Ted Asregadoo
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Music Tap,
Planet LP,
Popdose,
Truthout,
Ultimate Classic Rock,
KFBK-AM (Sacramento, CA),
Antioch Herald
Covers:
Music, film, television, and books
Doesn't Cover:
Sports, real estate, environment
Former radio guy who's now a government man. Periodically contributing to Popdose & Musictap on pop culture & music topics. Host of the Planet LP pod.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
A news anchor on a morning radio show.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
It has made accurate information exist on the same level as mis or disinformation.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
No one.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To inform the public with accurate, well-written, and engaging stories.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Nothing comes to mind.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Varies. For writing, Google Docs. For podcasting, Zencastr. For audio editing, multitrack software like ProTools.
What's your favorite social network?
For music, it's Instagram. The content is often more interesting and informative than on other platforms. Though, Threads is good as well.
Who do you wish followed you?
No one of note.
Why did you become a journalist?
I love writing about music and artists.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. I did work for my high school's TV station, though.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My piece on Popdose about Led Zeppelin's maligned album "In Through the Out Door" was thorough and well-written.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Get a good pair of shoes and make beat calls in person. Showing up for face-to-face conversations goes a long way to getting the story.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Evenings.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It was quirky and personal but connected to the artist the PR person represented.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
"Hey, is this something you can cover?" Followed by very little information on the subject.
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Outside taking a walk, or riding my bike.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
NME
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Music journalists are expected to be PR for the artist -- which we're not.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.