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Robb Montgomery

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Robb Montgomery
Robb Montgomery
Montgomery in 2015
Born1964 (age 61–62)
Naperville, Illinois
Alma materEastern Illinois University
Occupations
  • Professor
  • author
  • journalist
Known forMobile journalism

Robb Montgomery is an American journalist, documentary filmmaker, and visual media anthropologist known for his work in mobile journalism and digital storytelling.[1] He is the author of Smartphone Video Storytelling (Routledge, 2018), Mobile Journalism (Visual Editors, 2020–2026), and the monograph Breaking the News: Witnessing a Vanishing Culture (Visual Editors, NFP, 2026). His ethnographic research on immersive media has been published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Visual and Media Anthropology (Vol. 9, 2025).[2]

Career

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Montgomery began his career as a graphics journalist at the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel in 1990 and later served as Deputy News Editor for Design at the Chicago Sun-Times.[1]

Following his departure from legacy media in 2005, Montgomery developed training programs utilizing smartphones and mobile devices for news gathering.[3] Academic studies identify him as a key trainer within the global “mojo” (mobile journalism) community who helped integrate mobile reporting tools into newsroom workflows.[4][5]

He has conducted workshops and masterclasses for the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, and the Global Investigative Journalism Conference.[1][6] In 2023, he led mobile journalism workshops in Ukraine for reporters working within displaced communities during the Russian invasion.[7]

He has described mobile devices as placing “a TV studio in your pocket,” a concept cited in coverage of his work by the Argentine newspaper La Nación.[8]

Visual Media Anthropology

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Based in Berlin, Montgomery operates as a visual media anthropologist focusing on journalism, digital culture, and immersive media. His spatial ethnography fieldwork includes Bikegeist, an interactive digital heritage project that utilizes 3D photogrammetry and spatial computing to curate and preserve Berlin's urban cycling culture.[9]

His research on the metaverse, "Stimulated Reality: Virtual Intimacy and the Anthropology of the Metaverse," and its accompanying short documentary film, were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Visual and Media Anthropology (Vol. 9, 2025). The study examines how digital-native audiences use virtual reality platforms and AI-assisted companions to navigate intimacy and emotional connection.[2]

Academic Recognition

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Montgomery’s mobile journalism methodologies have been analyzed in academic literature regarding modern newsroom practices:

  • A 2024 review in the International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research documents Montgomery’s workshops as part of the global spread of mobile journalism.[10]
  • In Comunicación y Sociedad (2024), researchers discuss how Montgomery’s training programs have integrated into newsroom workflows in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.[11]
  • A University of Bergen report (2022) notes that Montgomery’s books focus on storytelling techniques and ethical considerations in mobile reporting.[12]

His methodologies are incorporated into academic courses, including modules at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.[13]

Smart Film School & Visual Editors, NFP

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In 2004, Montgomery incorporated Visual Editors as a 501(c)(3) non profit organization in the United States, serving as its CEO.[1] Visual Editors organizes the Mobile Journalism Awards and has screened mobile documentary work at events including the NAB Show in Las Vegas.[14] He also founded the Smart Film School, an online academy offering mobile journalism and documentary certificate courses, recognized globally by major industry networks.[1]

Publications

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Books

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  • Breaking the News: Witnessing a Vanishing Culture (2026, Visual Editors, NFP, Chicago) – 40,000 word hardcover academic monograph. ISBN 978-0-9903502-4-8; LCCN 2026-906983.[15]
  • Mobile Journalism - 2026 University Edition (6th ed., Visual Editors, NFP).[16]
  • Smartphone Video Storytelling (2018, Taylor & Francis, New York & London). ISBN 978-1-138-63599-9.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Robb Montgomery". International Journalism Festival. 2023. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  2. ^ a b "Artificial Entanglements: Memory, Emotion, and Connection in the Age of AI". Journal of Visual and Media Anthropology. Media University Berlin. 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  3. ^ "Mobile Journalism: Systematic Literature Review". ERIC. 2019. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  4. ^ Salzmann, C.; Guribye, F.; Gynnild, A. (2020). "We in the Mojo Community – Exploring a Global Network of Mobile Journalists". Journalism Practice. 14 (7): 825–841.
  5. ^ Salzmann, C.; Guribye, F.; Gynnild, A. (2021). "Adopting a Mojo Mindset: Training Newspaper Reporters in Mobile Journalism". Digital Journalism. 9 (2): 225–243.
  6. ^ "GIJC23 Masterclass: Mobile Journalism". Global Investigative Journalism Network. 2023. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  7. ^ "Mobile journalism in Ukraine, with Robb Montgomery". Journalism.co.uk. 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
  8. ^ "Robb Montgomery: "Todos tenemos un estudio de TV en el bolsillo"". La Nación. 17 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  9. ^ "Bikegeist: Berlin's Bicycle Culture". Robb Montgomery. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  10. ^ Ambadas, B. (2024). "Emerging Trends in Digital Journalism: A Comprehensive Review." International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR), 6(2).
  11. ^ Benassini, C., et al. (2024). "Mobile Journalism and the Transformation of News Production." Comunicación y Sociedad, 41(1).
  12. ^ University of Bergen Research Team. (2022). "Mobile Journalism: Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities." BORA – Bergen Open Research Archive.
  13. ^ "MKT560 Mobile and Social Media Marketing". Singapore University of Social Sciences. 2024. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  14. ^ "BEA2023 Program". Broadcast Education Association. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  15. ^ "Breaking the News: Witnessing a Vanishing Culture". Visual Editors. Visual Editors, NFP. 2026. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  16. ^ "Mobile Journalism - 2026 University Edition 6th edition". VitalSource. Visual Editors, NFP. 2026. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
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