Jason Motlagh on Freelance Journalism

Jason Motlagh is an international freelance journalist currently based in Washington D.C. He studied Foreign Affairs in college and upon graduating from his university spent time as a fisherman in Alaska. Journalism was a career that he later fell into.

“At the time, it seemed like a chance where I could explore a lot of different fields and have access to a lot of different people and places,” Motlagh said. “It was a vehicle that would give me greater mobility to pursue things more in depth. That’s ultimately why I decided to pursue it.”

He got his start in the profession by securing journalism internships.

“I really just learned by doing. I was very rough in the beginning, but had easy access to seasoned professionals who I could learn from. There was a real immediacy when I was learning so I think that whole process was accelerated and I picked up the trade very quickly,” Motlagh said.

Motlagh has reported from about 35 countries. He started his career in West Africa and has extensively covered Central Asia and the Mideast. Over the past two years he has spent a significant amount of time covering the war on the ground in Afghanistan.

To hear from Motlagh about his experiences as a freelance journalist and to gain some advice about freelance and international reporting, watch the exclusive interview with Jason below.





Taylor Mirfendereski