Victoria Masterson
(She/Her)
As seen in:
Formative Content,
World Economic Forum,
MSN UK,
The Daily Mirror,
Entrepreneur,
The Times,
Agenda (World Economic Forum),
Flipboard,
Phys.org,
The Scotsman,
Ayrshire Post,
Big Think
and
Covers:
News, Economy, Technology, Environment, Business, Health
Producer | Writer | Journalist | Factual TV | Content creator. vickymasterson.com
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Business Reporter on the Press & Journal newspaper in Aberdeen.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Only in a museum! They are beautiful things and we owe them a lot!
How is social media changing news?
Immediacy and democratisation. Everyone with a mobile phone is a journalist now.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Tintin
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Incredible access to the great and the good...and building a reputation for being trustworthy and accurate
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
By email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
A Macbook
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook
Who do you wish followed you?
Richard Branson
Why did you become a journalist?
I love writing. I am endlessly curious and fascinated by people and what makes them tick. I am also a truth-seeker.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes! Four friends and I edited and produced the '19A Times' from an attic room above the assembly hall. It was a busy - and fun - place!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Being in the newsroom when 9/11 happened wasn't a 'proud' moment - but to be part of the news machine at such a time stays with you forever..
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Never give up on your dream. If you persist at anything long enough - you'll get there.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any weekday
What's the best pitch you ever got?
An anonymous call tipping us off to Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles' first public appearance as a couple at the Ritz in London
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A 'death knock' for Live TV. Comforting a family in extreme distress...not something you easily get used to
What's your favorite drink?
A nice Australian Shiraz Cabernet
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Watching an award-winning TV drama or documentary on Netflix or Amazon.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Radio Times
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That we're liars and charlatans. In fact, bona fide journalists are generally incredibly careful to get their facts right.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.