Julie Kelemen
Michigan
Covers:
Labor/management; non-Christian religions; immigrants; hard news about charities, affordable housing; jazz; world beat music; Nigerian, S. Asian, Bosnian & Muslim cultures. Also editorials, columns.
Doesn't Cover:
Sports, except curling. I am a 21-year curler who's played with rinks (teams) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Philadelphia; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Lakeville, Minn.; & Rice Lake, Wisc.
Emerged from a lotus in central Kazakhstan. Nothing has been the same since. Canadian in my recurring dreams, literally.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Unpaid: Newscaster, WIDR-FM, student-run station at Western Michigan U. Paid: Copy editor, Suburban Journals, St. Louis, Mo.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes -- my parents' old Royal.
How is social media changing news?
I knew a sea change was afoot when I learned of Osama bin Laden's death from CBS News's Twitter feed before CBS announced it on my nearby TV.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I'm torn between Clark Kent and Peter Parker. Wait; Parker is a photographer. Make that Clark Kent. Final answer.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means you have a passion for keeping your fingers on the pulse of what's happening every day, and you express it well to others via media.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Slider, fastball, changeup, underhand. I'm not picky. No sidearms please. The Cubs' Horacio Peña usually struck me out that way.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
PC, Linux and Mac-based software, including: Open Office, GMX, InDesign, LibreOffice, Microsoft Word and more.
What's your favorite social network?
NextDoor. It’s great for local story ideas.
Who do you wish followed you?
Shouldn't that be, "Whom do you wish followed you?" (Once a copy editor, always a copy editor.)
Why did you become a journalist?
I've always been good at English, writing, spelling and telling stories. Also, starting around 5th grade, news actually interested me.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
My high school had no newspaper, but I did work on the yearbook -- faculty section editor.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Interview w California Gov. Jerry Brown when he ran for president. Article got a nice mention/recommendation in USA Today
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Avoid journalism if you're at all uncertain about it as a career choice. That's because there are always more aspirants than jobs.
When's the best time to pitch you?
When I stand on home plate at Wrigley Field or Busch Stadium.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A curveball hurled by Cubs starting pitcher, Ben Brown. I really should have swung at that one.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A tricky changeup hurled by the Chicago Cubs' Matthew Boyd. It was, however, a very good pitch from his perspective — struck me out.
What's your favorite drink?
The Big Drink -- the Atlantic Ocean
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Working as a home health aide, training my dog, curling, working out, traveling.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Economist
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's 3/4 time. It's actually 4/4 time.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.