My time as an Assignment Editor provided many stories on which I shared in my first blog.  While I'm no longer On the News Desk, the stories and lessons shouldn't be forgotten. 

Presentations

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Musings and thoughts

Showing Tag: " journalism" (Show all posts)

Twitter: I'm following even if you've blocked me

Posted by Misty Montano on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, In : Twitter 

 
It still surprises me that individual journalists block each other, block me, on Twitter. It shocks me that a TV station blocks me from it's station account. Shocking and surprising, but not stopping me. 

If I care about what you have to say on Twitter, I am following you even if you've blocked me.

There is no reason we journalists should be blocking each other. It just feels petty to me that efforts are taken to block journalists. Your effort of blocking me isn't even slowing me down from see...

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Interactive maps give understanding to breaking news

Posted by Misty Montano on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, In : Integrating Social Media 

During wildfires one of the most requested items is a map. A map is sometimes the only line residents have to their homes during a wildfire. Infrared photos of the fire are taken from the air to give the most precise mapping of fire movement.

Infrared mapping isn't the only mapping option, though. Interactive maps can give people a deeper understanding of what's happening.

Based off of geographic information systems (GIS) sets of data can be layered on a map to help understand and visualize ...


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Twitter: the journalist tool

Posted by Misty Montano on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, In : Twitter 

"Why traditional media should be afraid of twitter" is a good article to read for several reasons – to see what twitter is doing to really attach itself to journalism and news, to see how users use twitter, and to see how you –the journalist – can use twitter.

And, of course after reading it, I’m left questing “is my job (mine only) in jeopardy?” An analyst with Reuters seems to think so.   

To answer my own question: no, my job is not in jeopardy. Twitter will continue to come u...


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How to use Facebook scheduling

Posted by Misty Montano on Wednesday, June 6, 2012, In : Integrating Social Media 

You may have heard that last week Facebook started allowing posts on pages to be scheduled through Facebook itself, instead of a 3rd party app like Hootsuite. Here's a quick look at how, and why to use Facebook instead of a 3rd party app.

1. Create your post - status update or photo/video like you normally would. Instead of clicking "Post" click on the clock icon in the lower left hand corner of the post. This is the same procedure as if you've adding milestones or posts to your Timeline. Inst...
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Timeline: This is your life. Protect it.

Posted by Misty Montano on Wednesday, December 28, 2011, In : Integrating Social Media 


How often do you check your Facebook profile, not your wall, but your profile?

My husband can’t remember the last time he checked his profile. This evening he clicked on it and found he had Timeline. It was already public, which means he missed his 7-days grace period to edit and curate his Timeline.

He didn’t mind. He sat there and went through his Timeline laughing at posts and pictures. Memories he had forgotten came flashing back.

He found posts and tags from friends with whom he’s n...
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Playing the Facebook numbers game

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, December 2, 2011, In : Integrating Social Media 


Last time I wrote and published a blog it was right after Facebook changed… again. The changes again had to do with how your newsfeed looks to you. This change drastically hurt pages at the time and for a good week because your newsfeed is now built on your interactions with your friends, groups and pages and your own ranking of posts as “Top Stories” or not.

Since that first week the ranking of pages improved to where the pages to which I am an administrator had the normal amount of t...
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Facebook news feed is hurting Facebook pages

Posted by Misty Montano on Sunday, September 25, 2011, In : Integrating Social Media 


Within minutes of seeing the roll-out of the new Facebook news feed on Wednesday I knew the changes would hurt pages.  FB is taking all of your past use of FB to decide the order the posts you see on your FB news feed.  It seems FB is ranking Profiles over Pages.  

I noticed right away that if a Page I've liked has posted within a short amount of time before I logged in, that Page's post showed up towards the top in "Recent Stories."  Then I noticed I had to scroll way down on my news fee...


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Do more then share comments during the news

Posted by Misty Montano on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, In : Integrating Social Media 


Each day I try to find social aspects of our stories.  The easiest thing to do is just post a question or comment about a story on Facebook and/or Twitter and let conversation ensue.  When I can or have the opportunity I’ll jump into the conversation and add responses either as myself or commenting as the station.

Those conversations are necessary to create relationships with people who will tu...


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I've gone to the dark side: Marketing

Posted by Misty Montano on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, In : Integrating Social Media 



I have gone to the dark side. 
I sometimes wonder who I am.
I see numbers in my sleep.

Ask any journalist about his/her math skills and you’ll probably find yourself hearing some joke about becoming a journalist to avoid working with numbers.  Little did I know utilizing social media would put me smack in the middle of a bed of numbers. 

The numbers were on the wall long, long ago when I realized I had branded myself by accident by using Twitter as a journalist.  Every time I speak to stu...

