There's so much information on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook that trying to absorb it can be like trying to drink from a fire hose. Instant updates are great but it's sometimes difficult to spot the good stuff amid the drivel. While lists …
When the Wall Street Journal used Foursquare to report that New York's Times Square was being evacuated, the location-based social network proved its worth as a tool for journalists. Foursquare, Gowalla and other services let users "check in" at specific locations thanks to the built-in …
With new social networks and tools springing up almost daily, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Foursquare or Gowalla? Ning or Newsvine? Every time I turn around it seems there's something new to try, but I'm already having trouble keeping up with the networks I'm committed …
With a newsroom staff of just 23, WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas, has a wide reach--and not just over the air. The station is a longtime market leader, drawing more than twice as many viewers for its late newscasts in November as the other two stations …
Who says local TV never tries anything new or different? The CBS affiliate in Minneapolis, WCCO-TV, has just launched a special section on its website that lets users track, comment on and contribute to developing stories. The Wire is a pretty simple idea at heart: a …
The old stereotype about bloggers being guys in pajamas in their basements ranting on the Web surely has been laid to rest. But what we think we know about the blogosphere depends a lot on where we are. That's one of the things that struck …
Phone calls, email, social media: Journalists today are more accessible than ever. Soliciting comments, video and photos on the Web opens up the newsroom for input from the community; so does crowdsourcing on Twitter or Facebook. But how much interaction with readers, viewers and listeners …
According to a new study, the vast majority of American companies--almost 70 percent--have no "formal policy regarding employee use of social networking sites." The number could be even higher among news organizations, says KOMU-TV news director Stacey Woelfel, given how loath newsrooms are to put …
What would you tell a group of freshly-minted journalism and mass comm graduates about the future that awaits them? I asked that question on several social networks to prepare for a commencement speech last weekend at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "Your real …
One study estimates that as many as 70 percent of journalists now use social media to do their jobs--mainly to find sources and information quickly. Chip Mahaney, director of digital content for Scripps TV stations, says that Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools can be …
New results from the RTNDA/Hofstra University study (pdf) show only 38% of TV and radio news directors say their staffs are "really on top of new technology and where they're headed." The rest have "a long way to go" (48%)or are "mostly winging it" (13.7%). The …
Amy Wood is a social media maven. She's on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. She blogs, vlogs and chats. Oh, and in her spare time she anchors the news at WSPA-TV in Greenville, S.C. Why does she do it and how does she manage to get it …
