Friday, January 25, 2013
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Twitter for Journalists: Why and How
You have to have a Twitter account and you have to send tweets. For some legacy journalists, that is the extent of the direction they receive about this social platform. This two-part series drills deeper, answering first the most important question: Why use Twitter as a journalist? The second part of this series covers the mechanics of how to craft effective tweets, who to follow and why (and who not to follow), when and how to retweet and add comments, and how to use hashtags, @-messages and especially "Lists" to increase the impact of your use of Twitter as a reporting tool.
And that's really the key: Twitter is only a tool, a means to the end of doing great reporting, no different really than a laptop, a word processor or even a notepad. There is no reason to be "on Twitter" for its own sake. But this social platform can absolutely become a valuable tool to add to the reporter's toolkit, if used purposefully.
Twitter for Journalists: Why?
1. Discover Breaking News
Hours before CNN was clued in, Twitter was lit up with reports of the terror attack in Myanmar. Associated Press has gone from first to last as the source for breaking news. In an era where anyone can commit an 'act of journalism', whoever is at the scene (usually NOT a journalist) can now be the first to report. Twitter is now the dominant platform to break, and discover, breaking news stories.
2. Track / Report a Developing Story
During live unfolding events, the 'crowd-sourcing' power of Twitter makes it unparalleled as a tool for tracking a developing story as it happens, in real time. Use SEARCH or the story topic hashtag (#), for example #opdx became the most-used way to 'tag' tweets about Occupy Portland.Twitter can also be a highly effective real-time reporting platform during developing news when other options aren't available (tweeting from a court proceeding, or a press conference or news story where no live signal is available).
3. Take the Pulse on a Story
Using Search or a topical hashtag to follow Tweets on a story topic gives reporters and producers a real-time view of what people are saying about an ongoing news story. #occupyportland went through a dramatic shift in 'Twitter temperature', with great interest and support expressed in the first days when 5,000 diverse residents marched through town; to an overarching frustration over the seeming squatting in city parks by hangers-on who didn't seem to be articulating a consistent message. The Twitter conversation shifted from calling for corporate accountability, to calling on the Mayor to end 'public camping' and address the crime and park damage issues related to #opdx.
4. Discover Story Ideas
Reporters, especially those with beats like environment, crime, health, etc. can discover story ideas before they make it to 'press release' phase by building up a relevant list of news-makers that they follow. Twitter "Lists" are an effective way to sort who a reporter follows by interest or expertise, eliminating the clutter and chatter of the main Twitter stream and instead offering at-a-glance view of what the influencers are saying.
More: How to make "Lists" in Twitter
5. See What's Trending
Twitter offers a localizable "trending topics" metric that displays in real time what the most 'tweeted' topics are. In your profile you set the area you want to track, e.g. "Portland." Trendsmap.com is another great web-based tool to access trending topics, and localize it to the region you choose (local, statewide, national, by topic, etc). Here is the direct URL to track what's trending in Portland: http://trendsmap.com/local/us/portland
These trending tools are valuable to producers and assignment managers, as well as reporters, as a way to identify topics that are bubbling up...and also when interest in a topic has died down.
6. Get Feedback (Leads/Fixes) on Your Story
Using Twitter to enhance reporting is more about LISTENING than talking - often the hardest habit to change for print and television journalists accustomed to telling the news to the audience, and expecting them to only listen. But reporters who also LISTEN by using the "Mentions" feature in Twitter can reap multiple benefits, including what people are saying about the story, corrections to errors in the story, ideas for other sources (personal stories, experts) and follow-up story angles.
7. Engage and Connect with the Audience
For legacy journalists, the most potent long-term opportunity offered by social platforms like Twitter is the chance to connect and engage with their audience. Again, listening and engaging/responding is the key. When people message or @-mention a reporter, respond! Use Twitter to humanize the news, pull back the curtain and share the view from behind the scenes, Tweet a pic from the scene of the story, allow yourself to share some of your personality. The bottom line: News is now a conversation, not a lecture - and Twitter is a great way to engage (listening as well as talking) with your audience.
And a few things NOT to do on Twitter:
NO: Shameless self-promotion
Twitter is a content platform. The users are pretty sophisticated and don't take kindly to the old TV promotional approach of teasing the cute video throughout the newscast and showing it at 5:29!