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Working to define, not be defined

Posted by Misty Montano on Monday, June 20, 2011, In : Integrating Social Media 


Almost three months have passed since I last wrote and announced my decision to leave CBS4 News after 10 1/2 years On the News Desk.

I’ve been waiting for my feet to find steady ground.  I’ve been finding my new place and how exactly I fit.  I’ve been too exhausted at the end of the day to write.

I have composed many blogs in my mind and seriously need to start recording my thoughts so they aren’t lost!

My personal blog has been just as neglected, which is truly sad because I had pla...


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90-day review of myself

Posted by Misty Montano on Monday, June 20, 2011, In : Integrating Social Media 


I’m taking a very serious, critical look at my time thus far as Digital Content Manager at 9NEWS. 

Only seconds have passed and the truth is hitting me upside the head: I haven’t spent enough time, nor have proper planning to actually have moved the station more than an inch in effectively utilizing social media.  This truth is quickly followed with a smack to the other side of my head: I haven’t lived what I’ve been preaching.

I wrote a 10-page Social Media Action Plan before I steppe...

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If you're willing collaborative journalism is easy and rewarding

Posted by Misty Montano on Friday, January 8, 2010, In : Integrating Social Media 
Media organizations have partnered for as long as I can remember. CBS4 News used to partner with The Rocky Mountain News before it closed. Now the station partners with The Denver Business Journal. KUSA and KMGH also partner with local print organizations. There are various partnerships with local radio stations as well. These partnerships will continue but need to go beyond media organization to media organization.

Collaboration is a term being used more these days to describe a wide variety ...
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I am using Google Wave, the mess that it is, for news

Posted by Misty Montano on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, In : Integrating Social Media 
I’ve spent the last two weeks playing around in Google Wave. I see its potential as a collaborative tool to share information during news events, such as a snow storm. I see it being used as a comment tool much like people comment on facebook or retweet with a comment on Twitter.

I’ve joined waves that were created to discuss the use of social media and/or Google Wave in journalism and in news. I’ve reviewed other media outlets use of Google Wave. I’ve read articles on using Google W...

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Bad journalism and bad Twitter critique frustrates me

Posted by Misty Montano on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, In : Integrating Social Media 
By now I believe my social media mantra is clear. Be smart. If you choose to use social media in any capacity know why, know your purpose and be smart in all you do. I need to extend my “be smart” advice to media that decides to critique social media use.

Saturday morning while curled up under a blanket on the couch and sipping a mug of coffee I scrolled through Twitter on my cell phone.  I saw a Tweet from @DaveWebb that said The Colorado Independent had called out The Denver Post for its...
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I got all my news from the Internet, not TV

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, October 24, 2009, In : Integrating Social Media 
I was sick and at home for almost a full week. Watching the news was one of the last things I wanted to do. I wanted to watch chick flicks, reruns of my favorite shows, and catch up on all the shows episodes that sat for months on the DVR. Yet, I am a bit addicted to the news. I couldn’t stay away from it, but I rarely turned the TV to it. I got almost all the news from Twitter and facebook.

No, I didn’t just read tweets or status updates and take those posts for truths. I let those posts ...
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A Social Media Conversation for Journalists

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, October 3, 2009, In : Integrating Social Media 


September 30, 2009 Denver Press Club

We gathered to answer questions of using Social Media in news, as a journalist.  From questions of marketing and branding to verification of sources we answered a wide range of questions.  Those who attended the seminar guided the discussion and shared some of what they are currently experiencing with social media.  We talked for just about two hours.  I encourage you to watch the entire discussion, in bits and pieces as you have time.  I hope you find answ...
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I knew I'd find the downside of using SM at some point

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, July 4, 2009, In : Integrating Social Media 
Twice this week I personally have been called out by two separate former followers on Twitter.  Words like sensational and ignorant were used to describe me personally as a member of the media.  In later posts both former followers then made degrading statements regarding media.  Then both quit following me.  A third former follower posted a question that tried to imply I was pushing station policy, when that simply wasn't the case.  I tried to speak to all three to open a dialogue to discuss...
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Social media opens the door

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009, In : Integrating Social Media 
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...
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How Twitter & I work together

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009, In : Twitter 
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...
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Future of news/media & how Twitter is moving me there

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, June 20, 2009, In : Twitter 
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...
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About Me


Misty Montano I am a Journalist using Social Technologies and Interactive Media to connect with news consumers. I am the Digital Content Manager at 9News in Denver, CO. Previously I was an Assignment Editor at CBS4 News in Denver where I won my first Regional Emmy for my work and spent the first 10 years of my career. I truly grew up On the News Desk.