At first, 140 characters doesn’t seem like enough space to tell a story. How could you possibly get across your point in such a limited space?
This worry is a thing of the past. The popularity of microblogging has become extremely popular and a useful tool for journalists. Microblogging is the answer to those who are unsure if they can keep up with a traditional blog. This shortened feature allows for quick ideas, thoughts, and links to be shared and to allow for further discussion if needed. It is also an easy way to check on how a friend, co-worker, or even a celebrity is doing.
Some of the most popular microblogging tools being used today are:
Twitter has allowed journalists to communicate in “real-time” and provide quick information like never before. “Social media platforms such as Twitter enable budding reporters to be part of a more open journalistic culture,” said Alfred Hermida, founding news editor of the BBC News Web site.
Even though Twitter seems like it would be just as big of an information-overload as other social networking sites, its popularity has sky rocketed. Granted, not every tweet is worth reading and not every person is using the site in a useful fashion, as this hilarious short video from current TV explains.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2HAroA12wFor every mind-numbing tweet sent from Ashton Kutcher or Kanye West, there are reputable updates from news sources providing updates to breaking news and links to additional information. Sometimes breaking news is so popular that Twitter can’t handle the site traffic and crashes, like when Janis Krums tweeted a picture of the emergency commercial jet landing in the Hudson River.
This is an example of how to utilize Twitter for important or breaking news by combining images and words. Rob Quigley, an online editor at the Austin American-Statesman, has a few tips on how to “tweet with purpose” :
- Quality over quantity. Every tweet should have personality.
- Ask for story tips from followers. Some reporters are very surprised by the amount of response they receive.
- Keep control over the account. Don’t turn on the automatic feed.
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