Joe Charpentier
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Sun Journal (Lewiston, ME),
Yahoo Entertainment,
Yahoo Life,
Yahoo News,
Aol,
Yahoo Finance,
How-To Geek,
Yahoo Sports,
Yahoo,
Mongabay,
Bangor Daily News
and
Covers:
Crime, police and spot news in Lewiston and Auburn, Maine. Occasional features, human interest, municipal government and education.
Doesn't Cover:
I would never consider something out of my realm.
Reporter @SunJournal | Previously @bbregister | @SUMediaComm 2015, @UMF1864 2012, & @NMHSchool 2008 alum
All opinions expressed are my own, etc.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
International environmental news with Mongabay.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Not professionally.
How is social media changing news?
Pros: enabling citizen journalists. Cons: directing and also thwarting consumer driven media
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Paul Kemp, Mikael Blomkvist, Dr. Watson.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means finding the truth, protecting your sources, and informing the public.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Office, iPhone 6+, Nikon D3400, Gregg ruled notebooks, and whatever pen happens to be closest.
What's your favorite social network?
I don't post often enough, but good old Facebook and Twitter are my go-to's.
Who do you wish followed you?
Chris Hedges, Barack Obama, Dan Rather, Mark Ruffalo, the Stephen King family, Neil Gaiman, Neil deGrasse Tyson. The list goes on, naturally.
Why did you become a journalist?
I became a journalist mostly because of lazy journalism and the flaws in occupational culture. And for the wealth of knowledge.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, it was too clique-y.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
'Peru pledges tougher stance against illegal timber.' The international scene is fulfilling especially when our environment is at stake.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Never turn down an internship you can afford to take, network, always be writing and pitching, don't aim too high, don't sell yourself short.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I am ALWAYS looking for something...
What's the best pitch you ever got?
"Hey, do you wanna interview Jim Messina?"
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
In not so few words, "can you write my press release for me?"
What's your favorite drink?
Water, Mexican beer.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
When not at my computer, I am most likely out interviewing or taking photos.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New York Times, The Guardian, The Independent, Vanity Fair, Vice, Teen Vogue
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it is always boring. It can be, but rarely.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.