What was your first job as a journalist?
A web columnist and webmaster for a windsurfing magazine.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
Social media changes the news by altering the length of the news cycle and exposes stories to wider audiences.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Having been a journalist and now an academic, I rely on reporters to provide empirical data to support my research. Journalists are crucial.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
A laptop, notepad, pen, and my own intuition.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Barack Obama
Why did you become a journalist?
For the fortune and fame.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Never did.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be prepared. Verify your information and always record your interviews if permissible. It will protect your integrity.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Always.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Pass.
What's your favorite drink?
Coke
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Spending time with my wife, my dog Moo, and our two cats.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I do not have a beat.
