What was your first job as a journalist?
Regional TV reporter
How is social media changing news?
It's adding urgency to getting the news 'out there' (but one has to be careful to not get ahead of the facts). And the feedback is valuable.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Certainly to get to the truth. Then to present it so that its importance registers. A mix of psychology, history and entertainment.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Initially, with an email setting out the subject, the audience, the length or time of the article or video, the event date, the deadline
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Real-world tools: phone, computer, cameras. Software: FCP, Twitter...
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter -- the journalist's go-to online tool. If you can sort out the nuggets from the opinions and chaff, you'll often get the news first.
Why did you become a journalist?
To observe, really observe, the life going on around us, and to not take any custom or rule or declaration for granted.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Read. Not just online news, but books about history and economics. And learn languages.
When's the best time to pitch you?
By email, any time is good. I have no regular hours, and I'm always looking at news and interesting topics.
