What impact is social media having on journalists and journalism?

 

In the traditional world the news organizations had to give out information, and people would consume it. But simply making information available is not enough for today’s public. Today’s audiences expect to be able to choose what they read, and most believe they should be able to contribute content and opinions, too. This shift is generally called the social media.

Basically social media use internet-and mobile-based tools for sharing and discussing information among human beings. It has not only benefited journalists but has also helped give individuals a way to speak up to the world.

More and more people prefer reading newspapers online due to the online version being global, free and around forever. If most of the consumers are on line, it is better to reach them online. Traditional media is slowly becoming history. Journalists are now making a good use of social media to engage their audience.

Iqbal Yousafzai

What does social media mean to you?

 

 

 

I was in the generation when Facebook boomed. Being almost a full time traveller at the time, I saw it as an invaluable way of keeping in touch with friends and family as well as a useful contact tool for those who I met along the way. However, now social media to me is becoming so much more. It is no longer just a form of networking. It can be used as a form of Public Relations and continued client contact by companies. More importantly for me, it is becoming a highly useful tool for newsgathering.

Over the past few years, the term Twitter has been popping up everywhere in the world of news. I hear it in news bulletins on the radio and television and most newspapers have a page dedicated to twitter comments and blog opinions. Though many disagree, to me social media outlets are a fantastic news source as posts reach their audience direct and uncut.

Rebecca Novell