McMillan is influential in Colorado business news

Dean Rotbart profiles Denver Post business editor Steve McMillan on Examiner.com and calls him one of the most influential media people in the state.

Rotbart writes, “As business editor, McMillan is crucial in the decision of which stories and trends to track, which reporters are assigned to which beats, and how much ‘play’ business news gets in active competition with other news and feature departments at the daily paper.

“‘I want exclusive news that nobody else has,’ McMillan told a media relations newsletter in July 2008.  ‘Not fluff -– hard news.  If you give me the tips that generate unique, newsy stories for our section, we’ll work with you on the other stories you’re interested in getting in.’

“The quote actually surprises me, assuming McMillan’s words were accurately reported.  While there is often an unstated quid-pro-quo in the news business –- wherein reporters bestow editorial ‘favors’ on their good sources –- it is seldom spelled out so bluntly and publicly.

“But there is nothing in McMillan’s background to suggest he is anything but a straight shooter.”

Read more here.