How to keep the tech community informed - From TechCrunch Senior Reporter Megan Rose Dickey

Note from the Elpha Staff: We're resurfacing our office hour conversations with industry experts in a more digestible way on Thursdays, let us know if you have any feedback in the comments. Thanks!Megan Rose Dickey (@mrd) is a senior reporter at TechCrunch focused on diversity, inclusion and social justice; additionally covering the on-demand economy, AI and transportation. Before joining TechCrunch, Megan covered tech startups at Business Insider where she focused on the shared economy, IoT and the music industry. Megan holds a BA in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from University of Southern California.These are the highlights of her AMA on Elpha, where women in tech talk candidly online. You can check out the entirety of the conversation on Elpha. Q: How did you get your start at Business Insider and then TechCrunch and what have been the biggest hurdles?Megan: My career has been as follows: received a tech blogging job after applying via Craigslist, left job to take paid internship at Business Insider which turned into a full-time job. Following that, I took some time off and returned to tech journalism after a former BI colleague introduced me to my now current boss at Tech Crunch!I’d say the biggest hurdles have been sourcing. I generally consider myself to be a good storyteller but also a pretty big introvert, which makes it hard for me to want to be out and about at events, constantly meeting people.Q: Diversity & Inclusion has been thrust into the mainstream in tech, many companies have been criticized for overly-focusing on PR-friendly, “feel-good” efforts. What do you think is tech journalism’s role in this, to ensure actually meaningful impact of this work?Megan: It’s important to continue to hold companies accountable. Diversity reports are useful to a certain extent, but it’s more important to look at what companies are doing on a day-to-day basis to ensure fair, inclusive practices. That means asking specific questions about hiring practices, pay/promotion processes, etc.Q: How do you select what companies/startups to write for?Megan: I like to write about companies that I think are solving real, interesting problems. Generally, those problems affect marginalized people in some way.Q: How do you feel about this new(ish) wave of PR-agencies that promise buzz to help with funding?Megan: I wish founders would not rely so heavily on PR firms. I’m generally more receptive when founders reach out to me directly than when they have a PR firm on board. PR firms cannot guarantee coverage, let alone funding.Q: What has been the most surprising interview/reporting you have done? Why?Megan: A recent story I did about Kairos, a facial recognition startup, comes to mind. Just lots of bizarre things happening, mostly that the chairperson of the board trying to oust the founder.Q: How do you think the tech industry is performing in terms of diversity and inclusion?Megan: Depending on the week, the tech industry is doing better. In terms of overall representation of diverse people, some companies are doing better than others, but it seems that the industry is quite a ways away from achieving any real success around D&I.It’s important to continue to hold companies accountable. Diversity reports are useful to a certain extent, but it’s more important to look at what companies are doing on a day-to-day basis to ensure fair, inclusive practices. Q:Is there a topic/type of stories you’d like to do more investigative work around than you currently do? On the flip side, what area would you like to do less work in?Megan: Definitely more about criminal justice reform and policy. I’ll probably eventually want to do less around electric scooters, but i’m not burnt out just yet.Highlights Assembled by @amazzocchi

How to keep the tech community informed - From TechCrunch Senior Reporter Megan Rose DickeyFeatured

How to keep the tech community informed - From TechCrunch Senior Reporter Megan Rose DickeyFeatured