Luis Torres
Verified
High school sports video producer @njdotcom | Before: @orlandosports, @dnj_com, @JSunNews | @UF grad | ltorres@njadvancemedia.com
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
High School Sports Reporter for The Jackson Sun in Jackson, Tenn.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I have. Used one during my middle school tying class.
How is social media changing news?
It's made it into a 24-hour news cycle for my generation more so than what CNN did when the network first launched.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Spider-Man.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Fascinating. To tell the truth and report on what people and athletes do outside of their jobs and outside of the football field,
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via email or through a Twitter direct message. Both are easy ways for me to keep up and sort through pitches.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Analytics, Chartbeat, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I looked up to him when I was younger and he is my all-time favorite wrestler.
Why did you become a journalist?
To tell people's stories. It's cliche, but everyone has one. It is my job to find yours.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I did not.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A story on former MTSU women's basketball player Tia Stovall and her mindset while she was battling breast cancer.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Do as much as you can in school. It is important to be versatile in the digital age. Be willing to do more than one thing.
When's the best time to pitch you?
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A GoFundMe on Tia Stovall. Turned into one of the best stories I've ever had a chance to tell.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Probably a story on doing a "State of the Program" on a university. There was no real hook to it.
What's your favorite drink?
Water, but you can't go wrong with a good whiskey.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
With my friends.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Athletic
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That there is no actual work involved. You just go to games and write about them. It's more than that.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.