The death of Armando Montaño, a 22-year-old Associated Press intern in Mexico City, is a tragic loss to the world of journalism that the recent Grinnell College graduate just recently began to navigate. What is not yet known, however, is if Montaño’s death was related to his profession.
A Colorado Springs, CO native, Montaño arrived in Mexico last month to begin a summerlong internship at the AP. His body was found in an apartment building elevator shaft near his home early Saturday morning.
Before Montaño’s death, 2012 was already shaping up to be the deadliest year for journalists since both the International Press Institute and the Committee to Protect Journalists began keeping track 15 and 20 years ago, respectively. And Mexico is among the most dangerous countries for journalists.
These facts make it tempting to assume that Montaño’s death was related to his work, even though the cause of death has not been released. That’s what seemingly happened at The Washington Post on Sunday night, where somebody tweeted,
WaPo senior social media producer T.J. Ortenzi became aware of the mistake on Monday via a tweet from Boston Globe newsroom Web developer Andy Boyle (whose screen shot is embedded above). Ortenzi tweeted a correction before pulling the erroneous tweet a half hour later. Ortenzi declined to name who was responsible for last night’s tweet.
“We got it wrong,” Ortenzi told CJR. “This is one of those things you don’t want to be wrong about.”
Absolutely. Perhaps Montaño was killed for doing his job. Perhaps not. Until we know what happened, one of the worst ways to memorialize the ambitious young journalist—who completed internships at The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Seattle Times, and The Colorado Independent before heading to Mexico—is to get his story wrong.
it is "The Colorado Springs Independent" ... not just Colorado Independent
#1 Posted by kelly, CJR on Wed 4 Jul 2012 at 05:10 AM
nobody can see the future, but all the circumstantial evidence points to it NOT being accident. Young 22 year old men just do not die by accident, unless it is a proven SEEn boating accident in open air,
or a car crash witnessed by others. Most likely, he was murdered. Ask Columbo: too many clues point to an unfortunate murder most foul. SIGH
#2 Posted by dan bloom, CJR on Wed 4 Jul 2012 at 11:19 PM
CORRECTION he was born in MASSACHUSETTS, therefore a Boston native, no?
#3 Posted by dan bloom, CJR on Wed 4 Jul 2012 at 11:24 PM
sara so fix please Colorado Springs Indepedent and Boston Globe confirms he is NOT a Colorado native, fix: re '''The death of Massachusetts-born journalist Armando Montano in Mexico City, in the elevator shaft of a building near his apartment, raised immediate suspicions in a country where six journalists have been killed in the last few months. '' -- GLOBE editorial
#4 Posted by dan bloom, CJR on Wed 4 Jul 2012 at 11:28 PM
Hi Kelly,
I think it is the Colorado Independent -- according to its site, Montano was an intern there.
There is also a Colorado Springs Independent, but it doesn't look like Montano worked there.
Thanks,
Sara
#5 Posted by Sara Morrison, CJR on Thu 5 Jul 2012 at 10:51 AM
So Sarah, you look into fact checks of Colorado Indepiendet or the other one, b ut you do NOT correct the Boston GLobe's admision taht he was a Massachusetts native....Why you fact check one but not the other? does not compute. do answer or email me offfline at danbloom in the gmail suite
re The site has blocked you from posting new comments.
#6 Posted by dan bloom, CJR on Tue 10 Jul 2012 at 08:37 PM