Journalist. Assignment Editor.

Misty Montano is an Emmy Award Winning Assignment Editor at CBS4 News, KCNC-TV, in Denver, Colorado.  Besides gathering information, assisting news crews, and arranging news coverage, she is now connecting with the community using social media.  She's been able to give a behind the scene look into the operations of a television newsroom through her use of Twitter.  She believes jounalists should use social media to bring transparency to the media.  She believes mainstream media will evolve as social media develops and new tools are available for journalists to utilize.

     Misty decided to start her own Twitter account, @MistyMontano, after CBS4 News created it's account and created a Twitter team to contribute to @CBS4Denver.  She wasn't asked to join this team, so she went rogue with her own Twitter to figure out what Twitter is and how to use it as a journalist.  Her Twitter stream has been successful in finding stories and news sources.  She has connected with many who follow her on Twitter.  Others advise her Twitter stream should be followed for the information she provides and the personality she adds to her tweets.  

 

Professional Social Media Skills:

Effective Communicator
Whether 140 characters or an entire blog, I provide valued content mixed with personality. 

Qualifications
Extensive knowledge of Social Media tools and how best to use Social Media to connect to a many audiences   

Advocate
Mentor and adviser to journalists learning how to use Social Media in their profession.  Speaker at National Press Photographer’s Association ’09 National Conference on using Social Media and Panel Member at Mile High Social Media Club May event “Social and Traditional Media & the New PR”

Professional Journalist Skills:

 

Journalist

9 years of experience as a professional journalist on the assignment desk

 

Social Media 

Utilizes several social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, blogging, Wikipedia to achieve news strategies

 

Media Partnerships

Works with media representatives of all media platforms throughout the state and nationally

 

News Contacts

Possesses knowledge and established associations with media representatives in all fields, specifically state, county, and city agencies, hospitals, schools

 

Effective Communicator

Teacher of social media uses and able to work with managers, producers, writers, reporters, photographers, engineers, editors and all other members of the newsroom to put together each of the daily newscasts

 

Qualifications

Extensive knowledge of news concepts, station brands and how to effectively cover daily and breaking news stories   

 

Accomplishments:

 

Emmy award winning Assignment Editor who works effectively under the pressure of daily and breaking news and understands the needs of all personnel in the newsroom to get multiple newscast on the air.

 

Knowledgeable broadcast television journalist with experience and understanding of the inner workings of a newsroom and how to pursue and cover thenews on a local, statewide and national level.

 

Skillful social media journalist and teacher bringing transparency, interaction, advocacy and accountability to the news station; and guiding fellow journalists on the use of social media platforms to achieve a goal.

  

 Management skills:

 

Coordinate daily, future, breaking and live news coverage by assigning reporters, photographers, editors, engineers, or live trucks to each event

Effectively settle any personal issues the crew members may have with each other by talking to each person individually, or participating in a meeting with all individuals and managers involved in the dispute

Present story submissions for news coverage

Participate in discussions of a news idea and how the story will effectively reach the target audience while maintaining station identity related through storytelling

Implement station goals and storytelling method by working with the news crew to find the right person(s) to interview, creative visuals, and the best live locations

Critique overall produced story or individual elements of the story such as video or edits to achieve the best broadcast product

Keep up to date with current events and community happenings

Call contacts or parties involved in news stories to set up interviews and shoots or  to obtain latest information available on a story

Work with public relations specialists to arrange logistics and coverage of events

Disseminate pertinent information to producers, reporters and photographers

Use several internet databases and search engines to find information for stories, such as, criminal backgrounds, court records, current address and phone numbers

Monitor 13 emergency scanners to listen for breaking news while answering phone calls, reading email from viewers with news tips and reading press releases

Maintain and cultivate new relationships with media representatives and communication specialists