Social Media: Redefining The Meaning Of Journalism
Before starting my career in journalism, I didn't really think about the impact social media had on my every day life. Although I wasn't born with a mobile device in my hand, I would still say I have been exposed to the age of social media long enough. It's to the extent that I can pick up my phone, go on my computer, and mindlessly log onto any social network, and sometimes spend hours looking at tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram feeds, Snapchat stories, and so on. Now, I am at a stage where social media is going to become a part of my career, and after beginning to read Professor Adornato's Mobile and Social Media Journalism, I see social media as more than just a distraction, but a tool that can change journalism for the better.
Before social media, the lengths journalists had to go through in order to get information and tips from the public were sometimes extreme. Take a look at Woodward and Bernstein and their investigative journalism during the Watergate Scandal. What they went through as reporters in order to get the sources and information probably would have went smoother, and possibly faster, if social media had been introduced. Here's an example of a scene where Woodward and Bernstein are looking through documents in the Library of Congress to find more names of people they could contact, as well as other information to help them progress with the story. If social media was around during this time, as well as the Internet in general, he may have had an easier time with crowdsourcing.
Crowdsourcing is a tool that has completely transformed the idea of journalism as a whole. In Chapter 4 of Professor Adornato's book, he discusses how journalism has become more of a conversation, and I completely agree. In the past, journalism could have be seen, at least from the public's perspective, as just general reporting. Now, the public is able to get involved, which creates more trust within the community. Readers can easily share a photo, video, or some kind of information that could improve a journalist's story. Social media also allows the reader to share what they want to see journalists covering. As journalists, it's key to develop a social listening: we have these social media platforms at our fingertips now, and we have to use them to our advantage.
