How is social media changing news?
A lot of breaking stories I research come from Twitter. Students are constantly updating about what's going on in the world around them.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Clark Kent. Saving the world and reporting the news? Kudos.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Truth. Information. Accountability.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Susan's Album Party (). That was hilarious.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Direct impact on the reader. Why should the reader care about your story? How will it DIRECTLY IMPACT on their lives?
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
InDesign for production. Hootsuite for research. Dropbox for collaboration.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook because it's more personal, but Twitter is definitely better for searching for stories.
Why did you become a journalist?
At first it was to build my CV. It's developed into wanting to make sure students are informed about the local bubble around them.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I worked at my school newspaper and now my University newspaper. Originally just production, I worked the ladder into editorial work.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A series of pieces outlining how elected officers in the students' union were blowing Union money on expenses for travel, food and champagne.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be nice. Be thorough. Don't doubt yourself.
When's the best time to pitch you?
In the middle of the night, so I'll pick it up as soon as I get up. I'm more likely to write it down and it'll then get done.
