Granger’s Take

A blog by Amanda Granger, Journalist & Digital Media Specialist

Welcome!

Hello, I’m Amanda Granger. Each week you’ll find a new post on different topics related to strategic communications and emerging media. Among other topics, I’ll tackle media relations and the results of media decisions. I’ll also take a look at leadership and how to effectively communicate using the tools that the media possesses.

I have nearly 20 years media experience including broadcast, print and digital. Over the years, I have produced newscasts, updated web sites, led social media efforts to disseminate information via sites such as Facebook and Twitter, supported the maintenance and continual improvement of existing as well as the development of new websites, served as manager for online projects and promotions, identified and assigned online projects as well as reviewed online idea pitches from newsroom members.

I have also been responsible for identifying online storytelling opportunities, created and executed marketing and promotional plans for products to include contests, participation in community events, and more. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you.

I graduated from the Hall School of Journalism at Troy State University in 1997 with my Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. I worked as a news producer at several television stations including ones in Dothan, Huntsville, Charlotte and Montgomery. I enjoyed my time as a producer but at the time, online journalism was emerging and I was fascinated with it.

I was given the opportunity to join the web team at NBC 6 in Charlotte and I embraced it. I gathered the news stories broadcast on the newscasts and transcribed the stories for the station website. I also worked on multimedia projects where I was able to efficient with HTML. I actually bought the book, “HTML for Dummies”, so that I could be better at my job. I really enjoyed the learning process. Unfortunately, I was laid off from that job because of budget restrictions. That put me back in the TV newsroom as a producer at WSFA in Montgomery.

I was still able to use my web skills to post stories on the station website but a job at the Montgomery Advertiser (newspaper) opened up for an online editor and I knew I would be perfect for that job. I was offered the job and enjoyed my time there. But an even better opportunity to manage the digital team at the Savannah Morning News opened up. I feel like that is where I really blossomed. I was really able to put my skills to work! From writing some code to multimedia projects to being the first to report breaking news stories online, my team did it.

Personal reasons brought me back to Alabama. I was blessed to become the marketing and social media manager for Four Star Freightliner in Montgomery. The company has seven locations throughout the southeast and I have worked there for seven years.

I also operate a non-profit organization in memory of my sister Chasity Barnes called Chasity’s Champions. This organization supports first-time college students by awarding them scholarships. Chasity was 27-years-old when she passed away from a blood clot shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. The scholarships are my way of honoring her memory.

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