Peter Blanchard
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Mirror Indy (US),
Facebook,
MSN,
Nature,
Aol,
Patch,
Yahoo,
The Indianapolis Star,
The Morning Call,
The Inside Line (Podcast),
Indiana Public Media
and
Covers:
State government, economic development, politics, business
Journalist keeping an 👁️ on Indianapolis @mirrorindy | Tips: peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org | Signal: 317-605-4836
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a reporter and anchor for news/talk WHCU 870 in Ithaca, New York.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No.
How is social media changing news?
Social media has surpassed newspapers as a news source and is actively shaping where we get our news and what news gets covered.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Mikael Blomkvist
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To write and report on the news accurately and truthfully for the public good.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Thoughtfully and concisely
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Tools, Adobe Creative Suite, Python
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Matt Taibbi
Why did you become a journalist?
I always had a passion for writing. It was in high school that I began brushing against authority, fueling my desire to expose wrongdoing.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. I did music reviews and occasionally interviewed teachers and students for articles.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I reported on how a local corporation used foreign students as a workforce: http://www.buzzsawmag.org/2010/12/08/an-exchange-program
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
You do it because you love it.
When's the best time to pitch you?
The night time is the right time.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A local labor activist tipped me off to some foreign exchange students who were working for a local hotel. That led to a bigger story.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Any self-help author that spelled my name wrong in the email
What's your favorite drink?
Old Fashioned
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Outside
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New York Times
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
It's easy
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.