Journalism department honors Cass City Chronicle editor as alum of year

Editor’s note: Tom Montgomery currently serves as editor of the Cass City Chronicle. During Wednesday’s journalism banquet, he was awarded with the honor of being named the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus.

Senior Reporter Joe Borlik sat down with Montgomery for a few questions after the banquet.

Joe Borlik: How does it feel to be named the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus?

Tom Montgomery: I’m very honored and surprised given the company I’m in. It’s nice to see small town journalism getting a look from alumni.

JB: Have you always wanted to be a journalist?

TM: No, I didn’t decide on that until I was a junior in high school. I didn’t really know what I wanted to go into and since I enjoyed writing one of my teachers suggested journalism.

JB: What is it like working at a small town paper?

TM: The pace is slower because we’re a weekly. It’s comfortable for me because I’ve been there so long. I’ve been able to develop many sources over the years who trust me and that leads to more story ideas.

JB: Are you feeling the crunch of the declining newspaper industry?

TM: Yes and no. In my 22 years, my staff is maybe one-third the size it was when I first started. Today, we have a total of only five employees. Businesses all over our region are closing, so obviously people are losing jobs.

JB: Do you have any advice for journalism students?

TM: Stay up on technology and keep an open mind. If you want to pursue journalism there will be some avenue. Maybe it will be some high-tech thing I’ve never heard of.

JB: How can people adapt to the current changes in journalism?

TM: If you’re a student, take advantage of the educational resources available to you. Students should write at their newspaper or if you’re a broadcasting student, you should work at a broadcasting station.

JB: How is working at a small paper like the Cass City Chronicle different than working at a larger paper such as the Grand Rapids Press?

TM: Being one person, the newspaper is up to me. I make all the assignments and assign them out to myself.

JB: Which do you enjoy more, reporting or editing?

TM: Reporting. I enjoy writing and telling stories. I like putting people’s experiences into words and into print form. Doing feature photos would be my favorite part.

studentlife@cm-life.com