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Kyle MacMillan on Muck Rack

Kyle MacMillan

Verified
Chicago
Covers:  Covering visual art, dance and classical music, as well as larger issues and trends in the arts.
Chicago-based arts journalist and critic, covering art, classical music and dance.

Interview

What was your first job as a journalist?

I worked part-time in college as a sports journalist at the Raytown (Mo.) Dispatch-Tribune, a suburban paper in the Kansas City, Mo., area.

Who's your favorite fictional journalist?

Nothing tops William Boot, who stumbles into being a foreign correspondent in Evelyn Waugh's witty masterpiece, "Scoop."

What does it mean to be a journalist?

Being an arts journalist means enlightening readers about the joys and wonders of all aspects of the creative and cultural world.

Why did you become a journalist?

People generally become journalists because they want to be writers or they want to change the world. I was the latter.

What's the worst pitch you ever got?

Most annoying are pitches that come in about things that clearly have nothing to do with what I cover. It's just lazy.

When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?

Out walking our dog, a shepherd mix who loves being outdoors and exploring the world.

Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?

I'm a devotee of the New York Times and its many fine arts writers and critics.

What's the most common misperception about your beat?

The biggest misconception about covering the arts is that it is somewhat lightweight and superficial -- not REAL journalism.

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