When the station did the first local reporter packages on the protests and clashes after the Iran election, a reporter asked me to see if I could reach anyone in Iran on Twitter that would be willing to do an interview using Twitter or email, or whatever platform necessary to accomplish the interview.  I was asked to do this around 8:30pm. 

Of course I said I would do it and then asked the reporter and producer how we would verify the source if I got the interview?  Pause.  I'm asked if I thi...

Continue reading ...

It’s been over a week since I spoke at NPPA Convergence on using social media in the newsroom.  So much happened I needed time to organize my thoughts before writing out my thoughts.  Sometime before I started speaking on a panel Saturday, June 13 I saw a post on Twitter regarding the Iran Electionsand the protests that were just beginning.  Honestly, my first instinct was that of a journalist, “this is going to be a big story.” 

 

To be even more honest, after the conferenc...

Continue reading ...

UPDATE Friday, May 29th:

It's official I will be speaking at a social media seminar during the NPPA Convergence in Las Vegas in a couple of weeks. Then I will moderate a panel discussion on social media. So I need help/advice. Those who attend are journalists wanting to know how to use social media. Some may already utilize social media, but others may not.

I'm asking you: what do you want from your local journalist or news organization using social media?

This is a whole new field for many of u...
Continue reading ...

Today I pitched three stories. Two of the stories came through people contacting me on Twitter and the third was from a caller who actually called a couple weeks ago. I was contacted by the first Twitter story last week and the second was brought to my attention just last night.

I knew when I received a phone call from a gentleman who, along with community members and a public school system had established a community garden, that this was worthy of a story. I wrote it up immediately and filed...
Continue reading ...

This week I was a panel speaker at a seminar on PR & Media in a New Media World hosted by Mile High Social Media Club. The panel guests also included Elaine Ellis of Metzger Associates and Jason Kintzler founder and CEO of PitchEngine. The seminar was attended by mostly PR professionals and bloggers who submitted questions for the panel to answer.

I was honestly surprised to hear the public relation field is working to figure out the purpose and uses for social media just as media outlets are ...
Continue reading ...

Below is the article I wrote for an upcoming NATAS newsletter. The purpose of the article is to introduce social media to the NATAS member that may be thinking of using social media. Tell me your thoughts.

Social media may not be a necessity. Social media, at this time, may not drastically change viewership numbers. Social media, however, will give you or your organization another voice in a world where turning on the television is not always the first action people take to find news. Social m...
Continue reading ...

As with any form of communication there are multiple opportunities for misunderstanding. I believe a misunderstanding lead to someone following me on Twitter to un-follow me. Instead of asking me about what I meant, the follower decided to call me out on Twitter and to un-follow me. I admit it's hard not to take this personally.

Last night I left work while there was an active shooting in Greeley. There was nothing more that I could do. A freelance photographer was on the scene. The Under Sher...
Continue reading ...

As I opened this new post I started to monitor a fire west of the station, over 20-minutes away, in Jefferson County. I entered the title and stopped writing to focus on the fire. I checked all sources that could possibly also be monitoring the fire and found none. Not knowing if I'm the only assignment editor in the city listening to the fire, I had to decide what, if anything, to post on Twitter. I chose to post nothing at first.

This was the right decision. For less than ten minutes I liste...
Continue reading ...

Tonight I received my first Tweet critique from a follower. He stated, "Too many RT's that aren't relevant to News, I'd like to keep following you but there are too many twits for me." I promptly sent a reply thanking him for letting me know this.

Luckily, he hadn't unfollowed me yet so I sent him a direct message saying, "seriously, thank you for being honest with me. I'm still learning my place as a journalist on twitter. I understand if you no longer follow." This is complete honesty. I fin...
Continue reading ...

I'm learning. I hope to always be learning. Currently I'm learning how to incorporate social media into my job as an assignment editor. I truly believe mainstream media will evolve to incorporate and utilize social media. So I jumped right into the action.

If you've been following me on Twitter, @MistyMontano, you know how I've been using Twitter as a journalist. I function between my account and the station's, @cbs4denver, to engage in conversations about stories, to share what it's like to w...
Continue reading ...

Twitter allows interaction with the viewers I'm trying to reach. Twitter allows Tweeps to share in my day, share my journey of news each night. Twitter makes the news more than just headlines. Twitter allows transparency in news coverage. Twitter allows Tweeps to have ownership in the news.

All of that is possible in Twitter because Twitter is what you want it to be. You can make Twitter work for you in any way that you want. I use Twitter for all the above reasons.

I have two simple Twitter R...
Continue reading ...

A list of Twitter apps/tools I've been working on since 2009.  A link to the very original posting of this is at the end.

Twitter Search, and for fun how to search Facebook statuses

Search - single word or phrase search

Twitter Advanced Search - field, keyword, time and geographic searches

Facebook Status Search - searches all status updates from Facebook users who have their statuses open to everyone

Listorious - search Twitter lists

LocalTweeps

Go to this website to register your zip code. Local...
Continue reading ...

I have seen several blogs and news stories about Twitter and how Twitter is changing journalism. Previously I've discussed the future of journalism in the face of new media a.k.a. social media a.k.a. advanced media. I've decided to throw out my two cents on how social media has recently affected me as a journalist. I hope to give fellow journalists some ideas on what they can do as well.

CBS4 News launched Twitter a few months ago and then created a CBS4 News Facebook Fan Page last month. It's...
Continue reading ...

I started this blog over a week ago and every time I sit down to write it, I can't seem to get out what I want to say. This block has left me feeling like there's nothing else I can blog about until I get this out. So please, if ramble and take tangents, remember it's my way of trying to connect the dots. I'd love your feedback and ideas.

I agree Lacey, it's been too long since I blogged.

Last week was a horrible week for journalism in Denver. The Rocky Mountain News closed. There were lay offs...
Continue reading ...