People Not In News Commenting on the News: Meet F. Scott

F. Scott Stinner is a 25-year-old PhD student in electrical engineering and a really fantastic cook/baker. He is also a really talented musician and can basically play any brass instrument. He also is hilarious….and likes a good smell. In his words, “I also enjoy things that are scented, like candles and air fresheners. I always enjoy when my home smells nice, whether it be from baking or a candle.”

Scott was kind enough to answer some questions about how he gets his news. If you don’t work in news, live outside of DC/NYC, and would like to participate, let me know. (Rest of series is here)

1. How do you get your news?

I read what’s trending on Facebook and watch the Daily Show during my lunch break.
When driving, I listen to KYW 1060 to catch up on more general and local news.
If I want to look up a national news story online, I look up one of my hometown news channels, 69 from Allentown, PA or 16 from Scranton. Most of it is just copy-pasted from AP reports, but it’s quickly updated and at least mostly impartial.
And I don’t really watch TV news. My schedule is too irregular. I have to catch up when I can.

**2. What instrument do you play? **

Tuba/trombone/baritone

3. What do you think is the best middle name?

Cornelius

4. Who’s doing it right in news?

I watch Jon Stewart daily, and I really like John Oliver. I appreciate more long-form, comedic journalism.
And, as I said earlier, small local news. Everyone else is just putting up clickbait. I go to a local news website, I read a headline that gives me a summary and a concise article. That’s all I want to read.

5. What’s the first news event that you remember?

The OJ Simpson trial. I was young when it happened and didn’t really understand it, but it made me refuse to drink orange juice for quite sometime because all we ever heard about in the evening on the TV was OJ.

6. What was the best thing that happened to you this week?

I got engaged!

8. Where do you live? Region is fine. City is better, but optional.

Newark, DE but I work/socialize in Philly.

9. What do you absolutely hate about the news?

Political spin. Everyone has an agenda and a viewpoint. No one seems impartial anymore and just reporting what happened. And I hate it from either side. Even if I support the view, I don’t need it reiterated for me.
And click-bait and lists. I don’t want to read 16 ways this could have happened or be offered to click to see what happened. I want to know what I’m reading before I read it and I want to know what happened. That’s it.

Sorry if I ranted a bit. This is something that actually frustrates me a lot. I never really know what to read or watch. I’ve been pointed many places to go, but it’s all such a crap-shoot as to what will be good. It makes me wish I was this age when Peter Jennings was still on TV.