Social networks—online or offline—are an important tool for journalists and broadcasters. Your community can keep you informed of events, breaking news, and public opinion. Social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp, allow you to extend this network so you can hear from more people—immediately.
How should a newsroom use social media? Here are some tips from 24 Hours in a Newsroom:
- Open both a personal and a journalist account on social media so you can connect with your audience as a journalist (and with your friends in your private time).
- Watch out for fake accounts and fake testimony. There’s free software that can help you verify accounts. Or you can turn to your readers for help—ask your online followers if they think the source is legitimate.
- If you are writing a general interest story, ask your social media audience for personal testimonies, experiences, or opinions. In that way, your readers become a source for your story.
Learn more about how newsrooms can use social media: http://www.24hdansuneredaction.com/en/web/03-using-social-networks/ [1]
Barza Wire is also on social media. Follow us on Facebook [2] and Twitter [3] to share our stories with your friends and colleagues.