Tom Kelly
(He/Him)
- Photographer and Storyteller, Freelance
- Host, Heartbeat: US Biathlon Podcast
- Host, Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast
Park City, Utah
As seen in:
Heartbeat: US Biathlon Podcast,
Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast,
Apple Podcasts,
HuffPost,
Wiley Online Library,
Patch,
Nine News Australia,
Wisconsin State Journal,
Belfast Telegraph,
The Spokesman-Review,
Team USA,
WPVI-TV (Philadelphia, PA)
and
Covers:
Olympic and Paralympic sport
Athletes
Skiing
Travel
Olympic communications professional and public speaker.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Photo editor of high school newspaper and yearbook, moving on to sports editor of an award-winning weekly.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, I took typing as a high sophomore in 1967, becoming the fastest in the class at 64 wpm.
How is social media changing news?
Dramatic impact in believability of all news. Very negative impact.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I don't like fiction.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being able to convey a story to the public in an accurate, enthusiastic way to build excitement and knowledge.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Sorry ...
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
MacBook, Google Drive, iPhone, Mavic Air2S drone, Nikon cameras, Grammarly
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook
Who do you wish followed you?
Any Olympic champion.
Why did you become a journalist?
I loved telling stories.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I was photo editor of the Lance, the newspaper at LaFollette High School in Madison, Wisconsin.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Many but especially love long-form articles exploring the inner workings of the ski industry.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Think big ... always think big. Never be afraid to reach out to anyone.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I'm open to pitches any time but love early mornings.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Sorry, can't think of a good answer here.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Nothing specific, but just ignore pitches that are outside of my geographic scope.
What's your favorite drink?
Beer
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Traveling, skiing, flying my drone.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New York Times
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Sorry ...
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.