Follow the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of the time, your posts should have standalone content, delivering value NOW. Keep those self-promotional messages to no more than 20 percent of your tweets, ESPECIALLY when you first begin to use the platform.
NO: Tweeting scanner chatter / unconfirmed news reports
You certainly should NEVER Tweet "news" unless you have confirmed it in the same way that you would confirm it for other platforms. Fortunately, since we are all human and mistakes happen, if you do make a mistake in Twitter, admitting so (on Twitter) quickly and honestly generally is accepted and even appreciated.
NO: Personal Opinions on News Stories - Be Professional
Do remember you are still a reporter, so personal opinions on stories you might cover can call into question your impartiality; and, if you wouldn't want your mom or your boss or the competition to read it...you probably shouldn't tweet it.
More on Twitter for Journalists
Poynter: 10 Ways Reporters Can Use Twitter
Poynter: What Reporters Should Consider Before "Retweeting" to Avoid "Endorsement"
Pew Center for Research: Mainstream Media using Twitter to push, not engage
Poynter Webinar: Twitter Uses for Broadcast Producers
And that's really the key: Twitter is only a tool, a means to the end of doing great reporting, no different really than a laptop, a word processor or even a notepad. There is no reason to be "on Twitter" for its own sake. But this social platform can absolutely become a valuable tool to add to the reporter's toolkit, if used purposefully.
Twitter for Journalists: Why?
1. Discover Breaking News
Hours before CNN was clued in, Twitter was lit up with reports of the terror attack in Myanmar. Associated Press has gone from first to last as the source for breaking news. In an era where anyone can commit an 'act of journalism', whoever is at the scene (usually NOT a journalist) can now be the first to report. Twitter is now the dominant platform to break, and discover, breaking news stories.
2. Track / Report a Developing Story
During live unfolding events, the 'crowd-sourcing' power of Twitter makes it unparalleled as a tool for tracking a developing story as it happens, in real time. Use SEARCH or the story topic hashtag (#), for example #opdx became the most-used way to 'tag' tweets about Occupy Portland.Twitter can also be a highly effective real-time reporting platform during developing news when other options aren't available (tweeting from a court proceeding, or a press conference or news story where no live signal is available).
3. Take the Pulse on a Story
Using Search or a topical hashtag to follow Tweets on a story topic gives reporters and producers a real-time view of what people are saying about an ongoing news story. #occupyportland went through a dramatic shift in 'Twitter temperature', with great interest and support expressed in the first days when 5,000 diverse residents marched through town; to an overarching frustration over the seeming squatting in city parks by hangers-on who didn't seem to be articulating a consistent message. The Twitter conversation shifted from calling for corporate accountability, to calling on the Mayor to end 'public camping' and address the crime and park damage issues related to #opdx.
4. Discover Story Ideas
Reporters, especially those with beats like environment, crime, health, etc. can discover story ideas before they make it to 'press release' phase by building up a relevant list of news-makers that they follow. Twitter "Lists" are an effective way to sort who a reporter follows by interest or expertise, eliminating the clutter and chatter of the main Twitter stream and instead offering at-a-glance view of what the influencers are saying.
More: How to make "Lists" in Twitter
5. See What's Trending
Twitter offers a localizable "trending topics" metric that displays in real time what the most 'tweeted' topics are. In your profile you set the area you want to track, e.g. "Portland." Trendsmap.com is another great web-based tool to access trending topics, and localize it to the region you choose (local, statewide, national, by topic, etc). Here is the direct URL to track what's trending in Portland: http://trendsmap.com/local/us/portland
These trending tools are valuable to producers and assignment managers, as well as reporters, as a way to identify topics that are bubbling up...and also when interest in a topic has died down.
6. Get Feedback (Leads/Fixes) on Your Story
Using Twitter to enhance reporting is more about LISTENING than talking - often the hardest habit to change for print and television journalists accustomed to telling the news to the audience, and expecting them to only listen. But reporters who also LISTEN by using the "Mentions" feature in Twitter can reap multiple benefits, including what people are saying about the story, corrections to errors in the story, ideas for other sources (personal stories, experts) and follow-up story angles.
