Journalists' New Friend: Social Media

By: Christopher Calvano
 
BLUE BELL, PA--Almost a quarter of the time Americans spend on the internet is used on social media and networking sites.  This is almost nine times the amount they spend on new sites. With this in mind, using social media correctly can get news across to a larger audience.
 
     Journalists can use social media to locate leads and sources for a story, such as witnesses or other individuals directly related to an event.  Photos and videos of events that are posted and shared via social media can also be useful in reporting.  The instantaneous nature of social media also allows news stories to be published without the delay of print lead times as well as allow reactions to stories to be seen more prominently.
 
     However, social media and networking sites should be used as a supplement, rather than a replacement to traditional reporting tools. It is important to fully verify sources that come from the internet because anyone can add information to social media.  Not all of it is accurate and, many times, stories  can be published before all the facts are known.
 
     As a result of this, in addition to attributing online sources, one must verify sources claiming to be official by contacting the companies or organizations they claim to represent.
 
     In addition, one should not use social media sources as a sole source of information when other methods can provide more information. Tweets are sweet, but real news comes from interviews. Instead of just quoting a tweet form a prominent or important individual, contact them directly and ask them for in-depth details.
 
     Another thing to consider is privacy. Although many social networking sites have privacy settings that allow users to control who sees what, anyone who can see a post can share it with others.  Likewise, anyone who receives an email can forward it, so it is important to take these facts into consideration when reaching out to sources via social media.
 
     Social media can be a powerful tool for journalists in terms of outreach and collecting sources as long it is used correctly, is accurate, is relevant to the story and respects the privacy of others.