Wondering what all the hype about using Twitter for journalism is about? Check out my latest article to find out why Twitter is an amazing tool, and how to use it to your advantage.
Without a doubt, social media has changed all of our lives in some shape or form. Platforms like Instagram and Twitter have made the world a little smaller. Of course, there are pros and cons to social media, but at this point regardless of your feelings about social media, its virtually unavoidable. I struggle to think of a single person who doesn’t use social media, either for personal or professional reasons. As time has passed and the popularity of social media has increased, public relations and journalism professionals have been faced with a choice: either conform to the masses and adopt social media (mainly Twitter) as a professional tool, or simply avoid it at all costs. In my opinion, the latter option is detrimental to the PR and journalism professions. This week, I read a few interesting articles stating different opinions on the use of Twitter for journalism and public relations. Let’s dive in!
Is Twitter Harming the Media?
One of the main complaints against using Twitter professionally in the journalism/PR field is that it can propagate “fake news”. The article Twitter Isn’t the voice of the People, and Media Shouldn’t Pretend it is from CBC Radio touches on this topic. Quoting an article written on the topic from Heidi Tworek, the article raises the fear that “Very often, the tweets become the story, rather than a way of illustrating it. And then it’s into dangerous territory, because there are so many users who are not ‘real’ people at all”.
While this can definitely be the case, I don’t think the problem here is inherently with Twitter. Twitter is a tool, and in my opinion, it is up to the journalism or PR professional to make sure the information they are getting is accurate and real. Avoiding fake news on Twitter is as simple as checking your sources. I don’t think you can point to Twitter as the problem when it takes about two seconds to check a user’s account or do some research. Ultimately, it’s up the professional to do their job. This is the way it has always been in the industry, and I don’t think Twitter changes that.
Twitter as a Tool
Despite the possibility for error, I believe Twitter can be a massively helpful tool in the PR/Journalism sphere, and some of the articles I read this week certainly back up my opinion. The blog post 10 Ways Twitter is Valuable to Journalists by Steve Buttry backs up my claim that tons of professionals actually believe that Twitter can be a useful resource. To see full list of ways Twitter is a benefit to the journalism profession, check out Steve’s blog post. To drive the point home, according to Steve just a few ways that Twitter is an asset to the journalism professions is that it helps source breaking news, is an excellent resource for crowdsourcing, and can even help with finding inspiration for story ideas, along with so many other benefits.
Calling all Journalists: You Should be on Twitter
With so many benefits, if you’re a journalist, PR professional, or are working in media in any form, you need to be on Twitter. In the end, it’s only going to hurt your own business if you avoid all social media like the plague. There are pros and cons to all tools, but I feel that if you take the time to learn how to use it correctly and professionally, Twitter will take your work to new heights. The article Should All Journalists be on Twitter by Ann Friedman from the Columbia Journalism Review sums up my main point perfectly: like it or not, Twitter is the future of journalism, and you should only ignore it if you’re happy to stay where you are and never move forward. On an even more extreme note, it’s my personal opinion that we can take this assumption a step farther. If you don’t make use of Twitter, you may be jeopardizing your job and career as it stands.
As Ann states, one of the problems is the mindset that journalists are in. “A lot of journalists still view Twitter as a chore… It’s viewed as yet another task in a social-media laundry list of responsibilities that detract from the Practice of Journalism”. I think this way of thinking is a huge issue. Journalists should know by now that mediums for journalism are constantly changing, and have been since the advent of the profession itself. Instead of viewing social media and Twitter as a chore, take the time to explore and discover its many benefits, and how it has changed the field for the better.
As Jennifer Peters states in her article for News Media Alliance, How to Use Twitter to Your Advantage as a Journalist, the best and most successful journalists use Twitter as a means for self-promotion, crowdsourcing, and engaging with readers. Based on the opinions of those within the industry and from what I’ve learned along the way, my best advice for any journalist is not to fear Twitter, but to embrace it. You may just be surprised at how much you like it.
Maria's Musings 