7. Engage and Connect with the Audience
For legacy journalists, the most potent long-term opportunity offered by social platforms like Twitter is the chance to connect and engage with their audience. Again, listening and engaging/responding is the key. When people message or @-mention a reporter, respond! Use Twitter to humanize the news, pull back the curtain and share the view from behind the scenes, Tweet a pic from the scene of the story, allow yourself to share some of your personality. The bottom line: News is now a conversation, not a lecture - and Twitter is a great way to engage (listening as well as talking) with your audience.
And a few things NOT to do on Twitter:
NO: Shameless self-promotion
- "I have a great story coming up tonight, be sure to tune in later!"
- "Working on an exclusive story right now, check me out tonight at 11!"
Twitter is a content platform. The users are pretty sophisticated and don't take kindly to the old TV promotional approach of teasing the cute video throughout the newscast and showing it at 5:29!
Follow the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of the time, your posts should have standalone content, delivering value NOW. Keep those self-promotional messages to no more than 20 percent of your tweets, ESPECIALLY when you first begin to use the platform.
NO: Tweeting scanner chatter / unconfirmed news reports
You certainly should NEVER Tweet "news" unless you have confirmed it in the same way that you would confirm it for other platforms. Fortunately, since we are all human and mistakes happen, if you do make a mistake in Twitter, admitting so (on Twitter) quickly and honestly generally is accepted and even appreciated.
NO: Personal Opinions on News Stories - Be Professional
Do remember you are still a reporter, so personal opinions on stories you might cover can call into question your impartiality; and, if you wouldn't want your mom or your boss or the competition to read it...you probably shouldn't tweet it.
More on Twitter for Journalists
Poynter: 10 Ways Reporters Can Use Twitter
Poynter: What Reporters Should Consider Before "Retweeting" to Avoid "Endorsement"
Pew Center for Research: Mainstream Media using Twitter to push, not engage
Poynter Webinar: Twitter Uses for Broadcast Producers
Monday, January 17, 2011
Internet top source of news for ages 18-29
The latest Pew survey reports that the internet is now the number one source of news for Americans aged 18-29.While the internet share as a news source has been steadily growing at the expense of TV and newspapers, this is the first time that the internet has been rated as the first source for news by any key demographic group.
The national survey was conducted in early December 2010 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, polling 1,500 adults reached on cell phones and landlines.
Overall, the survey once again found that internet ranked ahead of newspapers as a source of news.
Television remained the most widely used source for national and international news – 66% of Americans say it is their main source of news – but that is down from 74% three years ago and 82% as recently as 2002.
Meanwhile internet grew to 44% and newspapers slipped to 31%.
Within television, there were also meaningful changes. Both cable and network news stations lost significant audience share (down 8% and 7% respectively). Only local TV newscasts maintained their audience share since the previous survey.
Read the full Pew report
Monday, May 24, 2010
Using Facebook to Spread the News
As recently as one year ago, it would have been laughable to discuss a "Facebook strategy" for legacy news media companies.
As of early 2010 Facebook became, by membership, equivalent to the fourth-largest country in the world. Mainstream media aren't laughing anymore.
In April, Facebook rolled out a new set of social plug-in tools. These widgets offer media companies the chance to deliver their news "where the audience is".
One example is this embeddable "LIKE" box, which can be placed on a news web site and used to encourage visitors to "like" the media company. Why does a media company care? Once someone on Facebook "likes" your content, you can then post news stories to your company's Facebook page and those stories will be automatically "published" onto the page of every single person who is a "fan" of or likes your news site.
For example, KGW.com in Portland Oregon now has more than 3,500 'fans.' Every news story published onto the site's Facebook page is instantly added into the feed of those 3,500 fans. Each one of them has anywhere from 100 to 300 friends with whom they can choose to "share" the story. Those 3,500 can exponentially turn into 350,000 simply by a station's "fans" assigning value to the content.
That is the power of using social media not merely as a marketing platform but also as a news publishing platform.
As of early 2010 Facebook became, by membership, equivalent to the fourth-largest country in the world. Mainstream media aren't laughing anymore.
In April, Facebook rolled out a new set of social plug-in tools. These widgets offer media companies the chance to deliver their news "where the audience is".
