Vinod NAIR
(He/Him)
Muscat
As seen in:
Forbes,
MSN India,
Nature,
The Economic Times,
The Times of India,
Wiley Online Library,
India Times,
Flipboard,
Mint,
Times Now News
and
Covers:
travel and tourism, transportation, aviation, and climate change
Doesn't Cover:
health and education in detail
A GCC online journalist covering a wide range of issues with a focus on travel and tourism, transportation, aviation, and breaking news
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
That of a copy editor or sub-editor which they used to call in India then.It was with one of the oldest publishing houses in the country
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I did use them in my early days of writing in the mid and late nineties. can't edit or spell check.,...
How is social media changing news?
Easy to distribute news both verified and unverified, but cannot replace journalists or new creators. Someone has to break the news first
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
myself.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Giving news without judging news
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
several of them... can't recollect any specific ones.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
if am passionate about a topic or an event, I just follow every development... small and big ones.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
any standard online publishing tool, Grammarly, and of course Wikipedia, among others.
What's your favorite social network?
I am for Whatsapp... it made communication easy and simple.
Who do you wish followed you?
my family, friends, or people I admire.
Why did you become a journalist?
I like the news. I like politics. It makes you realize the good and bad of the world.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I used to help put together a colleague magazine and contribute with articles.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
anything related to the aviation and travel industry.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
it is all about passion. it can be your bread earner but don't come if you have no nose or eyes for news, even ears.
When's the best time to pitch you?
anytime... except when I am on an afternoon power nap. The night is the best
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Something where I realized that reality and perception have been completely the opposite.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
having to do interviews with little knowledge of the topic or the person opposite me
What's your favorite drink?
tea and coffee, anytime.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
watching Netflix or YouTube travel vlogs
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I read newspapers and follow politics and politicians across the world.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
it is simple. Anyone can do it... I don't believe so.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.