When you hear the term "social media," what comes to mind? Facebook? Twitter? Yes, these are two examples of popular social media websites, but what does "social media" mean? And, more importantly, how can it be applied to journalism?
I think the best place to start is by looking further into one of the examples mentioned above: Twitter.
Twitter is a micro-blogging site that allows users to post status updates, or "tweets," of up to 140 characters to their profile page, either for personal use or as a way of sharing information with their "followers" (individuals who subscribe to their profile). There are many pros and cons to using Twitter:
Pros
The home page says it all: "Share and discover what is happening right now, anywhere in the world." Through Twitter, individuals can "share" almost anything -- opinions, thoughts, experiences -- with the rest of the "Tweeting" world. This sharing gives people a chance to "discover" new things, most of which are "happening right now." This is one of the main benefits of using Twitter: people are able to share their ideas with others at an instantaneous rate. The best example of this would be Live Tweeting, where individuals can publish what they think of an event as it is taking place. What other medium allows you to do this? Finally, Twitter allows individuals to see what's going on "anywhere in the world." This means that people can stay connected with friends, family, co-workers, etc. found locally, and even overseas.
Cons
Twitter allows users to post updates no more than 140 characters in length, which can be very limiting when publishing one's thoughts/opinions, plus adding external links that may be relevant to their post. In her blog post, Jennifer Carbert also argues that social media, such as Twitter, "encourages people to be more dramatic and more opinionated," which could lead them to "say defamatory or offensive things simply to gain followers and friends." This could also lead to the spread of misinformation, or gossip, which Twitter can facilitate quickly and easily. An example of this would be the Gordon Lightfoot fiasco, where Twitter posts were involved in the reports surrounding his supposed "death."
This YouTube video from Lee LeFever expands on much of what was said above, and provides a simple explanation on how to use Twitter.
Twitter is only the beginning, though. Social media is an umbrella term, which includes other tools such as blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis, vlogs (video logs), basically anything that facilitates conversations and interactions, and the sharing of information between groups of people online. This list is a better representation of the different types of social media found on the Internet.
How does all of this apply to journalism? At the beginning of the year, I wouldn't have been able to answer this question. Now, I know that social media can be used for journalistic purposes in many ways, such as:
- Covering breaking news
- Posting headlines
- Posting links to stories
- Tracking down sources
- Research
- Promoting your "brand"
Today, our society is fueled by technology, which has many people embracing social media. Why not take advantage of that audience! Essentially, social media allows journalists to push news to mass audiences in a shorter amount of time, and in a relatively simple manner. By sharing the news, as opposed to mindless "What are you doing?" updates often posted by the masses, journalists are helping individuals stay connected with the world, much like traditional mediums such as the newspaper or T.V. news broadcast. But social media takes this process one step further: individuals can voice their thoughts, opinions, concerns, etc. about issues in the news, and build on the conversation in ways traditional mediums never permitted. Audiences can even re-post information they find relevant for others to see, keeping the flow of information going, and promoting connection on a global scale between audiences. With social media, there really is no limit!
Note: Image from www.omlogic.com