One example is this embeddable "LIKE" box, which can be placed on a news web site and used to encourage visitors to "like" the media company. Why does a media company care? Once someone on Facebook "likes" your content, you can then post news stories to your company's Facebook page and those stories will be automatically "published" onto the page of every single person who is a "fan" of or likes your news site.
For example, KGW.com in Portland Oregon now has more than 3,500 'fans.' Every news story published onto the site's Facebook page is instantly added into the feed of those 3,500 fans. Each one of them has anywhere from 100 to 300 friends with whom they can choose to "share" the story. Those 3,500 can exponentially turn into 350,000 simply by a station's "fans" assigning value to the content.
That is the power of using social media not merely as a marketing platform but also as a news publishing platform.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Mobility of News
There was a time when the news came once a day. It landed on your doorstep, in your driveway, or through the mailbox. After the morning paper arrived, you'd have to wait until the next morning for the next round of news.
Radio meant no waiting for news. TV meant seeing the news. And getting it more often: Mornings, noon, at dinner and late night. Miss a newscast? No problem. There will be another in 3-5 hours.
The internet changed all that. Anyone at a computer with an internet connection could get the news in real time.
Mobile technology is poised to complete this transformation by enabling access to and consumption of news anywhere, anytime - for everyone.
A recent study of (web-enabled) "smart phone" users found they would rather lose their car keys, wallet or purse...than lose their smart phone. For most owners, the smart phone has quickly become the single most indispensable piece of technology in their lives. What's shocking is the speed of penetration of this latest disruptive innovation.
The implications of ubiquitous "smart phones" for legacy media are profound. The web-enabled mobile device is both the greatest threat, and the greatest opportunity, for legacy media companies.
The threat is already visible. Newspaper and TV companies who've already seen their core news product cannibalized by migration to the web now must face the fact that even their own web sites will be diluted by migration to mobile. Each time the screen shrinks - for example from TV to TV station web site to TV station mobile site - so do the ad dollars. That is the threat.
Mobility is also opportunity. Someone must create the content that will populate these mobile devices. Today, legacy media outlets have an advantage: They are already creating vast quantities of daily, fresh news content that is trusted in their markets. Any new entrants must compete with their strong existing brand, established processes for finding and reporting news, and the volume of content they generate. In many ways, legacy media outlets are in the lead position to own the news space on mobile. As news consumers migrate from more traditional platforms to their new smart phones, they are likely to take with them the trusted brands from those bigger "screens".
The only question is: Will legacy media companies have the courage to take the plunge and invest in their mobile news platform before they lose their head start?
Radio meant no waiting for news. TV meant seeing the news. And getting it more often: Mornings, noon, at dinner and late night. Miss a newscast? No problem. There will be another in 3-5 hours.
The internet changed all that. Anyone at a computer with an internet connection could get the news in real time.
Mobile technology is poised to complete this transformation by enabling access to and consumption of news anywhere, anytime - for everyone.
A recent study of (web-enabled) "smart phone" users found they would rather lose their car keys, wallet or purse...than lose their smart phone. For most owners, the smart phone has quickly become the single most indispensable piece of technology in their lives. What's shocking is the speed of penetration of this latest disruptive innovation.
The implications of ubiquitous "smart phones" for legacy media are profound. The web-enabled mobile device is both the greatest threat, and the greatest opportunity, for legacy media companies.
The threat is already visible. Newspaper and TV companies who've already seen their core news product cannibalized by migration to the web now must face the fact that even their own web sites will be diluted by migration to mobile. Each time the screen shrinks - for example from TV to TV station web site to TV station mobile site - so do the ad dollars. That is the threat.
Mobility is also opportunity. Someone must create the content that will populate these mobile devices. Today, legacy media outlets have an advantage: They are already creating vast quantities of daily, fresh news content that is trusted in their markets. Any new entrants must compete with their strong existing brand, established processes for finding and reporting news, and the volume of content they generate. In many ways, legacy media outlets are in the lead position to own the news space on mobile. As news consumers migrate from more traditional platforms to their new smart phones, they are likely to take with them the trusted brands from those bigger "screens".
The only question is: Will legacy media companies have the courage to take the plunge and invest in their mobile news platform before they lose their head start?
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