As technology continues to transform, so does the nature of journalism. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, around 70% of Americans use social media to engage with news content. With the rise in mobile devices and an increased number of people taking to social media to consume their news, journalism is no longer the one-way conversation it once was.
People are tweeting at journalists with relevant questions. They’re tuning into Facebook for live updates on what’s going on in their communities. They’re posting photos of newsworthy happenings on Instagram, which can later be used as user-generated content (UGC) in a reporter's story. The audience is now the central focus, furthering the need for heightened interactivity between reporters and the public.
Maximizing Audience Engagement
From using devices like iPhones and iPads to record content to scrolling through social media feeds to gather story ideas, journalists have drastically altered their approach. It now entails communicating with news consumers frequently and authentically. It means being quick to obtain visual evidence. It requires being receptive to feedback and continuing to explore different audience engagement tools — like Q&A sessions and social media groups.
Not only can boosted interactivity help push stories forward, but it can also help foster trust between journalists and the public, which can ultimately increase reporters’ credibility — an essential during a time when the media’s legitimacy has been frequently called into question.
Cutting Through The Clutter
With copious amounts of content being published every single day, social media provides ample opportunity for people’s voices to be heard and helps critical stories get much-needed attention. However, with so much information being constantly disseminated, effectively navigating the mobile social world can be a challenge.
As written in “Mobile and Social Media Journalism: A Practical Guide,” “Social media is like the wild west — exciting but chaotic and often lacking order” (Adornato 9). This calls for journalists to be vigilant about fact-checking and ensure that they they have multiple channels for story ideas, beyond just social media. It also stresses for the need to be media literate now more than ever.
As both a journalist and an audience member, there are several questions to ponder, with a significant overarching theme: how can we be the most discerning news consumers in this changing news environment?
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