Samuel Bocetta
Verified
As seen in:
Embedded,
wikiHow,
Cointelegraph,
The Times of Israel,
Business 2 Community,
Benzinga,
The Daily Caller,
ReadWrite,
InfoWorld,
Computer Weekly,
InfoQ
and
Independent journalist. Naval defense analyst. Privacy, security and the right to be forgotten.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I wrote for a fly fishing magazine. Fly fishing is one of my favorite hobbies.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes of course!
How is social media changing news?
Social media isn't changing news, it IS the news. "Solo-reporters" with their own personal news stations (re: brands) *are* the news today.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I think Stephen Colbert (the persona) is brilliant.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means telling the truth regardless of what people will think about you.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#PopeBars was sent to me by my then 8-year old grandson, and still makes me laugh to this day!
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email is fine.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Evernote, Slack, ExpressVPN, Notion, and Google Docs
What's your favorite social network?
Linkedin
Who do you wish followed you?
So long as my children and their children look up to me, I will rest peacefully in the afterlife.
Why did you become a journalist?
I retired in 2015 and enjoy writing. I simply couldn't sit still.
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?
I'm most proud of two historical pieces I wrote for the Historical Societies of both Pennsylvania and Minnesota.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
I would advice aspiring journalist to reach out with a pitch in mind. And not just any pitch, but a unique angle as well.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Monday through Saturday, 9am - 9pm ICT.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It was from a Bosnian woman, who wanted to talk about a piece I wrote for Clarion. It turned out to be a subtle pitch, but I didn't mind.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Not worth repeating here, but suffice to say it resembled a Nigerian prince email.
What's your favorite drink?
Perfect Manhattan, followed closely by a Corona on the beach in Tulum
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In a river in Colorado, or outside Ottawa.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Game and Fish Mag
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Editors often try to pigeon hole me as "just cybersecurity" or "just data privacy". I'm comfortable writing about all things emerging tech.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.