Scott Randall
(He/Him)
Riverside
Covers:
Live events, and human play in the Southern California region.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I published for a now defunct web platform called inlandempire.com. You can still see bits in the way back machine.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I'm old enough to have used a typewriter in high school typing class. It didn't take, but I'm very fast with six fingers.
How is social media changing news?
Social Media is further cementing this societies love affair with over simplification. TL;DR has become the sad norm.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Peter Parker.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means that I have been given an opportunity to have a voice; however, that voice comes at the price of trust, through integrity.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I honestly don't pay attention to hashtags outside of writing code.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I don't know that I have a preferred pitch method.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
The technology stack that I use is outside the scope of journalism; however, I have a fond attachment to a Monte Blanc fountain pen.
What's your favorite social network?
I do not much like social media. I worked in tech for many years, and fully understand them all. Each has its own place, none constructive.
Who do you wish followed you?
I guess that one of my inspirations is Danny Elfman. I'm a long time fan of his work, and the way that he has reinvented himself, repeatedly.
Why did you become a journalist?
I wanted to publish my photography. I was hoodwinked!
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I did not, but I have several friends who did. One was the photographer, so my goofy self is in the yearbook more than I would have liked.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I have a piece that I wrote on a Danny Elfman concert, that has to be rewritten. The backups of the old site were corrupted.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be very cautious with AI. Never use it as a crutch, learn to use it as a force multiplier. Always strive toward original thought.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I'm not sure that there is a bad time.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Any pitch that made me think past motive.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I don't know that I've had a bad pitch. I'm usually just asked to write something.
What's your favorite drink?
Whiskey neat. I spent years as a bartender. That's how I started my event photography work. Event bartending as a side gig.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In a crowd with a camera.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Rolling Stone, to be cliche.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I assure you that I do not know.
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