Name: J.D. Mullane
Job: Local columnist and blogger, Bucks County Courier Times, Levittown, Pa., writing about people, events and issues in Bucks County.
What are your responsibilities? Write three columns per week for the Courier Times and our sister paper, the Doylestown Intelligencer. Also, blog daily mostly about politics and cultural issues at phillyBurbs.com
What's a typical workday? Write, blog, rewrite, blog, write, write, write, take phone call from pissy reader, write, respond to smart-ass blog post, answer e-mails, accept after-dinner speaking invitation from local church group, write, argue with editor, rewrite, blog, file column, go home.
What do you like/dislike about the job? Likes: Arriving each day at one of the best jobs ever – local daily news columnist. Dislikes: Realizing deadline is an hour away and I have nothing written.
Background: Education: BA journalism, Temple University. Work background: fast food cook, fork lift driver, convenience store manager, sales rep for publishing company, bartender, reporter, columnist.
What are the skills young journalists need today? Learning the art of scooping competitors.
Any advice to aspiring journalists? Readers always know when you’ve paid through the nose for your writing, or if you’re phoning it in.
Any additional comments? With regard to salary, decide early if you want a brie and Chablis lifestyle, or if you can live with a beer and pretzels lifestyle. Most journalism jobs provide a beer and pretzels income – but then beer and pretzels are pretty good.
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