What was your first job as a journalist?
Reporter for a chain of weekly suburban newspapers in and around Columbus, Ohio.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Of course. I'm of that age.
How is social media changing news?
It's blending news, information and misinformation into one big bucket of yuck.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Less Nessman of WKRP in Cincinnati, for one, memorable line in the Who Concert episode.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being committed to giving truth to your readers, so they know.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Can't think of one right now.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Computers, cameras, recorders, phones, WordPress, Word, Excel, Access.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Ian Paice.
Why did you become a journalist?
It seemed to be something I was good at in high school.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. I was a reporter/photographer for three years in high school.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
The Hal Hyrne scandal in Upper Arlington, Ohio in the 1980s. It's what brought me my big break.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Never tell your readers something they already know.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Morning, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. That's when my day starts sorting itself out.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I can't recall.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Can't recall.
What's your favorite drink?
Jim Beam
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Relaxing with my wife.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New York Times.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That I have much interest in human-interest features.
