In the time it took me to write this post 236,468 tweets were sent on Twitter.
Only 7 percent of the total population has a Twitter account but 887 new Twitter accounts were made in the past 253 seconds. Social media is clearly where journalists are gathering a lot of story ideas and information.
Social media tips for journalists that were presented by Robin Phillips (@RobinJP) on Thursday morning include:
- Make ever word count
- Keep it simple
- Provide context
- Lead with the good stuff
- Write killer headlines
- Graphics expand the story
- People make things interesting
- It's OK to use first-person
- Consider audience
- Be polite
In a world where many students already have accounts on both of these popular social media sites, it is needed for our journalism staff to have one to reach our intended audience.
But we must still teach our students journalism first and technology second. Social media will not replace in-person interviews and we must teach students to seek the truth and report it.
I had never signed up for Twitter before joining #reynasu but I am sold on the power of it. I am going to develop a Twitter account and tell my students to use a hashtag to try and connect the printed newspaper, social media and our online website.
Brian Heyman
Pattonville High School
St. Louis, Mo.
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