Rob Hyde
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
MSN,
MSN Ireland,
MSN Singapore,
MSN UK,
Daily Mail,
Irish Daily Mail,
MSN Malaysia,
MSN Philippines,
MSN South Africa,
Scottish Daily Mail
and
Covers:
General news in Germany, with some coverage of Austria & Switzerland
Normally:
- General daily news from German-speaking countries
- Funnies (amusing everyday news)
Rob Hyde is a freelance journalist in Germany. Published in The Times, Daily Mail, Mirror, Jewish Chronicle & more.
Europe-loving, EU-wary, EFTA-hopeful.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Writing up a theatre piece in 1997 for The Vienna Reporter, a small, English-language newspaper in Austria - which ultimately folded.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. As a child. Hated it. Too clumsy (me, not the typewriter).
How is social media changing news?
The public now has the same tools to instantly get information. This means we must up our game to stay ahead.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Alan Partridge. Has to be. The master of buffoonery.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being curious, driven, persistent, honest, accurate, empathetic, perceptive and perhaps also cynical. Also often highly caffeinated!
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Can't remember. But I do search & consume a lot of quirky / funny news each day. I like these. The world has enough horrible news.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
By email. I am most likely working on something when contacted and taking calls stops the flow. Email means you reply when it suits you.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Contacts. Police reports. Court documents. Metasearch engines. Newspapers. Books. Historical archives. Press releases. Interviews. Tip-offs.
What's your favorite social network?
LinkedIn can be good for contacts. Use What's App a lot. Worry about it being monitored, though,especially when working high profiles cases
Who do you wish followed you?
The late George Orwell, Tony Benn and Spike Miilligan. Also Brian Lane from BBC New Tricks.
Why did you become a journalist?
I was always curious. Wanted to know and to communicate so much. Loved research & writing. So, was basically a natural nosy parker.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
One did not exist, but I briefly tried to make one. It failed.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
The Maddie McCann investigation (German angle) & a piece on the late Dave Ayres which enabled his family to find out what happened to him.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Move abroad. Engross yourself in the language, culture, mentality & politics. Develop & maintain contacts with a diverse spectrum of society
When's the best time to pitch you?
If email - whenever. Phone calls - 0800-2300. If from USA, Canada, Australia, NZ or SA - please remember there is a time difference!
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I loved having to hire a wolf for The Daily Mail when I used to live in the former East Germany. I was as thrilled as I was terrified.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I was sent to eat fried maggots at a restaurant in Dresden on behalf of the Sunday Telegraph. Was surprisingly okay though.
What's your favorite drink?
Dandelion and burdock. Is extremely hard to get in Germany, which makes it more of a treat when you stumble upon it once in a blue moon.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Walking the two dogs or being jumped on by them.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Love quirky stories found in tiny local newspapers. I read very, very many local newspapers in Germany every day for ideas & leads.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That Germans are humourless, and are also brilliant at managing everything. They do have a sense of humour, & some things here work terribly.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.