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Meet the Media: David Muller, Senior Editor at SME Media

I’m senior editor at SME Media. I help edit and publish copy, write original content and am currently overseeing the publication of our annual Motorized Vehicle Report.

Can you tell us what types of stories, trends or issues are on your radar now?

Anything manufacturing related, of course. The manufacturing sector continues to face a shortage of skilled labor but is also full of innovation. Factories of all sizes are looking to automate processes and implement artificial intelligence into their operations and often it’s not necessarily to replace humans, as can be the fear in other sectors, but out of sheer need for help.

Describe the craziest or most fun story you have written.

The Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill near New Orleans produced some of the strangest, most far-reaching and continuously evolving coverage I think I’ve been part of as a journalist. There were so many fascinating characters and stories. One person that sticks out in my mind was Captain Mike Howell, a highly decorated Vietnam veteran who lost an arm in combat. He lived on his boat at the municipal harbor in New Orleans and used the vessel as part of an effort to go out into the oil slick and help clean up wildlife. I had known Captain Mike just as a friendly acquaintance before the spill happened, but when I heard that he was in BP’s Vessels of Opportunity program I interviewed him for the local publication I worked for at the time and learned more about his colorful, documented background, some of which included helping the government thwart a white supremacist coup in Domenica, picking up immigrants in the Mariel boat lift in Cuba, and riding out Hurricane Katrina in the middle of New Orleans on his boat and then helping to rescue people afterward. I’ll never forget him or his disgust at seeing sludge spread through the waters he grew up with.

What story or stories are you most proud of?

I’m proud of the BP oil spill coverage by the small team of reporters we had in New Orleans at the time, and I’m personally proud of some of the consumer-focused stories I was able to dig in to while at Car and Driver.

What elements or characteristics do you look for in a story?

First, whether it’s important to our readers. Barring that, hopefully it’s at least an interesting thing for people to read and learn about.

How long have you been in journalism and how did you get started?

Almost 20 years. I dabbled at my college newspaper, but my career began in earnest at an international business newsletter called EDM Publications, which was based in Paris at the time but has since moved to Munich. It was an internship that turned into a long-term work visa.

Finish this sentence: If I am not reporting, I am …

Playing with my kids, fishing, hiking, biking, reading, watching TV/movies or playing basketball.

What advice do you have for PR people that want to pitch you?

Please tell me why what you’re pitching would be beneficial to our readers.

Any pet peeves with PR people?

Please don’t pitch something and then go M.I.A.

You can follow David on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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