What was your first job as a journalist?
Never been full-time. It's an avocation.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
Reducing attention, silo-ing audiences.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Ford Prefect
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To work for the people, to honor democracy.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Social media, computers.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook, which is terrible.
Who do you wish followed you?
Noam Chomsky
Why did you become a journalist?
To speak the truth about power.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Golden Hicksie Award
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep learning.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Weekends
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Requests for book reviews.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
None
What's your favorite drink?
Water
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading books.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Harper's
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
It's already been understood.
