Showing Tag: "news desk" (Show all posts)

Miscommunication havoc in the newsroom; at least the viewer can't tell

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, October 31, 2009, In : Assignment News Desk 

I’m never sure how things like this happen, but it’s frustrating.  I think there was miscommunication all around this afternoon.  I say all around because the problem just wasn’t here in the newsroom.  We almost missed an important story all because the right questions weren’t asked and those who were supposed to have all the details had little information themselves.

An intern answered one of the many phone calls this afternoon and was told of an upcoming press event.  The event was...


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Walking into the middle of the dance with no rhythm to add

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009, In : Assignment News Desk 
Drove back from Vegas this morning. Rushed to work. Walked into a newsroom that was buzzing with urgency of covering tornadoes. I've been gone for a week. Almost every day that I was gone there was severe weather coverage. (Many have joked tornado alley moved, but actually I believe this is more traditional to Colorado weather patterns and what's been out of the ordinary is the lack of such weather.)

It was obvious this dance had been done quite recently and people were in auto-mode; which doe...
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Two too many Jennifers...

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009, In : Assignment News Desk 
Friday night, 9:58pm: I hear the producer say over the RTS "Misty - Somebody tell Jennifer Zeppelin we're less than a minute away from the show!"

My head snaps up and I see Jennifer McRae half-way between me and the weather center. "Jennifer! Go tell Jennifer Zeppelin we're less than a minute away!"

Jennifer looks at Jennifer Miller standing across the producer pod from her. "Jennifer! You've got less than a minute! RUN!"

Me: "NO! Wrong Jennifer! Jennifer Zeppelin, ZEPPELIN!"

I'm not heard becaus...
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In the silence

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009, In : Assignment News Desk 
It's as silent as it ever gets in the newsroom. I only hear background noise of scanners, keyboard keys clicking and a far off television. My shift is only half over but I feel spent for a job that is relatively sedentary.

I'm spent because from the moment I walk in the door until about this time every night it's go go go time. I may walk off the desk to track down photographers, editors, engineers, producers, etc., but I'm mostly confined to the news desk where everything comes at me. Constan...
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When good days go bad

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009, In : Assignment News Desk 
It's day two of book (Nielsen ratings period)and we're chugging along just fine. To be honest, the stress of scheduling all the special shoots and edits for stories that are going to be aired in the next few weeks seems to have eased up. I'm not sure why. There's still a lot of blue ink on our assignment board.

Oh, I should explain blue ink. We keep tracks of assignments on a big dry erase board and several smaller boards depending on the day/stories, and of course in the computer. Assignments...
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I am not a map

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, June 19, 2009, In : Assignment News Desk 
4:55pm
I'm listening to Denver police conduct some kind of undercover bust. I've already moved Copter4. I've asked Doug to track down a photographer to go on the ground. I've told the producers what I'm hearing.

We're on alert for a homicide suspect that has been wanted since Wednesday night when he allegedly forced his girlfriend off the road, walked up to her car, and shot her. I can tell the officer on the scanner is tense as he moves other officers into location to move in on a suspect. Cou...
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Misty Montano


Evolving Journalist I am a Journalist using Social Technologies and Interactive Media to connect with news consumers. I am taking on the new exciting and challenging role of Digital Content Manager at 9News in Denver, CO. Previously I was an Assignment Editor at CBS4 News in Denver where I won an Emmy for my work and spent the first 10 years of my career. I truly grew up on the news desk.
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