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How Social Media is Reshaping Journalism

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We invited Joey Guerra, Music Critic and Pop Culture Writer, Houston Chronicle; Scylla Lopez, Social Media Producer, KTRK-TV; and, Natalie Harms, Associate Editor Houston Business Journal, and blogger at “It's Not Hou It's Me” to share with us how social media has changed journalism.

Social Media Helps Keep Journalists On Trend

Social Media helps reporters keep close to the community, keep a finger on the trends that they need to cover and help them get news leads faster. One story that rides the trends for Joey Guerra is the RuPaul Drag Race series. You can read everything about the RuPaul Drag Race here.

The line between types of media is blurred even further will bloggers. As a result, journalists must bring new skills to the job. And understanding pop culture and what is viral is one of the skills that journalists also have to consider.
Organizations trying to get media attention also need to learn these lessons and provide content in a variety of formats.

Social Media Helps Reporters Get Stories That Connect

When reporters are connected with the community, they are more likely to get the “story behind the story.” This allows them to tell the human side of the story and makes their work more interesting. A great example of this was when Joey Guerra saw a girl crying into her Snapchat account at an Ed Sheeran concert that became one of his most popular stories.

Social Media is a Lifeline to Journalists in Crisis Situations

The panel talked about how they connected with the community in Houston during Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. One of the best sources for journalists after the storm were topical Facebook groups that sprung up for neighbors to help neighbors. The lines between telling the story and being a part of it were a bit blurred as news organizations sprung into action to meet needs by using the bully pulpit to connect people with needs to those who could help them.

A great example of finding compelling stories via social media during Harvey was this story that Scylla Lopez at Channel 13 helped to uncover about a man who was helping with rescues in the Port Arthur area. A woman who saw his selfie posted online, dubbing him the #RescueBae. Her post went viral, and channel 13 reached to get the story behind the #RescueBae selfie.

RescueBae Selfie Goes Viral

 

News Outlets are Multimedia and Require More Visual Connections

Newspaper and even radio new outlets now must deliver their stories via video. Conversely, television has to be quick to digital as well and must deliver written content. The lines have blurred and now all media have to be skilled at multiplatoform reporting.

Look to Unconventional Platforms for News

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram might be the main channels where many people focus their activities on social media. But don't forget more niche platforms like NextDoor, which is a social network for communities, or LinkedIn, which is usually centered on more B2B topics and job searching. Both of these platforms are a rich place to find and share newsworthy content. These reporters use all of these platforms to keep their finger on the pulse of the community.

Journalists Build Their Brand on Social Media

Many journalists are judged by how many people read the digital version of their stories. A great way to build better relationships with journalists is to share anything they write about your company on social media to drive more traffic. Also, journalists are expected to build a popular personal brand as well as a professional reputation. Knowing this will help you have better relationships with journalists.

Is Snapchat Dead for Reporters?

Joey Guerra says “no.” He uses it to tell stories and link followers to the bigger published piece. Snapchat allows you to add an outside link to your stories. Here is a quick guide about how to do it.

How Can you Pitch a Reporter in Social Media?

The panel was mixed on this question. They say that reporters are open to online pitches, but only if they are pitch perfect, but many still might prefer email. Natalie said she is okay, and even welcomes, a follow up to any pitch. So, go ahead and pitch a perfect story, but make sure you do your homework first to see if it will land on interested ears, or eyes. One tip is to create a Twitter list and follow and interact with reporters before you need them.

Social Media Management Tools Used in Journalism

Journalists also have to use tools to tame the social media firehose. Here are a few social media management tools that they recommend might be helpful for you. They include SproutSocial, Hootsuite, Buffer, Tweetdeck and Google Analytics.

Watch the Journalism Panel

Watch the whole event here. We do eventually adjust the framing, so be patient.

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