Alright, so I admit it. I'm one of those middle-aged adults who is highly skeptical of the intrinsic value of Twitter. But I'm evidently not alone. According to a recent 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll, only 15 percent of Americans believe that Twitter is an important new tool for mass communication.Thirty-nine percent said the microblogging site is a fad that will fade away, while 43 percent had either heard of it but didn't know what it is, or had never heard of it.
However, it's clear that Twitter does has its usefulness for certain people -- not only celebrities -- but journalists and bloggers. During breaking news, in particular, both professional and citizen journalists have used Twitter to great advantage. For example, Twitter was a vital tool in reports about the Iranian crackdown on massive demonstrations in 2009, especially after Western journalists were deported from the country.
Click here to read how journalists are using Twitter to help them report the news. Then check out this video clip about the downside of Twitter. You can also read about one of the recent incidents referred to in the video in this article.
To tweet or not to tweet? That is the question.
I think Twitter is a good source of information for journalists to find sources faster. There are so many more poeple you can contact through Twitter. Also, you can get people's feedback on certain articels and ideas for an article you are writing. The downside to Twitter is that when you tweet something, your reputation could be tarnished. You have to make sure that you are representing your paper and not posting false or inaccurate information.
ReplyDeleteI don't care if people use Twitter like they use Facebook, but when journalists are taking information they find there as fact, that is obviously wrong. In the video, that one guy posted false information to see if it would spread, which reminded me of the Wikipedia test. I don't think reporters should use either Twitter or Wikipedia as a source for hard information, although Twitter could be helpful in discovering what people are interested in or their personal stories (as the first article said).
ReplyDeleteI believe Twitter is not a very useful tool for journalists because there is no way to make sure the information posted on it is entirely credible. I think people should stick to using Twitter for entertainment purposes and nothing else.
ReplyDeleteI think that Twitter is useful in some ways and not in others. On one hand, Twitter can be very useful for breaking news and getting information to the public quickly. On the other hand, there is often no way to know if the information is credible. Also, I think that journalism via Twitter is not good because it takes away from the art and skill of journalistic writing.
ReplyDeleteI think Twitter can be a really useful way to get information to readers in real time. However, when disseminating information so quickly, there is a real risk of misinformation and misinterpretation. Whether on purpose or not, people might give incorrect information to a great number of people and that can spiral into further misinformation quickly. Perhaps so much focus in journalism should not be put on the speed with which we report, but, with so much technology all around us, journalists must stay focused on the speed with which they can report accurately.
ReplyDeleteTwitter is a not a good way to get accurate news. But it can be a way for journalists to express themselves outside of their job. For example, most journalists cannot state their opinion in most stories they write, but if they want to communicate their opinion to their interested readers,I think Twitter can be useful. Although, they have to be careful what they say because it can threaten their job if their employer doesn't like how they are representing them.
ReplyDeleteI think Twitter is a great site for journalists such as Alex Shebar because it allows them to keep their followers updated on news that as not yet been composed into a story. However, like Jason DeRusha said it is important that a journalist keep their professional and personal lives separate. But I think this goes for any online site including Facebook. In today's society your Facebook page or even your Twitter could cost you a future job opportunity if you have information on that site that is not necessarily appropriate. So like anything, Twitter is a useful tool as long as it is not misused.
ReplyDeleteI think Twitter should be treated as a social network site, like Facebook, and not as a source. It goes along with websites like Wikipedia, where anyone can post anything they want. Sometimes the easiest option is not the best.
ReplyDeleteLike Jessie said I think Twitter is a social networking site. It shouldn't be used as a source. Twitter can be useful in someways to find out certain types of news, but it might not always be correct information and shouldn't be used as hard news . Twitter is more like Facebook then it is a useful news site.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is in the best interests of reporters to utilize the most recent technology, in order to keep up with the times and connect with their readers. If reporters use the same dignity with Twitter as they do with regular newspaper reporting, and remember that anything they say represents the newspaper that they report for, there should be no issue with using Twitter as a journalistic opportunity.
ReplyDeleteThough Twitter is convinent because of its speed and size, I think Twitter is Not the best place to base one's operations. I've never been a fan of Twitter, so I'm having a hard time looking at this without bias, but my belief still holds firm.
ReplyDeleteTwitter is an electronic break-through, so it stands to reason that it should be used for its advantages. It's a great way to get news passed around fast, which is great if your facts are correct. But if you're wrong, you just ruined someone's, maybe even your own, reputation in the blink of an eye. Like any other electronic tool, twitter has helped journalism grow, but it should be used sparingly and with a certain amount of discretion.
ReplyDeleteI am a Twitter enthusiast. I just finished watching the Lions game (OK, I DO need to get a life). But several newspaper reporters and columnists were tweeting along with one local tv sports desk guy. Not sure who was actually at the game, but the "real time" commentary was like watching the game with informed sports nuts, which for me was entertaining and engaging. It is possible to interact with the reporters and sometimes they "retweet" to a broader audience. Twitter might disappear, but micro-blogging will NOT (Or maybe you think texting is just a fad too). If you are serious about tomorrow's journalism learn how to distinguish (and leverage) Twitter/blogging/video/column writing like Pat Caputo of the Oakland Press. He does all of these things (and radio too!). And he often cross-references his content
ReplyDeleteI think that if used properly Twitter can be a helpful tool for journalists. If they use it more so to describe scenes or giving observations, as opposed to facts that are not yet confirmed.
ReplyDeleteI personally love Twitter. It allows me to know what's going on with my peers, although sometimes tweets can get a little to personal. I think that Twitter has the ability to become as big as Facebook or MySpace. People were skeptical about those when they were first created too.
I believe that twitter is a phenomenal resource, but can be destructive unless used with discretion.
ReplyDeleteTweets can be a great source for journalists, as long as they regaurd them as an unprofessional opinion. For example, if you wanted to use a quote of an ordinary citizen to see how they felt about your topic, it could easily be gathered on twitter in leu of a "man off the street" interview.
Twitter is also a great way for journalists to spread news fast. It is great for breaking news or for updates on a story. It is perfect when you don't have time or don't want to read a whole article. I have a twitter, and I used to follow the NBC coverage of the olympics to quickly see who won. It is very useful for that, you just have to make sure you are following credible sources.
Twitter clearly has both advantages and disadvantages, however I believe that the site is great for anyone who uses it with care.