Meet the Media – Christopher Reynolds, Travel Writer at the Los Angeles Times

Meet Christopher Reynolds, Travel Writer for the Los Angeles Times 
What’s your top story for today? 
Well, I recently wrote a story about Pike Place Market in Seattle. I just traveled for a story in Texas, to be published soon. I also edited together a 1-minute video from footage I shot in Alaska.
Tell us about your dream assignment.
Dream assignment? The dreams vary, but one is Newfoundland. My father was born there. I’ve never been. But the summer lasts about 45 minutes, so it’s quite difficult to plot a travel story that won’t have to sit around for a year.
Describe the wackiest story you’ve written.
Before dawn one day in the 1980s, I grabbed up the trash cans of San Diego’s police chief and wrote a story analyzing their contents. (This was prompted by a court ruling that police or anyone else could legally rummage through your trash once you put the bin out on the street.) I had pre-lawyered the idea, but my editors failed to inform the paper’s top editor until the last minute. He killed the story. About two years later, the police chief was hired as a top executive by the publishing company in charge of the newspaper.  (This was not the LA Times.)
What is your PR pet peeve? 
PR pet peeve: Pitches promoting a destination that we’ve just covered. E-mails that pretend to be follow-ups to earlier conversations.
Top trend in the industry you’re currently covering or are interested in.
When will holdout hotels realize that they’re doing themselves major harm by charging for Wi-Fi? How much travel industry market share can companies like Airbnb and Uber gain, how will the government go about regulating them and how will more traditional companies try to win customers back? What will it take to make Americans feel more comfortable about travel in Mexico again?
Tell us a little about yourself.  
I’ve been writing about travel, arts and culture for the LA Times since 1992. If you follow me on Twitter @mrcsreynolds, we may be able to persuade my bosses that I have a clue about social media.
Questions or comments? Shout out in the comment section below or send an email to Christopher at [email protected].