Cyrus Farivar is a freelance technology journalist, a freelance radio reporter/producer, and is a wanderlust geek living in the city of Oakland, California.
He is currently working on a book, tentatively titled The Internet of Elsewhere, about the history and effects of the Internet on different countries around the world, including Senegal, Iran, Estonia and South Korea. It is due out from Rutgers University Press in 2009.
He freelances for The Economist, Foreign Policy, Slate, The New York Times, Popular Mechanics, Wired, and Wired News. He also freelances for National Public Radio and The World (WGBH/PRI/BBC).
In addition, he has done radio reporting for the CBC, BBC, Latino USA and has written for Alaska Airlines Magazine, San Francisco, PC Magazine, PC World, Macworld, The San Francisco Chronicle, MuniWireless, Mobile, Playlist, Oakland, Business 2.0, The San Mateo Daily Journal, MacAddict, The Age (Australia), and The Daily Californian, the UC Berkeley independent student newspaper.
He has a B.A. in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.S. from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
He's also survived three VfDs on Wikipedia. However, on a 4th VfD attempt in February 2007, he was, in fact, deleted.
EXPERIENCE
Freelance Journalist, Various Publications
Report on technology for The Economist, Wired, The New York Times, Slate, Foreign Policy and others.
June '04 - Present
Freelance Radio Reporter, National Public Radio, Public Radio International
Report on technology for NPR and PRI's The World (WGBH/PRI/BBC).
December '05 - Present
Freelance Radio Producer, Your Call Radio, KALW 91.7 FM, San Francisco, Calif.
Organize and assist in production of daily weekday call-in political and cultural talkshow.
March '07 - June '07
Contributing Editor, Engadget
Edited and wrote for the number one blog on the Internet. Covered live events and trade shows. Served as Senior Associate Editor for four months.
August '06 - December '06
Assistant Editor, Macworld, San Francisco, Calif.
Produced online content for
magazine, including biweekly Macworld podcast and monthly Virtual CD.
Also reviewed, wrote and edited as needed.
July '05 - August '06
Intern, Business 2.0 magazine, San Francisco, Calif.
Reported and fact-checked for business technology magazine.
May '04 - July '04
Freelance Reporter, Bay City News, San Francisco, Calif.
Reported on local breaking news on a weekend, part-time basis for the only wire service of the entire Bay Area.
January '04 - July '04
Freelance Reporter, The Age, Melbourne, Australia
Contracted freelance reporter for the personal technology section,
LiveWire. Wrote four 1500-word cover stories. Interned at The Age from
June - July '02.
July '02 - December '02
Staff Writer, The Daily Californian, Berkeley, Calif.
Reported on local science and technology for award-winning independent
student newspaper of UC Berkeley. Served as editor for weekly Sci-Tech
page for one year.
September '00 - May '04
EDUCATION
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, New York, N.Y.
M.S. in Journalism, May 2005
Courses included: Radio Workshop, Covering Regional Conflicts, Radio Documentary, Book Writing
Thesis: Murder and Vice on the Lower East Side: The Past, Present and Future of the 'Chinatown Buses' (March 21, 2005)
University of California, Berkeley
B.A. in Political Economy of Industrial Societies, May 2004
Studied from 2002 - 2003 at the Université Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis, Senegal
Thesis: "The Powerful Force": An Examination of the Internet in Senegal (April 28, 2004)
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
Assocation of Independents in Radio - Since 2007
Society of Environmental Journalists - Since 2008
AWARDS
Hoover Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University - January 2010
Participant, Science Literacy Project - April 2008
Bay Area Press Club Scholarship - June 2003
University of California Regents' Scholar - August 2000
Eagle Scout - June 1999
LANGUAGES
Fluent French; basic knowledge of Persian, Wolof, Spanish, Italian
Updated: July 18, 2008