Combat the desk fat

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 
I have a relatively sedentary job. I'm supposed to sit at the desk to monitor EVERYTHING. People get antsy when I or my coworkers walk away, even to just use the restroom. So I sit at an over sized desk, on a chair where my feet dangle a few inches off the ground (I'm only 5') for hours.

My movement of the day consists of:
Walking to the conference room in the middle of the newsroom for a daily meeting
Walking to use the restroom
Walking to fill my water bottle
Walking to the break room to warm ...
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I have your number

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 
A race for high definition. Sony XDCAM vs Panasonic P2. Final Cut Pro vs Avid. You Report vs I Report. TV news is a whole world of advancing technology.

So why is it callers are surprised the station has caller I.D., which has been a staple of households since the 90's? That's right our phones, like most home and cell phones, have caller I.D.

This means when you want to take out your frustrations on the person who answers the phone, usually me, I have your phone number, and even your name.

Toni...
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News tip: In the event of my death...

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 
The news desk receives hundreds of emails every day from PR types, organizations like police, schools and hospitals, and viewers. Viewers email what they think are news tips, which is everything from witnessing something that could be considered breaking news, to letting us know of their child's school play, to rants on conspiracy theories.

I sift through it all and within a glance I know if it is:
1. to be shouted out to the newsroom because it's breaking or developing news
2. to be filed unde...
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State of economy measured by press releases

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, June 19, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 
Today: a chocolate sheet cake celebrating the 50 years of the Colorado Garden & Home Show.

Yesterday: a beautiful heart box filled with Godiva heart chocolates from a local hospital promoting a weekend event.

Tonight: tummy ache

I am not a sweets person. I am not a chocolate woman. I am chips and salsa. But I couldn't stay away from the heart chocolates that melted in my mouth. I couldn't say no to one, plus a small, pieces of cake.

What normally would have taken hours, if not the entire day, to ...
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Breaking News?

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, June 19, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 
Sometimes breaking news is only covered because of timing and resources. Shootings, bank robberies, fights, chases, searches, stand offs, auto/pedestrian accidents, etc happen regularly on a daily basis. There is simply no way to cover everything that happens. Plus, this may be cold but true, who really cares about all of this? Incidents happen and resolve without injuries or without road closings, school lockdowns, evacuation. Sometimes there are injured victims, sometimes there are road clo...
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When fire alarms go off at the station

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, June 19, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 
I'd just hung up the phone. I heard laughter coming from the 10 p.m. newscast meeting in the news directors office. The rest of the newsroom was relatively quiet, even the scanners.

BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ

Blared from the ceiling. The fire alarm was going off.

No one moved except the assistant news director who came out of the meeting to look around. She looked at me and I said, "I'll call the security guard."

Security guard, "I think it's the main water line."
Me, "So I don't have to evacuate th...
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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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Definition of Assignment Editor

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, June 19, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 
Friday, January 30, 2009

When I give tours of the assignment desk I describe the desk and my position as the central nervous system of the station, or compare it all to that of a teacher in a classroom. Everything in the newsroom has to come through the desk or there will later be mass chaos.

There can be way too many cooks in the kitchen when it comes to figuring every part of the newscast that include the stories, reporters, photographers, edits, live trucks, locations, etc. When left to one...
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I am an assignment editor

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, June 19, 2009 In : Assignment News Desk 

Thursday, January 29, 2009

There really is no better look to describe my feelings about my job than my profile pic - taken of me on my wedding day as a pin stuck me in the process of fixing a strap on my dress. Anticipation. Excitement. Pain. Emotions a bride can experience on her wedding day. Emotions I live through on the job. At the end of the work day though, the job isn't going to be sweeping me away for a honeymoon.

The honeymoon in my career ended just a short three months after I la...

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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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