#MediaMonday – Drew Pittock
Today’s #MediaMonday comes to us from Drew Pittock, reporter for What Now Phoenix, What Now Tampa, and What Now Philadelphia.
How did you get your start in the media? What is your story?
My journey through the media landscape started in television as a production assistant on various shows. I made my way up to associate producer and had the pleasure of working with some incredible people, primarily at Prometheus Entertainment, on a couple of the History Channel’s biggest titles such as Ancient Aliens and The Curse of Oak Island, with a few others peppered throughout my tenure.
It wasn’t until I moved to Beijing in 2019 that I got my start in print and digital media, serving as deputy managing editor for two of the capital’s seminal expat lifestyle rags, the Beijinger and Beijingkids (now known as Jingkids International).
That was something of a launching pad, and I went on to do freelance writing and copyediting for several other publications including CGTN, China Daily 21st Century, Estonian World, and more.
I moved back to the States earlier this year and well, now here I am, writing for three markets under the What Now Media Group umbrella.
Tell us about your outlet and types of story pitches you want?
What Now Media Group breaks restaurant, retail, and real estate news in 18 of the country’s most notable cities with 12 more cities to be launched by mid-2023. Our readers expect to know about planned brick-and-mortar businesses as early as when a lease is secured (or earlier!), so send us your scoops before we dig them up ourselves.
Also, it bears mentioning – although I cover the Philadelphia, Tampa, and Phoenix markets specifically, I’m more than happy to forward pitches on to my colleagues in other territories across the country.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Santa Clarita, Calif. – a little suburb about 30 minutes north of Los Angeles. It’s probably most notable for Drew Barrymore’s Netflix comedy thriller, Santa Clarita Diet. Before that, however, it served as the backdrop for Weeds, and some say that Tim Burton based Edward Scissorhands on his time spent studying at CalArts.
Favorite color?
Black – I’m a punky little goth boy at heart.
Favorite TV shows or movies?
Hmmm… I really dug Severance and wanted to sever myself until season two comes out. Aside from that, probably Seinfeld. Not a huge movie guy, as it happens.
Favorite local restaurants or other haunts?
Well, despite the fact that I cover Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Tampa, I’m actually based in El Paso, Texas. So my favorite bar is Monarch. My favorite venue is the late, great Bootleg Theatre in Los Angeles (RIP). And my favorite restaurant would have to be the noodle shop I regularly went to in Beijing whose name I never knew, but affectionately referred to as Hood Noods with my wife.
Three things readers would be surprised to know about you?
- I intentionally lost my friends during a visit to Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest in eighth grade so I didn’t have to go through any of the haunted houses, and waited to meet up with them at the end of the night, some five hours later, pretending my cell phone didn’t work. I would 100% do it again, even at the age of 35. Not down with scary stuff.
- I’ve had somewhere between 25 and 30 piercings since I was 16, though only one remains.
- I’ve never broken a bone (but I swear I’m a super extreme dude).
Contact Email: drew@whatnowmediagorup.com
