Based out of Missoula, the University of Montana journalism graduate is working for MTV as the roving state reporter for the cable network’s national pilot program called “Street Team ’08.”
Sloan and 50 other citizen journalists have been carefully selected by MTV and hired to cover the 2008 elections.
Armed with state-of-the-art video cameras, video-recording cell phones, and laptops with sophisticated editing programs, the reporters hit the streets each week and publish their multimedia reports on the Web site www.Think.MTV.com.
“It’s a fantastic experience and a really great job opportunity,” said Sloan, a recent graduate of UM’s radio-television program. “It’s a part- time job n I’m asked to submit a story a week and MTV furnishes the equipment.”
Getting out and finding the stories is the fun part and it also provides a nice balance to her other job as a customer representative for DirectTV. The challenge, she said, is navigating the new multimedia and getting comfortable with podcasts and blogging.
Sloan said she’s still gathering her courage to do video-blogging, where she talks directly into the camera and speaks her mind. In the meantime, she submits blogs and video interviews to the MTV site.
Although Montana isn’t in the political limelight and the state primary isn’t until June, Sloan said she keeps a close eye on the national political scene and finds a way to get a Montana angle.
“I had a great night on Super Tuesday with our Republican caucus,” she explained. “MTV gave all of the Street Team reporters Nokia cell phones that shoot video and directly link to the Web so it can go live. It was really cool.”
This week, while Texas and Ohio decide between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Sloan plans to be bouncing between Obama and Clinton parties in Missoula on Tuesday night, talking with supporters of those candidates.
“Tuesday could be it n it could be the night who gets chosen to be the Democrat’s presidential candidate n but I’m hoping this will drag out until June so Montana could be a part of it,” Sloan said.
In the coming weeks, Sloan plans to hit the highway and travel across the state to get a broader sampling of Montana’s young politicos and voters.
“I’m really looking forward to that,” she said. “There is a lot of youth involvement in Montana as far as political action goes, but also, there’s quite a disconnect. I’m looking forward to hearing all those stories.”
For more information, see Monday's Missoulian or watch Missoulian.com
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)