My lead: Jonathan Tilove, Chief Political Editor of the Austin-American Statesman

Jonathan’s background:

• Blog writer for the Austin American-Statesman
• Washington correspondent for the New Orleans Times-Picayune from 2008 to 2012.
• Covered race and immigration issues for Newhouse News Service for 18 years
• Blog entitled “First Reading”: primarily Texas-focused but also on news that has a national impact
  • Beto O’Rourke/Ted Cruz senate race

Why I approached Jonathan:

• American-Statesman emphasis on both national and international news coverage
• Jonathan’s blog allows more personalized reporting of national events
  • More diversified forms of content (YouTube videos, Facebook screenshots) – i.e. more ways to engage a reader
  • More free-flowing expression than typical news reporting
  • More in line with my personal aspiration to be a free-lance journalist (magazine features, columnist & book writing)

Connections:

• His previous experience with Newhouse News Service – I will be starting a Masters Communications program in July at the Newhouse School, Univ of Syracuse
• His Capitol Hill background- I worked on Capitol Hill 2004-2006
• Mutual interest in O’Rourke-Cruz senate race

 

Observations

• Background
  • Poli Sci Major at Tufts University. Began as a newspaper copy boy before becoming a writer

 

Daily Work flows:

• Very fluid, non-traditional as he is a blogger
  • I did not observe him taking notes, rather real-time blogging of events
• Does not keep “9-5” hours
• Has to balance work flow between assigned news stories (25 year anniversary of Waco standoff vs. immediate events (Cruz kickoff, deployment of federal troops to TX-MX border)
• In addition to journalism, has to attend to HR-related issues
  • Statesman is now under new ownership (Gate-House Media)
  • Longevity as a news writer depends on many factors (location, evolution of career plans, industry trends)
• Also met and talked with Will Weissert of the Associated Press
• 20 year career as a journalist and war correspondent
  • Talked about the ability to stay objective regardless of who is being covered

Shadow venue: Ted Cruz Senate event, Austin Texas, April 3, 2018

• Jonathan arranged media credentials  to allow me access to event

Location: Print shop of Thomas Graphics

Interactions

Various members of Cruz’s campaign staff

• Campaign Director, various event coordinators
• Cruz team interested  in how they were portrayed
  • Several interested in clarifying how Jonathan described Ted Cruz’s April 2 senate race kickoff event in Houston at Redneck Country Club in Houston
    • Event hosted at restaurant of often-controversial radio talk host Michael Berry

Atmospherics