What was your first job as a journalist?
Harambe. That was my first big story really. Heck of a start!
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, in elementary school. Also my grandparents have one I helped repair and it's a pleasure to use
How is social media changing news?
It's muddying and blurring lines and authenticity. It's also giving power and voice to those who would otherwise not have it, so that's good
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Frank West, from Capcom's Dead Rising
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To seek truth and report it. To engage and educate concisely. To write well and often.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email with lots of photos/videos/links. Phone calls are cool, too
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Analytics, Crowdtangle, Tweetdeck, Facebook Creative Suite, CNN Newsource, CBS Newspath, Adobe Premier, pen & paper
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram is the kindest in my experience
Who do you wish followed you?
Jason Schreier, Arin Hanson, Rob Braun (who does!)
Why did you become a journalist?
To hold those who see themselves above reproach accountable. To share truth when it has no legs on its own
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No haha I was in the technology team so we could play miniQuake and Halo on school computers. I got into Journalism in college
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
The death of Harambe
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Write anyways. Expect not to get paid until you are impactful. Writing for free or low pay feels unrewarding, but write anyways.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Before my shift starts, so around noon.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Most of the most impactful things I've written are breaking news, such as the death of Harambe, the Pike County Massacre, and such. So those
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
All pitches are "bad", making them worth reading is what makes someone a good writer. That being said, any blatant advertisement
What's your favorite drink?
Rhinegiest... anything. Anything from Rhinegiest. I'm into sour beers at the moment
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Gym, bar, or park
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Onion
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's easy to write local news, or that people don't read or engage with it. Hundreds of messages a day to our accounts suggest different
