Seeking the truth and giving readers the tools they need to make the most of their lives.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Quick heads-up emails rather than the same old press release sent to everyone else.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
My wits and my phone.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Why did you become a journalist?
To tell stories that matter.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. I did work for my college paper, as their editorial cartoonist.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
"How the Western Black Rhino Went Extinct."
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask what questions you should have asked that you didn't get to on your own.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Early in the morning -- and well before a timely event.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.