Social Media: Good or Bad for Journalists?

Lauren McGrath

lm949607@ohio.edu

Photo: Thought Quick blog

Years ago, news was simply delivered in print format. People had to wait until the morning to hear about the most recent events in the newspaper. When televisions became popular, broadcast news reports were added to the way readers consume their news. However, no one could have predicted the change technology and the internet in particular would have on news coverage.

While the internet has allowed media outlets to share their stories in another way, the emergence of social media has raised many questions for journalists and their employers.

Embrace the Changes

In an article on Statesman.com, Robert Quigley sings praises for the innovations the internet and social media have created for journalists. One of his main points is that the internet is supposed to enable a conversation between the author of an article and the reader. Forums and blogs allow interaction between the individuals as opposed to a newspaper where a person simply sees the authors name but has no further contact with him.

The Future of Social Media

An article on Mashable.com discusses the future of social media and its role within the journalism field. Author Vadim Lavrusik focuses on collaborative reporting and the role of the community within these changes. Social media has helped bridge the gap between community members and the media. Citizens can comment on Facebook walls or tweet during a city council meeting. Lavrusik doesn't think these methods are giving citizens a voice. Rather, he thinks these methods are finally giving citizens a way to have their voices heard.

What Can We Do?

Another article from Mashable.com discussed what journalism schools can do to teach social media. As a student at Ohio University, I think we do the first recommendation very well: promote content. So many of our student-run publications Facebook and tweet when they publish a new story or post new photos. My favorite tip is number 9, Ethics: Remember, you're still a journalist. If your job doesn't have a code of ethics for social media and blogging, consider talking to your boss or thinking twice before hitting publish. You can't take back something you said in the heat of the moment and it's important to remember you are not only representing yourself online but also your employer.

Make sure to check out the full article at Mashable.com to find out what we, as students and professors, should be focusing on in our careers as journalists.