Is Twitter Changing how Journalists work?

Social media is having a large impact on the way the journalism industry works and shares its content.

Twitter and other social media sites are now seen as the way the majority of people consume the news, due to it being accessible anytime, anywhere, through smartphones and tablets. This huge development in the way news is shared, means the traditional methods of journalism are being challenged to fit with the audience’s needs.

A change in the consumption of news leads to a change in how news is gathered and researched.

Could Twitter be the death of the newspaper?

Twitter is now seen as a very valuable tool for journalist to research stories on either a local or an international scale through specific key word searches, trends and hash tags. Allowing journalists a much larger platform to gather information from, and also a place to share their work. Meaning  social media acts as both a feeder and a producer of information.

Karen Pickering

Karen Pickering, Chief-sub-editor of the Telegraph & Argus in Bradford believes that social media has made a positive impact on the development of journalism. “Social media, in particularly Twitter, has played an increasing role in how journalists find stories at the Telegraph & Argus, as information on an event can be shared in seconds” said Karen Pickering.

With information being provided to reporters fast allows them to gather information and opinions and produce an article rapidly.  

Social media allows sections of a report to be published as and when the information comes to light, through Tweeting a short caption of news rather than waiting to provide a full feature article.

Georgina Morris, Deputy News editor for the Dewsbury Reporter and Morley Observer said: “We’re encouraged to break stories online rather than hold the story for the print edition as we might have done in the past.”

Social media is able to act as a publisher; as soon as information is there it can be uploaded to the internet and accessible to the world. “There is a real potential to increase online audience and social media is a key part of that” said Georgina Morris. Journalists are encouraged to share information immediately rather than wait for the newspapers next publication.

Linking stories in their tweets to the website allows for increased footfall by people who wouldn’t normally access the website, as they are clicking on the hyperlink to find out more.

The Dewsbury reporter and Morley Observer both have Facebook and Twitter pages to share articles and local events to their audience. “All editorial staff are expected to have Twitter accounts for work use” said Georgina Morris. Allowing them to share content, be it articles, news updates, photos and links to other sources.

Up to the minute news provides a closer link between the content publisher and their audience. Regular updates keep followers interested and maintain a sense of trust as they are provided with information they want.

Is Social Media taking over how people consume the news?

The recent addition of Instagram pages allows for the papers to share and gather content via images instead of text.

140 character limitations of twitter does mean information has to be reduced but can provide the followers with a very brief overview so they are aware of what is happening. A concept that is more appealing to people constantly on the move.

listen to ‘Karen Pickering - How social media affects journalism’ on Audioboo

Social networking allows an opportunity to gain an audience who wouldn’t necessarily read the paper. Being able to use smartphones and other devices “Social media helps us to reach new audiences who don’t traditionally buy papers, and is another way for us to build a link with the community” Said Karen Pickering.

Twitter also now allows for feedback on local issues, to whether a certain topic is of interest to people, through the use of comments, likes and retweets readers have left. Allowing the papers to report on issues that they are interested and what to know about. Allowing the journalists to provide the wants of the community and inreturn gain the interest of the audience.

Social media can remove the wall between journalists and their audience, as they are able to communicate with each other and provide for each other.

Georgina Morris said: “Some people post items of interest directly to our Facebook page, tweet us or send direct messages to us. It is quick and convenient, and might seem less daunting than ringing us up to pursue a story”. Comments left on tweets and the amount of favourite also provides reporters with a sense of what their readership wants from them, be it online or in the paper.

listen to ‘What do the public think of twitter as a news form?’ on Audioboo

The future of journalism is unpredictable, and the rise of social media is affecting how journalists work. This doesn’t necessarily mean that traditional journalism methods are being removed, but altering the ways journalists need to work in order to keep up to date with society and technology.