Shanel Thompson
(She/Her)
As seen in:
Fox Corporation,
Facebook,
MSN,
Instagram Official Blog,
WNBC-TV (New York, NY),
NBC Universal,
Musée Magazine
Covers:
Research, urban culture, entertainment, present news and current affairs content for television, radio and the internet.
Doesn't Cover:
Religion.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Working for WNBC with my first story on a scavenger hunt during the pandemic.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. I used to love the smell of the ink on paper.
How is social media changing news?
People prefer to go to social media accounts like: Twitter, and Instagram, because it's faster, live, and raw. People want to know the TRUTH.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Carrie Bradshaw
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist you have to speak, and know your truth. Knownyour audience well.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Face to face, Word of Mouth, E-mailing, and Social Media.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Pages App on IPhone. I love to write, and think when I'm on the go.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
Beyoncé.
Why did you become a journalist?
I've always loved to write, and express myself in a way my voice couldn't. I've always felt you can attract a person with deep intellect.
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?
My Colorism piece really inspired me to open up to people about what I've experienced, when it came to "dark and light-skinned women."
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Strange, isn't it? You know yourself more than anyone else. Yet, you crumble at the words of someone who hasn't lived a second of your life.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I don't think there is one to be honest. There are going to be so many pitches in life that'll top another. The world changes everyday.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Having a relationship with a blowup doll.
What's your favorite drink?
A Manhattan
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In a library.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
New York Times.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I’m not in a position to assert whether someone else’s thoughts about me are accurate or inaccurate. People likely have misconceptions about you and me in abundance, but I don’t think that speculating on them drives you and me any closer to my fit for this job.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.