Megan Banta
Verified
(She/Her)
As seen in:
The Salt Lake Tribune,
MSN,
USA Today,
Yahoo News,
U.S. News and World Report,
Detroit Free Press,
The Mercury News,
The Seattle Times,
Yahoo Sports,
The Oregonian,
Yahoo
and
Covers:
I use data to cover issues facing people across Utah, from child care costs to homelessness to housing.
Doesn't Cover:
I generally don't cover entertainment
Data reporting for @sltrib. Midwest transplant via Oregon and @registerguard. Data, public records and accountability nerd. Often hiking when not working.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Covering state government as a college student in Indiana. Check out TheStatehouseFile.com – it competes in SPJ at the professional level.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I haven't, but I would LOVE to for a story where I'm not on a tight deadline.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Sloan Sabbith from The Newsroom. Smart and driven but awkward as hell? Hello, mirror
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email. Unless it's breaking news, then call me
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I'm a big fan of using Excel for data-driven journalism and Infogram to turn those numbers into visuals
Why did you become a journalist?
I've always loved writing. Journalism lets me take that passion and use it to help people and keep them informed about important issues
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
My high school didn't really have a newspaper, and I didn't do yearbook. I didn't discover my love for journalism until college.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
There are lots. But one is a story about Title IX issues at Michigan State University -- check it out in my portfolio
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Find stories that you're passionate about. It makes it easier to meet deadlines. And don't be afraid to ask for a livable salary.
When's the best time to pitch you?
After I get off work and have the chance to work out and decompress -- so usually 7 p.m. or later
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I got a random call from a Virginia attorney. That turned into a massive story about a health system CEO being accused of sexual assault.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Anything that starts with "I see you wrote this story" then goes into a pitch that's only slightly related. There are too many to pick just 1
What's your favorite drink?
Non alcoholic -- Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee; Alcoholic -- Whiskey ginger or a bold stout.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
If it's sunny, on a patio or by a pool. If it's rainy, cuddled up watching Netflix or reading
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I usually like reading competitors to see how they're approaching stories. At the moment, that would be Eugene Weekly
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.