10 Questions With ... Ana B. Nieto, El Diario Reporter

Ana B. Nieto has been covering the Latino community in the United States for several years now, including the past three-plus years at El Diario.

“One of the things I like to do at El Diario is to tell stories about Latino entrepreneurs, most of them immigrants. I have been profiling these daring and creative members of the Latino community for some years now,” Nieto said.

She was previously the New York correspondent of a Spanish financial daily, Cinco Días, and worked at the same newspaper in Spain and briefly for El País.

Get to know this veteran journalist and Guild member a bit better with our 10 Questions. 

1.     If you weren't working in journalism, what would you be doing?

I will give you a different answer everyday. I am not very focused on what I am not doing. But I think I could be very happy working in an independent bookstore. Selling books, recommending others, organizing meetings with book clubs and authors.

2.     Who's your favorite journalist or writer - living or dead? 

I tried not to miss anything written by Juan Carlos Gumucio for El Pais when I was younger. My other reference is Miguel Ángel Bastenier,who recently passed away. I do not have lines enough here to describe how important his legacy is. Writers? I will take García Márquez, Rushdie and Mahfouz to a desert island. 

3.     What could the news business use more of?

A working business model.

4.     Less of?

Obsession for speed and empty/irrelevant click bait content.

5.     Name a piece of journalism that moved you most profoundly.

A recent piece in The New York Times about the lack of justice in Syria made me furious, sick and sad. 

6.     What makes you hopeful about the future of journalism?

That it is relevant and key for democracy.

7.     What worries you?

Propaganda, click baits, fake news and that infotainment may pass as a form of journalism.

8.    When you're not reporting, what occupies your time? 

I share quality time with my family and my friends. I try to read as much as I can (but never enough).

9.    Why is being in the Guild better than not being in the Guild?

I think it is better because “I alone can do it” is not credible. Workers should align their interest to have a say and only as a collective can those voices be loud enough. 

10.  If you could give someone starting out in journalism one piece of advice what would it be?

Stay curious, and above all, read!